Chapter 1
"Can I repay you with myself?" Elena Fairchild's voice trembled as she spoke, her hands gripping the hem of her shirt so tightly that her nails dug painfully into her palm. She was nervous, afraid that William Moreau might reject her and despise her for it, thinking she was desperate for attention. "Do you even know what you're saying?" His voice was hoarse, his gaze fierce as it bore into her, making her heart clench tightly. Elena Fairchild was scared, but there was also a sense of determination. She nodded firmly at him, ready to surrender everything, even her clothes, if that meant he would accept her. It was just a means of gratitude. She had secretly liked him for a long time, truly liked William Moreau, and it was this love that gave her the courage to speak such words. Perhaps she had already lost her mind. For the past two years, a single thought had been running through her mind—how wonderful it would be if William Moreau were the one to claim her. As she pondered this desire, it morphed into an obsession; she longed to be beneath him, to be enveloped in his embrace, to be dominated by him. Just thinking of William Moreau ignited a fire within her—one so intense that there were moments she had to resort to her own release to find relief. She had wanted to see him for so long, and up until just a moment ago, he was still on her mind. Only his presence could truly heal the hidden wounds within her heart, providing her with an unending sense of security. For two years, she had clung to the hope of William Moreau. Now, Elena's body began to tremble slightly as she faltered, then asked, "Do you really want to touch me, or do you think I'm filthy?" By the end of her question, her tone had faltered, shaking like a leaf, a look of pain flashing across her face as she remembered the events from that day. Slowly, she shut her eyes, trying hard to calm herself by recalling every little detail about him, searching for comfort amid her discomfort. From the moment she had opened her eyes today, she had been filled with excitement and anxiety, for the day she'd circled on her calendar had finally arrived. Elena Fairchild knew how many sleepless nights she had endured, and now, the long-awaited day of William Moreau's release from prison had come. After he had been incarcerated, she had tried to visit him a few times but was always denied a meeting. With her parents blocking her, she ultimately had to give up on getting close. She longed to see William Moreau, to explain herself, to earn his forgiveness—it felt like a burden that was slowly driving her crazy. But finally, she was here for his release. She wanted to be the one to welcome him. William Moreau had just served his time, and she knew he must feel alone. She wanted to be his rock. For the last two years, she had worked hard just to survive, undergoing therapy, and was finally able to take care of herself. She had even moved out to establish her own life; she wouldn’t be held captive by circumstances anymore. Elena Fairchild had imagined every possible scenario about what would happen when she finally saw William Moreau again. Yet, she had never anticipated that he had already been released from The Bastille two months ago.
Chapter 2
Elena Fairchild stood outside for hours, from dawn until dusk, watching the door swing open and shut as people were released, hoping to catch a glimpse of the one person she longed to see. Her feet ached from standing so long. When a security guard finally took pity on her after observing her for hours, he went inside to find out what he could about William Moreau. Moments later, he returned with devastating news: William Moreau had been released two months earlier for good behavior. In shock, she could hardly process the information. As the adrenaline kicked in, she quickly hailed a cab and rushed to William Moreau's last known address—his family home. After his imprisonment, his father had skipped town to escape debts, leaving the place vacant. Over the past two years, Elena had felt compelled to sneak back in every now and then to clean up a bit, using the spare key she'd hidden in the door frame. She figured that since William had nowhere else to go, he might have returned to what used to be his home. To her surprise, her hunch turned out to be correct. When Elena walked through the door, she found William in the kitchen, boiling water to cook some instant noodles. He barely registered her presence at first, stunned by the sudden intrusion, especially from the one woman he'd never been able to forget. His mind raced, trying to figure out how she had tracked him down. As confusion and wariness crossed his features, he began to observe her closely. The key in her hand gave him a clue; she must think she could just walk in without any warning. He had expected to confront his father, the man who had sold him out, or even that someone else might have moved in. But nothing had changed; the old key still worked, and the place wasn't as filthy as he'd imagined. It appeared someone had maintained it—likely Elena, given that she was the only person he knew with a key. William had believed he'd never see Elena Fairchild again, and now here she was. He thought there might be anger or a rush of old feelings for her, but instead, he felt something deeper. Elena had become even more beautiful, her youthful glow tempered by the experiences of the past. Her hair was longer now, but the brightness in her eyes had dimmed, the innocence stripped away by trauma. He could still vividly see the nightmarish events that had occurred; he had tried desperately to stop the horrors that befell her, but he'd never arrived in time. The thought of failing her twisted like a knife in his chest. The pain blossomed, but it brought clarity as well. When Elena had insisted on filing a police report, they hadn't anticipated that the rich and powerful man behind her assault would flip the narrative, turning William into a scapegoat. His father had taken a bribe, and tragically, Elena’s family had also benefited. Their lies had condemned him, and though he had seethed with resentment, he now understood the bitter futility of hatred—it wouldn’t change what had happened. Elena looked apprehensive, her gaze darting nervously. William paused, taking a deep breath to stabilize his emotions, and adopted a cool demeanor. "What do you want, Elena?" “I came to find you,” she replied, her voice trembling. “I didn’t expect you to be out so soon. I wanted to thank you.” Her words hit him like a bitter joke. Why would she want to thank him? For saving her, only to end up in prison for two years? Despite wanting to push her out of his mind, he felt compelled to keep the conversation going. It could be their last chance. “How do you plan to thank me?” Elena’s voice wobbled as she boldly offered, “Can I repay you with myself?” Their eyes locked, and the air between them thickened with unspoken words, heavy with all the memories of what had been lost. Each searched for connection amidst the chaos of their shared past, where love once flourished. A new chapter was left hanging in the balance, their unresolved feelings coloring the moment with the promise of what could still be.
