"It has been two years since I last saw you, you have not changed, still so young!" I said as I smiled sweetly at him and spread my arms around his smooth neck. When I hugged him, I felt the stiffness of his muscles. On a whim, I kissed his cheeks gently and whispered in his ear in a voice that people nearby could hear, "I miss you... Dad!"

I felt his muscles relaxed and smiled. I was about to loosen my hands and saw how shocked the people nearby seemed. Suddenly, he held me tightly around my waist and held me in his arms whispering "me, too. " Then, he grabbed my arm to pull me out of the golden hall... The last thing I saw was Shawn looking at us absolutely dumbstruck.

I guessed he would be startled more if he knew what would happen next! The moment Jonathan pushed me into the car, he came in and pressed me against the back seat of the car as he drew closer to me. When his driver saw this, he pressed a button that let down a screen that offered us private space.

Jonathan clenched his hand around my jaw and forced me to look into his cruel eyes. He said in a gruesome and cold voice, "I told you, don't let me see you again... "

"Why should I obey you? I like going against your wishes, coming back, and letting you see me! Don't you hate me? I will show you how happy I am!”

His eyes swept over my chest, waist, and legs. I still smiled sweetly and tugged the zipper of my dress, then the thin black gown slid off my soft and flawless skin. "Do you want to make love to me?” I asked.

Whatever, I don't care... " he said.

I unbuttoned his suit slowly and gently touched his waist, then untied his belt. "Anyway, it isn’t something new, I don't care... " he said. He held my hands above my head, pressing on my body tightly and kissing hard on my lips. Our bodies passionately entwined, we made love...I looked at him affectionately, as my first time with him.

Two years have passed, I would have thought I learned to be strong, to forgive. But it was just because he wasn't by my side!

When he looked at me, he gasped for breath, calling my name, "Desiree"

"Well...” I looked at him with a smile.

Although abandoned by him several times, I still liked to hear him say the words, "I love you!"

But he whispered in my ear, "Have you came up with another good way to kill me this time?" Hopelessly, I laid in the extremely uncomfortable seat and smiled bitterly.

The old memories of my childhood suddenly flashback into my mind after hearing what he said.

I used to have a happy and stable family like every ordinary child. Despite the poor living conditions, I embraced my parents, who loved each other, and my brother who could protect me. All that changed the day Jonathan Li appeared and killed my entire family.

"Good girl, come down quickly and be careful to avoid falling." My dad, who loved me the most, lifted me from the windowsill with his powerful arms, as strong as steel, and then kissed my face, as he scratched my skin.

"Handsome uncle!” I said as I pointed to the window and looked downstairs again. I had never seen such a handsome man. He wore a long black coat, with its buttons undone and when the wind blew, it opened his coat, revealing a black shirt and trousers underneath it.

He looked up at the bright sunlight, with his black, soft hair waving in the wind. Those dark eyes, that straight nose, and a hint of a smile are what I saw. I opened my eyes with excitement and saw his shadow with the sunlight glistening in the background. For that year, all my memories are rather vague, except for his handsome face engraved in the memory. I used to climb up to the window on the second floor to stare at him.

I still remember what happened one evening. "Hey!" My father screamed and threw me towards my mom. "Take our daughter away now. They're coming," he said.

"Is it Jonathan Li?" My mother was alarmed, and her face turned white. Standing for a moment, she rushed to take my father's hand, "How about you? Let's run together,” she said.

"I should stop them," he said to her. In a panic, my dad pushed us into the utility room. When a dusty box fell, it almost hit me, instead of helping me, he urged with a sharp voice, "Come on, run quickly"

He opened the window in confusion and saw the man standing outside. Hesitating for a moment, he said hoarsely, "Stay here and keep silent."

My mother was about to shout, "No," but before she answered, my father quickly slammed the door.

Through the glass, I saw father was being pushed and kicked by a man in a tight, black suit, Jonathan’s bodyguard. He fell next to the sofa. Then a dozen men appeared and stood by my father's side.

My father held his chest and pulled himself up, kneeling in front of the man named Jonathan saying, "I know it's my fault, boss. Please leave my family alone, don't punish them too.” Sitting down on the sofa, he leaned forward and took a few puffs of his cigarette. Through the smoke, his skin looked flawless, and the demeanor seemed laid-back.

