A MAN in a gray polo and black trouser butt in, and then he walked towards the old man, whom he called ‘dad.’

“Helios, son,” the old man greeted as he stood up. A sly smile crept into the old man’s lips.

“What are you doing here, dad? And what are these people doing here?” the guy named Helios uttered as he stopped his gaze on Zoe.

“You’re doing it again?!” Helios’ booming voice roared on the corners. He walked closer to his dad and grabbed the old man by his collar. “I’m warning you! Don’t you dare tint my place with your schemes!” he asserted.

Instead of answering, Helios’ dad let out a devilish laugh.

“Let them go, dad,” Helios asserted once again.

The old man’s devilish smile is still drawn to his lips as he equaled Helios’ death stares.

“I will if…” he paused, which made Helios clench his jaw. “Well, I will let the young lady go—”

“Both of them. Let them go,” Helios said.

“No. The older one needs to pay debts to me—”

“I am clear, dad. Let them go!” Helios shouted, making the old man’s bodyguards point their guns at him. However, the old man raised his hand as a sign for them not to shoot.

Zoe doesn’t know—she was confused about what was going on, but when the old man mentioned debts, she looked at her mother. Their eyes met, but her mom broke the gaze.

She knew that her mom was doing her best for her future, but she was also aware that she was good at gambling.

If Zoe analyzes the situation, her mom seems to have large debts to the old man, and since she can’t pay it, she will sell her own daughter to save her ass—and thinking of this, her heart is being torn into pieces.

The thunderous voice of the guy who butts in cuts the hum of her thoughts.

“It’s just money. And stopped this, now that I still have respect for you,” Helios said as he pierced his eyes into his dad. “Remember, you killed a person once, and when you do it again, I’ll make sure that you will rot in jail,” he added.

“You can’t do that, son. And why do you care about these people?” the old man asked as he glanced at Zoe and at her mother.

“I’ll pay for her debts and let them go,” Helios said and let go of his dad.

Helios walked closer to Zoe. And she locked her eyes on the man.

“Are you aware that your mother will sell you?” he asked, which made her shake her head and glance at her mom.

Helios leaned over. “Come with me if you still want to live,” he whispered.

“Since you wanted to sell your daughter to this man? Then you better sell her to me. And don’t expect me to return her to a mother like you!” It was Helios’ last words before they left the club, and those words keep on replaying in Zoe’s mind.

She was inside his car, and no one dared to talk, and she had no idea where he was taking her. She wanted to ask him. However, his aura is frightening. She tried to glance at him, but she seemed like she’d be dead if he caught her.

She heaved a deep sigh as she simply pulled down the hem of her dress, but it caught Helios’ attention.

“If you don’t like your dress, why would you wear it?” His husky voice sent chills down Zoe’s body which made her shiver.

“Let me clear things to you. You are already sold to me, and I don’t want you to get back to your mom. Stay—”

“I’ll stay with you,” she interrupted, and this time, she got the courage to face him.

However, the man’s eyes are still on the road.

“Yes. And that old man that you just met earlier is my father—”

“I know. I’ve heard it,” she cuts in again, making Helios’ forehead crease.

“You took the courage to cut me off?” he asked, and this time, he glanced at her.

She pressed her lips as she looked away. “I’m sorry,” she whispered and looked down. But she cursed inside her head when she looked at her body. Her cleavage is showing up!

She pulled her dress upward, but her long white legs flaunted this time.

Helios frowned when he saw what the woman was doing through his peripheral vision. A sly smirk crept into his lips. “Uncomfortable?” he asked.

“Yeah,” the woman replied, which surprised him because of how she answered him. It seems like they’ve known each other for a long time.

“Aren’t you afraid of me?”

Zoe’s forehead knitted as she looked in his direction. Helios turned to her, and their eyes met. It lasted for seconds before he returned his gaze to the road.

“Why would I be afraid of you? You just save me—”

“What if I’ll be the one who will hurt you?”

Zoe’s eyes widened, and they weren’t expecting those questions from him. She knew that he was a stranger, but he did earn her trust when he saved her.

“You can do it? You will hurt me?” she asked as she steadied her gaze at him.

“So, you really don’t know me,” he stated.

Zoe saw how he tightened his grip on the steering wheel. She frowned. “I’m sorry. But who are you?” she asked. Indeed, she doesn’t know him but the old man earlier, she got to know him in the news and newspapers, and it was two years ago.

She doesn’t know a man named Helios.

Honestly, Zoe is not into social media, and that old man she got to know when she accidentally flipped a newspaper, and the news spread all over their university.

