Bound by Dark Desires

Chapter 1

In a spacious room, Seraphina Ainsley lay on the bed, her face flushed and fingers gripping the sheets tightly, as if she were on the brink of suffocation.
“Do you need help?” The man’s voice cut through the darkness, devoid of any emotion.
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her chin, and Seraphina blinked her eyes open. As her vision cleared, she recognized the man before her, his features gradually coming into focus.
Her tongue felt tied as she struggled to call out his name, “Victor… Victor Nightshade.”
The words scraped against her throat like shards of glass.
“Miss Seraphina still remembers my name,” Victor Nightshade said slowly, a sly smile creeping across his face as he watched her in distress.
Seraphina stared at the man before her, and despite the fact he hadn’t laid a finger on her, an overwhelming sense of pressure enveloped her.
She tried to get out of bed but felt another wave of sharp pain in her chin. Before she could react, she was yanked off the bed, landing harshly on the floor.
She rolled a few times but the movement didn’t bring her back to her senses; instead, it heightened her awareness.
Victor squinted, letting out a lazy chuckle. He propped his head up on one hand, observing her as if she were a performer in a circus.
But then, his expression darkened.
To ease her discomfort, Seraphina staggered into the bathroom and turned on the shower, letting the cold water cascade over her.
The icy water slightly cooled the heat that clung to the air, and she inhaled deeply, gasping for air like a fish out of water.
Victor sauntered to the doorway, his throat bobbing as he swallowed, eyes deepening with unspoken emotions.
“Sometimes, the best way to get what you want is to play hard to get.”
After watching her for a couple of seconds with indifference, a hint of mockery flashed in his eyes.
He suddenly stood up and strode over to her, snatching the showerhead from her hand and hurling it aside.
His patience had worn thin.
……
“Did you truly think I would sign this?”
Seraphina rubbed her temples, her unmade face etched with deep exhaustion. Her headache felt like it could split her skull, but the documents laid out on the coffee table forced her to stay alert.
Victor sipped his tea casually, glancing at Seraphina with a patronizing smile.
“If you’re unwilling, I’ll consider last night just an accident…”
Against Victor's nonchalant demeanor, Seraphina couldn’t hold back. She scoffed, shooting him a cold glance.
“In that case, I’ll pretend a dog bit me last night, and we can simply move on—no strings attached.”
With that, she disregarded Victor entirely, picked up her scattered coat, and headed for the door.
“No strings attached?” Victor's expression darkened as he fixed his gaze on the contract on the coffee table. “Seraphina Ainsley, that phrase will never apply to us.”
Three years ago, the Ainsley family had gone to extraordinary lengths to frame the poor boy Victor Nightshade for a murder he hadn’t committed, forcing him away from Seraphina. During that time, she’d proclaimed Victor a criminal without hesitation to protect another man. From that moment, Victor had sworn to never let himself be tangled with her again.
In those three years, Victor had successfully erased Seraphina from his life, convinced he would never see her again. Yet, here she was, appearing unexpectedly just when he learned of the Ainsley family's decline. Victor saw it as fate—an opportunity to take revenge on the family that had wronged him.
……
After leaving Victor’s room, Seraphina returned to the space she had reserved at work. She threw her phone on the bed and began to pack her bags, unable to continue staying in a place that reminded her of Victor.
Her thoughts were jumbled. For a fleeting moment, she was dazed, never expecting to face Victor again.
No, he wasn’t the same Victor. He had changed; he wasn’t that youthful boy she once knew.
She didn’t know how she would confront him in the future. She had always held a position of superiority over him, but last night…
Shivering at the thought, she felt as if she were plunged into a block of ice. Regaining her composure, she resolved to leave as soon as possible.
After packing her belongings and checking out, Seraphina hailed a cab to a pharmacy near the aerodrome.
“Miss, here’s what you requested,” the pharmacist handed her a package.
Seraphina accepted it, poured herself a glass of water, and swallowed a few pills, tossing the remaining ones into the trash.