Chapter 3
William Moreau never expected her to say something like that. To be precise, he had imagined it a few times but never thought she would actually bring it up. Elena Fairchild was also surprised by her own audacity in voicing such a thought. She feared William would think she was too forward, as though she was desperate for his attention. But now that the words were out, there was no taking them back. The two stood staring at each other, their gazes locked, eyes swirling with unspoken emotions. The tension in the room was thick, almost palpable, like time itself was stretching, drawing them into the past. It was an earlier time, the summer before their final exams in their junior year of college, during a particularly hot spell of summer. The heat of that summer had made everything feel a little more frantic. After finals, they would transition into a new semester with fewer required courses, allowing room for internships. William had always juggled work while studying, readying himself to step into the professional world as soon as summer rolled around. He was eager to land interviews and secure a formal job for the upcoming semester. Elena, on the other hand, was still contemplating whether to seek an internship. She had taken to self-studying design and was even picking up freelance gigs that brought in an income similar to a standard nine-to-five job. However, she knew William would definitely opt for an internship, his keen interest in making money evident as he often balanced multiple part-time jobs. In school, it felt like she was always looking for opportunities to talk to him. If William secured a position somewhere that had openings, she might consider applying, hoping to get close to him through mutual colleagues. Yet, she struggled with how to find out where William would end up working. The thought of approaching him for such information sent waves of anxiety through her—every time she even considered it, she hesitated, feeling foolish. Elena Fairchild's worries didn’t last long, as she soon discovered where William was currently working. It was a Saturday, the day everything changed. Elena originally planned to stay in her dorm as usual, tackling some photo editing jobs to earn a little cash. But suddenly, she received a text from her roommate, Henry Watson, pleading for her to accompany her to meet an online acquaintance. Henry was too nervous to face the stranger alone. At first, it seemed surprising that Henry would feel afraid about such a meeting. Although Henry lived on campus, she spent most of her time in the dorm. During roll call, her friends often had to create diversions to cover for her, for she frequently stayed out late enough to warrant concern. Rumors had circulated around campus claiming that Henry was being sponsored by a wealthy man, living luxuriously, with expensive clothing gifted from her alleged "benefactor." Just last week, she had driven onto campus in a luxury car that someone claimed belonged to a man, prompting whispers about her lifestyle. The more Elena heard, coupled with Henry's distanced presence, only deepened her reluctance to get involved. Nevertheless, she found out where William worked not long after. It turned out to be the same day that Henry needed her. Taking a deep breath, Elena resolved to step out of her comfort zone to support her friend, ready to face whatever the day might unfold.