She doesn’t even have a cell phone. She devoted her life to studying and buying the things she needed when she finished school. She got part-time jobs, but she never bought a phone. Her mom wants to buy her one, but she always refuses.

She has no friends to call her, to begin with, so why bother?

“Is that how quickly you forget about those people who’re helping you?”

Again, she frowned and tried to think where and when did she meet the guy. He’s handsome and got a perfect shape. He got muscles, but Zoe sucks at describing a man’s features. All she could say was the man was Greek god-like. He got a sharp nose, tantalizing eyes in the shade of blue, and kissable lips. And she wonders how many women he kissed— ‘shit, Zoe!’ She cursed herself as she put those thoughts away.

She shook her head and looked past through the window. “We haven’t met before,” she replied.

Helios let out a devilish chuckle. “I see. At first, I didn’t know that it was you; your back is facing my direction when I butt in with my father’s business. But when I got a chance to see your face, I was surprised, and then I saw your mom—”

“Can you just get straight to the point?” she asked as she glanced in her direction again. “I’m sorry, but you need to know that I’m not good at recognizing people. I can memorize the names for a long time but not their faces,” she replied honestly.

Helios nodded, and a faint smile crept into his lips. “I see. Don’t worry. Just forget it.”

IT'S been two days since Zoe lived with Helios. It's Monday, and she just went home from school. Her everyday life as a student became different the moment she lived with Helios. Yesterday, the man ordered someone to pick up and pack her things at her old apartment. However, they only brought her something that she would need at school but not her clothes because Helios bought many of them.

She knew he bought her but to the extent that he would buy her dresses and stuff. She couldn't say anything about his treatment. He's caring—despite the fact that he has a solid and scary aura, she still manages to stay calm on his side. And she has this strong feeling that she's safe when she's with him.

About her mom… they lost communication. But Helios assured her that her mother was safe. She trusts Helios' words. She doesn't know, but she felt at ease being with him in just a few days.

"Miss, dinner is ready."

"Thank you, Nana Milky. But I will wait for Helios first," Zoe said and smiled at Helios' butler.

"But Helios said you must eat dinner on time, Miss," the old woman said, which makes Zoe hold her hand.

"Nana, I'm okay. I will just wait for Helios, and you can have a rest. I will be the one who will prepare his dinner," she said.

The old lady sighed. "What else I can do? Since you live here, you always want to help, but Helios ordered that you don't have to and focus on your studies until you graduate."

Zoe crept a smile on her face. "Nana, I am just a nobody. So, I want to help."

The old lady shook her head and sighed. "Okay, then. I know I can't change your mind," the old lady said in defeat, then smiled at her. "You're such a beautiful and kind lady," she added.

She smiled back and let the older woman go into her room as she waited for Helios. Also, she needs to talk to him. She was curious about his treatment and the like. And why does he always ask her if she knew him?

And no matter how hard she tried to remember moments from the past people that she interacted with, she can't really remember him. The fact that she will forget the faces of people that she met, she also knew that it's pointless.

She glanced at the wall clock, and it was already eight in the evening. She turned off the television. Helios usually got home at this time, she thought. She stood up and was about to walk on her way to the kitchen when the main door opened.

And the man she wanted to see stepped inside.

A tint of shock was visible in Helios' eyes when their gazes met.

"What are you still doing?" he asked, and he walked to the wooden table near the door and put down his car key inside the swan's cup.

He started to take off his neckties as he walked closer to her.

Zoe sighed. "Did you already eat?" she asked, trying to be casual to him—well, they always talk as if they knew each other for a long time.

Yesterday, Zoe found out about his identity when she asked Nana Milky. He's a famous bachelor in the business world. He owned a car company.

"You knew I'm not eating dinner outside—"

"Yeah, you prefer Nana's dishes," she said and smiled. "Come on, let's eat," she added, which made Helios frown.

"You really talk to me as if we've known each other for a long time, yet if I asked you, you always replied that you can't remember," he said.

Zoe sighed. "It's the truth. I really can't remember—have we met before?" she tilted her head a little bit, "No matter how hard I tried to remember every event…" she shook her head, "—I can't remember that we have met before.

Helios formed a sly smirk on his lips. "Okay. Don't overthink about it," he said as he took off his coat and his necktie. He was about to throw it on the couch when Zoe rushed towards him.

"Let me," she said as she grabbed it. "I'll just put this on the laundry basket—"

"Zoe…" Helios called her name, which made her put to a halt.

She arched her brow and met Helios' gaze. She waited for Helios' following words, but his mouth didn't open, and just nodded at her before he walked towards the kitchen.

Zoe frowned. "Did he want to say something to me?" she whispered.