Chapter 2

The process of getting her flight tickets and going through baggage check was smooth, but an inexplicable unease gnawed at Seraphina Ainsley. She shook her head, dismissing it as overthinking.
As she approached security, a guard named Trent grabbed the photo she was holding, and his expression turned serious.
“Ma'am, I’m sorry, but we need to conduct a thorough search of your luggage.”
Seraphina remained silent, her lips pressed tightly together as she set her suitcase down, allowing Guard Trent to investigate.
Trent opened her suitcase, and as Seraphina glanced down, she met his piercing gaze. He pulled out a dark green agate necklace from a jacket, and her brow furrowed involuntarily. Trent’s face became even graver.
“I apologize, Miss Ainsley, but we’ve just received a report about a stolen necklace of great value. We suspect you may be connected to this theft, and we will need you to accompany us.”
Seraphina closed her eyes for a moment, her lips now tighter than ever. There was no way this was a coincidence. The fact that something could be pulled from her belongings meant someone had planned this meticulously.
And she already knew who that someone was.
When false accusations flew, there was hardly any escape. Any explanations at this point seemed futile.
Yet, she hadn’t expected Victor Nightshade to act this quickly or this harshly.
Without a struggle, she kept her head lowered, allowing security personnel to escort her away. Thoughts raced through her mind as she contemplated how to extricate herself from this entanglement. Upon lifting her gaze, she noticed Victor Nightshade approaching with his assistant, Lila, not far away.
“Mr. Nightshade, you’re just in time. We were about to contact you.”
Upon recognizing Victor’s presence, Guard Trent held out the necklace toward him.
“Thank you for your assistance. May I take two minutes of your time?” Lila stepped forward, gesturing politely towards Trent.
“No need,” Trent replied, beginning to follow Lila.
But Seraphina couldn’t hold her tongue any longer.
She knew what Victor was about to propose, and there was no way she would agree.
A theft charge would only lead to jail time—a year, ten years, but it wouldn’t be a life sentence.
If she compromised with Victor, she would be shackled by him for life.
“It seems that Miss Ainsley is quite content with the idea of spending time in prison,” Victor said, his voice edged with sarcasm at Seraphina’s stubbornness.
Yet, he quickly shifted gears, causing her face to drain of color. “But once you go in, Miss Ainsley, I doubt you’ll get to see your father, Elias Ainsley, one last time.”
“What do you mean?” Seraphina stiffened, her focus narrowing on Victor’s face.
“Miss Ainsley isn’t aware that her father’s health is failing in prison? Old Man Yates still cherishes you, yet if you get locked up today, you might just get that father-daughter reunion.”
“Enough. Victor, you don’t need to involve my father in our matters.” Seraphina’s fists clenched as she struggled to remain composed.
She had just visited Elias last week; he had seemed fine then. Victor had to be lying.
As those thoughts churned in her mind, her phone buzzed in her bag. She pulled it out and was frozen in shock at the caller ID.
It was Uncle William—the only person she could trust in Holdfast.
Unbelievingly, she glanced at Victor, but he simply raised an eyebrow at her.
Clinging to the last vestige of hope, she answered the call.
The news on the other end extinguished any remaining flicker of optimism.
Her phone slipped from her fingers and shattered on the floor, much like Seraphina’s heart felt in that moment.
“Now do you believe me?” Victor’s cold voice pierced her fog of despair.
Blinded by confusion, Seraphina turned to leave, but Guard Trent blocked her path.
“Ma’am, you need to come with me.”
“Sir... could you please let me go back for just a moment... just a moment?” Seraphina felt like a different person, clutching Trent’s shirt, pleading helplessly.
Trent’s expression was conflicted, but Seraphina caught the look he cast towards Victor.
She released her grip, and Victor’s smile grew wider, clearly relishing her desperation. Instinctively, her pleading gaze shifted towards him.
“Please, can you let me go today? I’ll do whatever you want regarding the past situation...”
“Let you go? Sure, but…” Victor’s eyes glinted with irony, and she knew what his terms would be.
Noticing the dimness in her eyes, he pretended to be disinterested. “But if Miss Ainsley declines, I wouldn’t want to interfere with anyone’s work.”
As he said this, Victor placed his hand over hers, trying to pull her grip from his clothes. But suddenly, she tightened her hold on his wrist.
“Fine, I agree.”
It seemed Victor had anticipated this outcome, his expression remain unchanged except for a quick glance towards his assistant.
A contract was once again handed to Seraphina. This time, she didn’t refuse; she took it immediately and shakily signed her name.
“Seraphina Ainsley, I said it before, our ties are not severed this easily.”