"Long time I haven't seen you!" he said, squinting as he stared ahead. I was trying to ask my mother something about him, but she covered my mouth so tightly that I could hardly breathe. Turning back towards her, I saw her bleeding lips, the blood running down her white teeth. I would surely have screamed if my mouth was not covered.

"Boss Jonathan! I never meant to betray Harvey Wells, but they used my wife and kids to threaten me, I had no choice but..."

"Do you remember what I told you? I always keep my word,” Jonathan said calmly and steadily with a gentle smile on his face.

"It’s my fault!” My father pleaded desperately. Even his forehead was bleeding, he dared not stop and said, "I was wrong! I am sorry!"

"I told you I will kill your whole family... " Jonathan reminded him.

"Please, it's none of their business... " I heard my father say.

He put out his cigarette and threw it on the ground. Sorting out his jacket, he stood up and walked slowly towards the door, as if it were over. The bodyguard in black approached him, his head bent so low that I didn't recognize his face, as he leaned over and said to Jonathan, "He has a son of ten and a daughter of seven, how about the children? "

I recall that day, the tears in my parents’ eyes and how they cried for us to stay. It breaks my heart just thinking about it. I was thrown from the second floor and fell on the grass below. A sharp pain woke me. I struggled to open my eyes and saw that my dear brother was being hit by a speeding car. He lay there in a pool of blood and breathed his last breath.

The blood running down my forehead blurred my vision of that dreadful scene. I heard footsteps approaching…

my life started a journey along a different path from that moment onwards. The so-called brave policemen did not ask me what happened, nor did they ask about the killer, and closed the case as burglary and murder. As for the murderer's whereabouts, they dealt with it carelessly! As the only survivor, I was moved several times after I recovered. Later because of autism, I was transferred to a remote orphanage.

In the two years at the orphanage, I never said a word. When I was hungry, I would take some food from the table, and when I am tired, I would sleep on the bed for a while. I spent the rest of the time hiding in the corner of the room, holding my knees facing the dusty windows. Everyone thought I was a fool, and locked me in a narrow room in case I ran around. No one cared about me or even bothered glancing at me, except for the little boy who brought food to my room every day. He told me his name was Steven Luo.

I never looked at him carefully until one stormy night. On that rainy night, I held my body in terror, with my back against the wall. The chain on the door was struck by the wind, I dared not move nor speak. When the door opened, Steven came in, his entire body drenched. He squatted down beside me and saw me trembling and asked, "Are you terrified?"

I moved my thin body, staring at him with frightened eyes. As the lightning flashed through the window, I saw his face. He was just a teenager and his cheeks were dull and his skin was pale yellow. But he had big, bright eyes and long eyelashes. With his charming nose and lips, he could be handsome if he had been well nourished.

The storm got worse and he stretched out his thin arms around me. "Don't be afraid. I'll protect you," he said. His arms were warm, just like my dead brother’s...

Holding his clothes tightly, I lay on his shoulder, trying to absorb the warmth of his body. That night, he did not leave, and kept telling me, “Take it easy, I am here for you.” I was still scared, but I wasn't lonely anymore.

Since that day, he often came to keep me company. He would always tell me stories about the outside world and when talking about funny things, he could not stop laughing. Most of the time I would stare at the glass windows which he had wiped clean.

Outside, the sky was bright and clear... the short days and long nights passed silently. I couldn’t forget the happy days and often missed my parents.

After countless nightmares and hallucinations, I found that nothing could bring back the past. Bear in mind that I was an orphan, and my home had been destroyed by a cruel man. I remembered that face over and over

again.

I told myself, “Jonathan, one day I will look for you!” But I never thought that the day would come so soon...

One summer day, the sun shone into the room and cast its light on the dust in the air. As I looked out of the window, Steven was combing my hair. A black car stopped in the yard, from which a tall, slender figure emerged.

The man in a black shirt and long trousers looked somewhat out of place on that summer day.

I hurried to the window to look more closely at the face that I would never forget. "Jonathan Li," I whispered," I could recognize him even if he was burned in ashes!" At that moment, I rushed out of the room in a state of panic. I ran up to him, quivering...

He was so tall that I had to look up at him. His build had not changed, but the expression in his eyes was more gloomy than before.

"Do you know about me?" he asked as he squatted in front of me. I thought he would recognize me, but he looked at me like a stranger.

"The little girl is pretty, just too thin," one of his bodyguards behind him said. I also remembered that man, with a dead look in his eyes, and a scrawny face, he killed my mother and threw me from the second floor ...