When Helios pulled the chair in the kitchen and sat, he cursed inside his head. Don't lose control, his inner self shouted.

He heaved a deep sigh and waited for Zoe. After a few moments, Zoe returned, and the woman started to serve him dinner, which she didn't need to. But it seems like the woman felt that she has debts to pay, so he just let her. Besides, it was the first time that a woman cared for her—he meant a stranger like her.

Zoe smiled at him, and he smiled back. And it's another thing that he does, unusually. He's not fond of smiling, but his heart softened with a simple smile or gestures from Zoe.

They eat dinner peacefully, and when he's done, he stands up and is about to put his plate on the sink when Zoe stands up and initiates to have it.

"You can go upstairs and rest. Leave it to me," she said.

He sighed and nodded. It seems he can't stop her. He then left the kitchen and went upstairs.

Zoe smiled unconsciously while washing the dishes. She doesn't know, but she feels like she was her girlfriend— "Damn it," she whispered. Then suddenly. She remembers that she needs to talk to him.

After she was done with what she was doing, she hurried to the next floor and knocked on Helios' room. She frowned and knocked once again but still, no one opened the door. She then tried to twist the knob, and her eyes widened… 'it's not locked,' she thought.

She pressed her lips together and heaved a sigh as she twisted it and pushed the door open. Her forehead creased when she didn't see Helios inside. She knew what she was doing was inappropriate, but she was just curious what his room looked like, and as she expected, it was shouted luxury, yet it was simple.

The interior paint is so cold to the eyes. It's gray and has a lining of black below. He has a king-sized bed. And the color of the sheet and his comforter is silky black. Now, she nodded. Helios maybe loves the color black and gray. The color of his pillows was gray.

She closes the door and roams her eyes inside his room. And her gaze stopped on the picture frames that were above his side table. She smiled. She walked towards it and grabbed it as she ran her fingers into his portrait.

"What are you doing here?"

Zoe suddenly put down the frame and turned around in his direction. Her eyes widened when he saw him.

Helios is half-naked!

And while he walked in her direction, her eyes went down to his navel—shit! Eight-packs, she screamed inside her head.

She was about to look away when her eyes caught the tribal tattoo on his left arm until it covered his left chest. She squinted her eyes, and thoughts suddenly came into her mind. Then she came to realize…

"Y-You…" her heart started to palpitate as the memories of that night came across her mind, "—you're that man—that tattoo…" she's sure that she already saw that tattoo—the unique tribal design…

Helios approached her side in a swift move and suddenly cupped her face and pressed his lips into hers.

WHEN Zoe’s lips met his lips, a bomb suddenly exploded inside her. The kiss is familiar, and so is his touch. She knew that her body recognized it.

He was the man whom she let have her that night two years ago. She can’t forget that tribal tattoo design covering his left chest and shoulder. The room that night is dim, but the tattoo shines through the dark.

She was sure that he was the man who took her virginity—yes, she lost it that night. It was clear as snow, but it was the memory she tried to forget. She was drunk. However, she still remembers what she did. She was at the counter at that time while waiting for her mom. She remembered clearly how she pulled the guy that passed by in front of her and suddenly kissed him. It was supposed to be a peck, but the guy caught her lips again.

She opened her eyes at the moment and pushed Helios away. Her chest was heavy panting while she stared at him.

“Now, you remembered me,” he said, and a smile formed on his lips.

“W-Why you didn’t tell me the moment—”

“I don’t want to. I want you to remember me by your will,” he replied as he met her gaze.

In Zoe’s eyes, confusion can be seen. “W-Why did you kiss me again?” she asked.

“I don’t know. Maybe I want to taste those lips again. You made me insane for the past years. And I had enough control not to get close to you—watching you from afar is enough—”

“Why do you have to do it? I am a stranger. It was just a one-night stand, Helios—”

“It is, but it is memorable. I remember how you rubbed your wetness on my navel—”

“Helios!” she warned, but the man just let out a soft chuckle.

“Why? Didn’t you enjoy that night too?”

“I was drunk,” she replied, which made Helios let out a mischievous smile.

“Really? Then why did you remember my tattoo? Well, maybe you’re drunk since it took you two days to remember—”

“It’s because you’re wearing long and half sleeves polo. And this is my second time seeing you—”

“Naked?” he interrupted, which made her roll her eyes.

“Half. Half-naked,” she corrected.

Helios formed a sly smirk on his lips and suddenly took off the towel that wrapped on his lower part, and Zoe’s eyes wanted to pop out of the socket when she saw his firm and hard shaft.