Chapter 3

"I never expected Victor to stoop to such underhanded tactics."
Guard Trent turned away from Seraphina Ainsley, whose gaze darkened as she fixed it on Victor Nightshade. She threw the contract to the ground and made a beeline for the security checkpoint.
"To deal with a certain kind of person, you must use the corresponding methods."
Victor elegantly collected the scattered contract from the floor, his eyes drifting toward the checkpoint with a distant look.
...
"Seraphina, you’re too late. Someone took your father."
As Seraphina Ainsley arrived at Holdfast, she still hadn’t steadied herself when she received another crushing blow.
"Took him? When?"
"This morning. I just found out myself."
Uncle William's face was etched with guilt as he faced Seraphina; if he hadn’t taken the day off yesterday, this wouldn’t have happened.
This morning...
Clenching her fists, Seraphina knew exactly who had taken Elias Ainsley. Victor had been plotting this all along, and now she was completely caught in his web.
The moment she stepped out of the Detention Barracks, a car blocked her path. The window slowly rolled down, revealing Victor.
Being manipulated like this felt terrible, especially by him.
She yanked open the door and got into Victor's car.
"Where did you take my father?"
She slammed the door shut. Not fully seated, Seraphina had already grabbed Victor by his collar.
His gaze turned icy as he glanced at her hands but didn’t push her away. Instead, he calmly replied, "Where he is depends on your performance, Miss Ainsley."
At his words, her grip on his collar slackened. "What do you want me to do?"
"Since you know you signed the contract, you should fulfill its obligations."
Victor tossed a document at her — it had her messy signature scrawled across the top.
Since leaving the Ainsley Family and struggling alone for three years, she had lost track of how many contracts she had signed. Yet, this one had become the shackles of her life.
The words on the contract pierced her eyes deeply. She knew that from the moment she signed, she had stepped into an abyss from which there was no return.
"Miss Ainsley is quite the clever one; you surely know how to please others."
"You."
"You." Victor's expression shifted slightly. "I call you Miss Ainsley, but you've convinced yourself you're still some high and mighty lady of the Ainsley Family. After all these years away from them, you still don’t understand the nature of rank?"
"Victor." Seraphina took a breath, forcing herself to stay calm.
"Our relationship, calling you Victor feels distant, doesn’t it? Or maybe Miss Ainsley never wanted to get close to me."
"What do you want?"
Should she really call him Victor?
Just the thought of that name made her heart constrict painfully, as if someone was squeezing it tight—how could she ever say it?
"In public, you can call me Victor. But from the moment you signed that contract, you're mine. So behind closed doors, I allow you to call me Master."
"Are you a freak?"
Seraphina couldn’t believe Victor actually said that. Even though they had a contract, even though she owed him, those two words were impossible for her to utter.
Victor's face hardened instantly. He lowered his head, only raising it after a long pause.
"Come here." He gestured for Seraphina.
Instinctively, she wanted to refuse, but thoughts of her missing father Elias rooted her to the spot. She clenched her fists and stiffly moved her body.
Victor seemed to lose patience, pulling her into his embrace.
"Now let me show you what a freak really is."
"You..." Seraphina’s protest was cut short as he leaned down and captured her lips.
She struggled against it, but he showed no sign of letting up. She realized Victor was retaliating against her; he knew Elias was her weakness, and this was his way of tormenting her.
In that case, she would go along with it.
The woman in his arms offered no resistance, turning into a lifeless doll. Frustration surged within Victor, and he abruptly pushed her away.
Seraphina hadn’t expected Victor to shove her away so suddenly. She stumbled back and hit her head against the car door, but all Victor showed was indifference.
"Stop playing the reluctant martyr. The words on that contract were signed of your own free will. It’s not my job to please you. If you're struggling with it, I’m more than willing to pay for your lessons."
His harsh words stung Seraphina deeply, and tears welled up in her eyes uncontrollably.
Yes, the road was one she chose herself; who did she expect to feel pity from? To Victor, she was just that kind of woman.
With that thought in mind, she slowly regained her composure and pressed close to Victor as she sat beside him again.
Victor’s body radiated heat, and a wave of regret washed over Seraphina, but his gaze warned her that there was no room for second thoughts.
She closed her eyes, and unsavory images flickered in her mind, making her feel sick to her stomach.
To Victor, perhaps she was just one of those dirty women. If that were the case, what was stopping her?
She opened her eyes and locked onto Victor’s gaze, "Let’s do it."
Swallowing hard, she reached toward him, mimicking the images that had clouded her mind.