Then I just lost it, I ducked down and bit his long finger fiercely with all my strength, no matter how hard he tried to break away from me, he couldn't. Eventually, he pinched my cheek with his other hand, it was so painful that I let go.

Looking at his bleeding fingers, and glancing at me, he remained calm, without showing any emotion on his face. I hadn't figured out how to fight back yet, suddenly somebody rushed towards him. It was Steven Luo. Steven kicked him in the ankle. When he dodged him, Steven immediately used his head to attack his waist. His actions were so swift that it was hard to believe. The man behind him suddenly grabbed him and kept him still by holding his hands behind his back as he tried to pull me away.

"The boy is very alert," the bodyguard touched his shoulders and legs and said, with a satisfied look on his face, "Boss, he is in good shape."

"Well good to hear that!" said Jonathan. As he walked towards the car, he left with the words, “Talk to the manager, the boy is the right person." His words reminded me of the scene two years ago when my brother rushed towards me as he crossed the road with his arms open when he saw me falling down the stairs. Unfortunately, he couldn't even protect himself.

At that point, I wanted to cry for him, but I couldn't make a sound in my throat. Finally, he even lost the opportunity to hear me call him, “dear brother.”

"No, no. " I was frightened and pushed the man's arm away and shouted. I owned nothing, but Steven, and he was the only one I could rely on in the world. I couldn't lose him too. At that moment, Steven held me tightly in his arms. It was the first time I had cried in two years. The first words I said to him were, "Run quickly, my brother."

"Anton!" said a charming voice from behind me, "Carry this girl with you."

"Yes boss!" he replied and took me immediately.

They took Steven and me to a remote place, the house was as large as a castle. Upon entering the door, I saw a huge, empty room. It was so silent, I could have heard a pin drop. The marble floor was as shiny and bright as a mirror, which gave me the illusion of walking on a frozen lake.

I was frightened and stepped back when I saw my reflection, a slightly baggy, cotton dress hanging over my knees, my scruffy hair was down to my waist, and I had such a pale complexion that I looked like a ghost. As I gazed at my reflection, I saw the helpless look in my eyes. I touched my face and thought, “No wonder Jonathan didn't recognize me.” I could hardly even recognize myself.

Steven held my hand and whispered, "Don't be afraid. I'll protect you." I looked into his innocent eyes and didn’t know what to say. Anton came to Jonathan and said, "This is all the information I could find about the boy. There is no information about the girl."

“It doesn't matter, that’s fine," Jonathan said and took the stack of papers from Anton, looking through them. Then he glanced up at Steven and said, "Come here." Steven gripped my hand tightly and did not move. Jonathan looked up at me and pointed at me. I knew what he meant when he did that, but I couldn’t change anything and saw Anton push Steven away and drag me towards him.

The man I had been searching for all that time was right in front of me. “What should I do?” I thought and racked my brain trying to figure it out. Then he reached out and touched my head, holding my jaw, and asked, "What's your name?” I shook my head, with eyes wide open. In the dim light, his eyes seemed so black and his face was just as handsome as before.

"Well, from now on you are my daughter and your name... Desiree Li," he stated.

How ridiculous, that a man who killed my family took me as his daughter. "You’d better let her go," Steven shouted.

Jonathan smiled and asked him, "Do you like her?" Steven just stood there and didn't say a single word.

"I will arrange your training tomorrow. I'll give you eight years to improve yourself, if I am content with you by the time you come back, then I'll give you one thing you want most. If you fail, don’t blame me!” Jonathan said. Steven looked at me calmly despite the circumstances. I feel his eagerness to protect me but he can't do anything right now. Then Jonathan stretched out his hand to me and put me on his knees. His long fingers touched my neck and stroked my skin with his thumb. I was too scared to move. I knew, given his cruel personality, that he could choke me at any moment if he wanted.

"It’s a deal," Steven answered while looking at me scared.

"Good boy!" Jonathan nodded with satisfaction and lifted me up the stairs saying, "Desiree, Daddy will send you to school tomorrow."

When I was a child, my father told me stories about the devil with the face of an angel. At that stage, I did not understand, “Then… facing Jonathan Li right now I suddenly understand what my father means!” I realized that if Steven had said no, I could have been strangled to death by those beautiful hands.

From that day forward, I never saw Steven, but I always knew he would come back and rescue me from this place.