“Helios!” she exclaimed, but Helios just let out a soft chuckle and rushed towards her.

Surprise, she fell on the bed, and Helios leaned over as he put his hands on her both sides and met her eyes.

Zoe could feel the loud beats of her heart as she met his gaze. “H-Helios…” she mumbled. She wanted to push him away, but her body won’t cooperate.

“Zoe…” he whispered, wearing his deep velvety voice, which sent chills down Zoe’s body.

She tried her best not to look down. But damn herself when her eyes landed on his proud shaft.

“Loving the view?” Helios teased, which made Zoe get back her gaze into his.

“Stay away—”

She didn’t finish her words when Helios claimed her lips again. It was gentle at first, and when she kissed back, their kisses became rough.

Helios started to touch her from her face down to her neck until it went to her shoulder. Then suddenly, it changed direction; his hands went inside her blouse and caressed her flat tummy, which made her moan between their kisses.

She could see the fire growing and could feel the heat that it gave. His warm touch made her shiver. His kisses went down to her jaw, down to her neck as he pulled off her blouse and tossed it to the side, and she cursed herself inside her head because she didn’t even complain.

Helios stopped as he met her eyes, and all she ever wanted at that moment was to vanish. But she can’t because she has no magic.

His hand went into her left shoulder as he slowly pulled down the strap of her bra until his hand went on her back and lifted her up and pressed his lips again into hers.

Then came, he unclasped the hook of her bra and took it off her without breaking the kiss.

She moaned when she felt his warm palm envelope his right breast as his right hand went at the back of her head, and slowly, he leaned over, pushing Zoe onto the bed.

Soon as her back felt the cold velvety sheets, she moaned once again as his hand went above her breast and kneaded it gently.

While Helios nibbled her lips, she encircled her hands into his nape which deepened their kiss. He slightly bit her lower lip which made her gasp and part her lips. He then took that chance to dart his tongue inside her mouth and started to battle with her tongue.

A moan slipped from her mouth when Helios sucked her tongue gently and swirled it inside. Sooner, his hands tweaked his nipple in between his fingers, and his touch went down to her navel until he found the part of her cleft.

She was wearing pajamas, yet she could feel the warmth through his touch.

Helios gently rubbed his fingers into her mound behind her pajama as his lips went down to her neck, down to her shoulder, until his lips found her right nipple and started to nibble it. He swirls his tongue around her soft pinkish tips and then sucks it, which makes her shudder.

Her eyeballs rolled up, and she closed her eyes because the tingling sensation from Helios’s touch was slowly killing her.

Helios’s hand continues to rub her mound while his mouth is savoring her tip. He licked and kissed her left tip, then he ran his tongue on the other part of her breasts and put her right nipple inside his mouth. While savoring her tip, his hand went to the side of her pajama and pulled it off.

She gasped when she felt the coldness that came from the AC, but when Helios touched her again, heat evaded her body.

His hand went back to her mound and rubbed it. At the same time, he swirls his tongue down to her navel until it reaches the top of the garter of her panty. Slowly, he bit the strap and pulled it down, and let his hand do the rest until Zoe was naked.

Helios carried her and pushed her upward as he went on top of her in a swift move.

Zoe’s cheeks turned pinkish-red when they both locked their gazes on each other.

For goodness’ sake, they’re both naked.

She knew she was not that innocent, but damn, ‘how could things end up like this so quickly?’ She thought.

“You knew how much I control myself not to claim you—”

“You’re a coward then,” she interrupted, and she saw how lines were drawn into Helios’s forehead.

A sly smirk crept into his lips as he slowly leaned over and claimed her lips. Sooner, they found themselves exchanging rough kisses as if the wall in front of them broke. Their touches went wild.

Zoe mimicked him as he started to roam his hands all over her body. Her hand traveled into his nape, to his back, until it went into his chest as their kisses went deep.

And when Helios’s kisses went down to her neck, she couldn’t help herself not to moan out of pleasure. His kisses went down to her breast, and he licked her left tip again while Zoe trailed her fingers into the tattoo on his left shoulder.

She arched her body when his lips went down to her navel until she felt his warm breath in her between. She glanced down as she parted her legs to give Helios a better view of her mound.

Helios pulled himself up as he rubbed her clit, making her moan aloud. Then suddenly, he slid one finger inside her core. And a tint of pain registered on Zoe’s face, but when he started to thrust his finger in and out, pleasure began to dive in immediately, easing the pain.

However, Helios’s finger didn’t last too long inside her core because he moved up and kneeled in her between; his hands enveloping her thighs and guiding his shaft towards her wet core. And started to delve deeper inside her—banging her hard and rough.