Chapter 4
Elena Fairchild was trying to refuse him, but in the end, her soft nature got the better of her, and she was half-dragged away by him. Later, she discovered that all this talk about meeting strangers online was just a trick by Henry Watson. He spent money like water, decked out in designer labels, all to keep up appearances. Yes, she had leveraged her looks for cash, but ultimately, she found herself in a deep mess—caught in a trap masquerading as a loan, drowning in debt due to high-interest loans taken out in her name. Luckily, she stumbled upon a group of people who lent her money and helped her pay off those loans. Initially, she thought she was out of the woods, but then these people turned ruthless. They demanded repayment in ways she hadn’t anticipated. Henry Watson, who never wanted her involved, couldn't stop the situation from spiraling out of control—their games nearly ruined her. She ended up hospitalized for a week, and afterward, she simply couldn’t bear to keep playing along. Yet, she still owed them money with no feasible way to repay it. That’s why she was considering outsourcing her obligations to someone else. Just one encounter with them would reduce her debt by ten grand. That was when Henry Watson had his sights set on her. He presumed she would be easier to manipulate, unlike the other girls in her dorm who were far more headstrong. At that moment, when she realized everything, Elena found herself hating her own weakness—why did she have to be so accommodating? Why had she agreed to accompany him on this reckless adventure? But that was a thought for later. When she first accompanied Henry to the karaoke bar—before she knew any of the true details—she even spotted William Moreau working there, clad in his uniform, guiding customers to their private rooms with an earpiece in place. Learning that he had a side job here made her think that maybe this outing wasn’t a total waste after all. She had planned to see Henry's friend and, afterward, pretend she was looking for the bathroom just to have a chance encounter with William, hoping to strike up a casual conversation with him. However, everything changed when they stepped inside the private chamber. Elena looked around and saw something that knocked the wind out of her—Henry kneeling like a dog before a man in the middle of the room, a smirk on his face as he loudly boasted about having brought her along. At that moment, she knew they were in deep trouble. Panic surged through her, and she tried to escape, but was blocked by a couple of henchmen while Henry held onto her wrist, desperately pleading for her help. He promised that if she just went along with it, she’d be generously compensated afterward with a few thousand bucks—what could she possibly lose? As Henry led Elena into the room, William caught sight of her and was shocked. He never expected to see Elena in a place like this, let alone with Henry. The establishment, which presented itself as a karaoke bar, seemed more akin to an upscale entertainment lounge. Surprised as he was, William’s immediate reaction was to hide away from Elena, not wanting to expose that he was working there. Wishing to avoid her gaze, he quickly ushered the clients he had been serving deeper into the rooms to avoid a confrontation. His heart sank; he didn't want her to see him in this light, feeling a sense of shame over his job, even as he knew he was doing it to get by. Unfortunately, this meant he lost the opportunity to snatch her out of there at the first chance. Fortunately, the chatter among the employees soon revealed something alarming. While William was returning to the main area, intending to ask some colleagues for assistance with deliveries, he overheard a conversation about students being entertained in one of the private rooms—specifically, the very two who had just entered. The patrons were rumored to have connections to the local underworld, which meant that everyone turned a blind eye to whatever was happening in those enclosed spaces. William immediately felt something was wrong and dashed to the room marked with the right number. Bursting through the door, he found a horrific sight—Elena Fairchild and Henry Watson. He had silently admired Elena since their freshman year, always cherishing the brief exchanges they shared. But now, he saw her in absolute distress, confronted with a beastly figure and a situation spiraling violently beyond control. All thoughts of calmness vanished from his mind as his only instinct became to rescue her from this nightmare.
Chapter 5
The only memory he could recall with clarity was of his blood-soaked hands. His own blood stained them, mixed with that of others. And the shattered beer bottles strewn across the floor of the Privy Chamber. A long scar ran across the back of his hand, a slice delivered by a jagged piece of glass. He had retaliated, swinging a bottle and shattering it over that lowlife's head, watching as he slumped to the floor in a puddle of his own blood, his pants still unzipped. The noisy chaos in the room buzzed around him: some were screaming, some were crying, others were cursing him... William Moreau felt as if his head were going to burst, and it wasn’t until the overhead lights flickered that he could pull himself back from drifting thoughts. Elena Fairchild was indeed standing in front of him. The heat in the room, compounded by nerves, made her breath come in quick gasps, her chest rising and falling irregularly. She wore a form-fitting dress with a low neckline; just focusing on her collarbone made him imagine what lay beneath that thin fabric: the delicate undergarments and the soft curves of her body. A rush of heat surged through him, his blood racing through his veins, settling lower, awakening desires he never thought he’d entertain. Why did he want her? Did he deserve her? Deep down, they both knew who he really was. A criminal, a man branded, wrongfully accused, yet the whispers from others told a different story. Living in this Old Quarter, he was surrounded by the same nagging, gossiping neighbors he had dealt with all his life. His gambling-addicted father had drawn debt collectors to their doorstep—enough rumors had circulated by now. After his two-year stint in prison, he knew exactly how the townsfolk spoke of him: he could sense their lingering gazes, the way they whispered and gossiped, fingers pointed in his direction. What would they say if they saw him with Elena Fairchild? She was the girl from that infamous incident—wasn’t this just opening old wounds, adding to her suffering? The only thing he could do was distance himself, make her understand she should steer clear of him. He was ruined, a record behind him that couldn’t be erased, while Elena still had a chance. If she were to talk about what she had been through, everyone would know the horrors of her past. William's thoughts raced as he stared, his expressions charging and shifting with a fierce intensity. His eyes held a wicked glint, a sharp edge that could frighten anyone who met his gaze. Having spent time in prison, it was as though the darkness of true criminals had seeped into him. When Elena Fairchild saw that predatory look in his eyes, it jolted her, causing her heart to skip a beat, her pulse to quicken. She almost stumbled back, instinctively wanting to withdraw, but she forced herself to stand her ground as he approached, the air between them thick with tension. He leaned down slightly, the warmth of his breath felt like fire against her cheeks. “What I said earlier was true,” he murmured.
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