Chapter 4

Seraphina Ainsley’s expression darkened, her hands grasping Victor Nightshade’s shoulders as he scooped her up effortlessly.
“What’s wrong? Isn’t this what you wanted?” Disoriented, she instinctively wrapped her arms around him.
Victor remained silent. His face was twisted with dread. If he had seen correctly moments ago, Seraphina had intended to make a repulsive move toward him. Where had she learned such foulness? Had she done this in front of other men too…
The thought exacerbated the turmoil inside him. He tightened his grip around her waist with one arm while securing her head with his other hand, leaning down to seize her voice.
...
When she finally woke up, Seraphina found herself in bed—not her own, but in the cage Victor had prepared for her.
She bolted upright, dizziness striking her like a wave as the faint memories of a bright bathroom light and Victor’s face flooded back.
Before she could gather her thoughts, a sudden knock on the door startled her. Turning, she saw a maid enter. “Miss Ainsley, Victor says there’s something for you in the closet.”
Seraphina opened the closet, and indeed, there lay a note.
...
“Is Victor really just going to let her go like this?”
At the windowsill, Victor observed the woman hurriedly departing, his face half-hidden in shadow from the sunlight streaming through the branches.
“She won’t escape,” he murmured.
It wasn’t that she wouldn’t dare to run; it was that she couldn’t.
...
Seraphina sat in the car, her eyes hard-locked on the road ahead, gripping the crumpled note with all her might, the ink barely readable through the distortions.
As the car rolled to a stop, the sound of crashing waves filled her ears. Trembling, she unfolded the note, heading to the address noted on it—an old, weather-worn house by the sea.
Standing before the rusty iron gate, she felt a wave of panic wash over her. She couldn’t believe Victor would confine someone, especially someone sick, in such a place.
Stepping forward, she knocked firmly on the gate but got no response. She double-checked the address, certain it was right, just as she was about to call out—suddenly, the gate creaked open, revealing a woman.
“Hello…” Surprised by the scene before her, Seraphina gathered herself, unsure of how to proceed.
“You’re looking for someone, aren’t you?” The woman's words sent an unsettling shiver through Seraphina.
As she feared, the woman continued, “You’re too late; they’ve already taken him.”
“Where did they go? How long ago?” Seraphina stepped closer, gripping the woman’s shoulders and shaking her desperately.
Startled, the woman trembled, pointing toward the ocean. “They went that way, just a little while ago…”
Following the direction of the pointed finger, Seraphina dashed toward the water.
Barely a moment later, she spotted two figures carrying a gurney onto a boat. She quickened her pace.
The distance felt greater with every stride, her legs growing heavy, but she pushed on, realizing the boat was now pulling away from the shore. Like a wild thing, she sprinted towards the tumultuous waves.
The cold surf crashed against her legs as the water began to lap at her knees and then her waist—a slow suffocation.
“Cough...” The saltwater surged into her mouth, and she gasped reflexively, calling out to the people on the boat.
As the boat faded into a mere speck on the horizon, Seraphina felt her strength drain away, her legs giving way as the relentless waves drew her further back.
Defeated, she surrendered to the ocean’s embrace.
“What a pity.” A voice colder than the sea echoed beside her, and she looked up to meet Victor’s fathomless gaze.
Victor sat aboard the small boat, a ruler observing a subordinate, his eyes reflecting disdain.
“You did this on purpose,” Seraphina accused, her vision blurring with tears of fury.
“Did what? I gave you the information on Elias’s location. You were just late.”
Despair threatened to engulf her as the realization crashed in—she should have known Victor wouldn’t let her go easily.
As the water raged around her, fear clawed at her. In a surge of will, she turned and plunged into the depths, swimming toward the vanishing boat.
For a brief moment, Victor leaned back, intrigued like a viewer at a performance.
“Seraphina, I wonder how long you can keep this up.”
The exertion drained her strength rapidly; her movements became erratic as Victor’s boat loomed closer behind her.
“Don’t waste your energy. You really think you can catch up with that boat? And are you so sure Elias is even on it?”
At his words, she whipped around, fury igniting her spirit.
The person they had just loaded onto the boat wasn’t Elias. He was toying with her.
Suddenly, a deafening roar filled the air. Victor stared wide-eyed as a massive wave surged toward them, altering his composed demeanor.
“Seraphina, I’ll give you one last chance. Just ask, and you might still have time to regret your choice.”
Seraphina’s eyes turned bloodshot, her lips tinged white from the water's assault. She turned away from him and swam toward the oncoming wave, gasping for air. As she neared the monstrous mass of water, it slammed into her, filling her mouth with brine, and she never got the chance to utter a word. Blackness enveloped her.
Before losing consciousness, all hope fizzled out within her.

Chapter 5

Seraphina Ainsley woke up, and in that instant when she opened her eyes, she felt the coldness of the intravenous drip. Through her blurry vision, she could make out a man sitting by her bedside.
"I want to see my father."
The image of Elias Ainsley being taken aboard a ship flashed through her mind. Seraphina sprang up from the bed but was instantly pushed back down by Victor Nightshade, rendering her immobile.
"Where is my father?"
Victor traced the contours of Seraphina’s face with an unsettling gentleness. Then, he forcefully gripped her chin, compelling her to meet his gaze.
"If you want to see Elias Ainsley, you better behave. You should know that as long as you’re in my hands, I have countless ways to torment you, even making you watch your father linger in pain until he dies."
The sharp pain in her chin made Seraphina wince, but she retaliated with a sardonic smile. "You really are quite the skilled puppet master, Mr. Nightshade."
"Not even close to what you deserve," he shot back suddenly, retracting his hand so forcefully that it jerked her head to the side.
"You were the one who climbed into my bed and sought a connection with me. I won’t be the love-struck fool I was three years ago."
Victor's words sliced through her like a venomous blade, piercing her heart and inoculating her with despair. The events of three years ago hadn’t faded with time; instead, they had burrowed deeper into their hearts with every passing moment.
"People like me aren't worthy of a man like you, Mr. Nightshade."
"Indeed, you aren't." Victor’s tone was deceptively light, his expression unyieldingly stern. "That's why I plan to keep you forever in darkness."
Seraphina felt a jolt run through her. She sat up against the pillows, gripping the bed sheets so tightly that bright red blood began to flow back into her skin.
"I've signed a contract. What more do you want from me?"
"Calm down. You reap what you sow. You entertain me, and I inform you of Elias Ainsley’s whereabouts. You only failed to seize the opportunity yourself."
With a flick of his fingers, he pried her clenched hand open, the blood slowly returning to her limbs.
"How your father treated me three years ago, I am merely returning the favor."
"How kind of you, Mr. Nightshade."
A light chuckle escaped her, and he released her chin, then gestured toward the window. "There will be many more chances, of course, but if it's too much for you, there's another option—jump out of here."
Seraphina's smirk deepened with irony. How could she possibly jump? If she died, what would happen to Elias Ainsley?
Besides, he wanted her—he wouldn't allow her to go that easily, not even in death without his consent.
"The contract is signed. Just tell me what you want me to do, and spare me this grandiloquent speech. I will follow your orders, but you must guarantee my father’s safety and ensure I know his condition."
"That's only natural. As long as you behave, the servants here will update you on your father's situation."
A faint knock sounded at the door, and Victor's expression shifted slightly. He responded casually, and the door opened to reveal a maid carrying a breakfast tray.
Victor remained silent, and a tense stand-off ensued.
After about two minutes of silence, Victor softened his gaze and elegantly rolled up his sleeves, leisurely serving himself a bowl of porridge.
His movements were that of a caring person, yet only Seraphina knew it was all a ruse.
"You don't need to put on this show for me."
"A show?" Victor scooped some porridge and blew on it lightly. He lifted his gaze lazily. "Can't you tell? I genuinely care about you."
"Genuinely care about me?" Seraphina clenched her fists, fighting to stay alert. She met his stare. "Then let me see my father."
"You can see him, as long as you cooperate. However, your father's life is hanging by a thread. Although I've sent the best medical staff to care for him, his survival lies entirely in your hands."
Hatred filled Seraphina’s eyes, but Victor appeared unfazed as he smiled lightly, bringing the porridge to her lips. Seraphina stubbornly refused to open her mouth.
The warmth in his gaze faded, seemingly out of patience.
"Seems like Miss Ainsley isn't hungry, but perhaps other needs are."
As soon as he spoke, Victor dropped the spoon into the bowl and was at her bedside in an instant.
Seraphina instinctively leaned back, losing her balance as her grip slackened, falling into Victor's embrace.
"Seems like you are hungry after all."
"Get off me."
With a buzzing feeling in her head, she understood his intention, flushing crimson, fully aware of what was about to occur.
"Don’t forget, I’m not the Victor of three years ago. I won’t be as compliant."

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