Bound by Secrets and Desire

Chapter 1

As Lucius Blackwood slowly emerged from unconsciousness, her head swam with confusion, and her eyelids felt heavy. She could sense she was lying on a bed, with footsteps shuffling nearby.
Suddenly, a sharp sting pricked her arm; the pain jolted through her, causing her to wince. Struggling against the haze that clouded her mind, Lucius could feel panic rising within her. She tried to struggle — to move, but her body felt paralyzed.
"Sir, the test results indicate that Miss Blackwood's bodily functions are normal and she is quite fit for conception," a stern voice announced.
"Excellent," came the reply, deep and authoritative, filled with satisfaction. "Take her to the Young Master’s room."
"Yes, sir!"
Panic surged within Lucius. What was happening? Who were these people? Were they human traffickers? Kidnappers?
Wait! Just before her unconsciousness, she had been talking with her cousin, Marisol Blackwood, who said she was coming to take her home for her 20th birthday celebration. But as soon as she got into the car with her cousin, an overpowering odor enveloped her, and she remembered Marisol mentioning something cryptic about 'worth a lot, one hundred million'...
So... she’d been sold by her own cousin? Unbelievable!
A sharp pain pinched her waist, jolting her from her thoughts. Lucius gasped as two unfamiliar hands roughly lifted her, tossing her onto a plush bed. One voice rasped, “Mistress Liu, should we undress her?”
A young woman, her tone laced with malice, responded, “Definitely! Is the Young Master going to do it himself?”
Lucius’s clothes were ripped away with vicious fervor, creating a tearing sound that filled her with humiliation.
What did they want from her?
“Enough! Don’t go too far; she is our future mistress,” scolded the older voice, a woman with a more reserved tone.
The younger one scoffed dismissively, “Mistress Liu, you’re giving her too much credit. She’s just a vessel the old man bought for the Young Master! If he wasn’t injured... she wouldn’t even be in this position!”
“Shut your mouth! Know your place; you're just a maid at Harper House! Even without her, you’d be out of the picture!”
Lucius’s anger simmered. Things were gradually becoming clear: she had indeed been sold!
At just twenty years old, she had never even held a guy’s hand — how could this happen to her?
She strained to move her fingers, digging into her skin to regain focus, finally mustering enough strength to force her eyes open...
After some time, the two women left, and another presence entered the room silently. This newcomer approached her slowly, the air in the room shifted as a distinct scent of medicine wafted toward her face.
This had to be the esteemed Young Master!
Her heart raced in terror, her mind reeling as Lucius squeezed her fingers until they bled. With sheer determination, she finally opened her eyes. Instinctively, she swung her hand toward the intruder in a wild punch —
“Smack!”
But her body was still weak. The strike lacked power, barely making contact with the young man’s chest.
It felt like a gentle caress.
Startled, Lucius lifted her foot to kick him, but he had already backed away, wide-eyed and baffled. “Why are you touching my chest, sis?”
His innocent tone stunned her, and he seemed completely oblivious to her disorientation.
Lucius spluttered, “I didn’t touch you! I wasn't trying to!”
She had no idea how she’d ended up in this mess, but she was determined to escape and fight back against whatever was coming next.

Chapter 2

Lucius Blackwood shot a fierce glare at the man before him, only to find himself momentarily speechless.
He had expected a man who needed to buy women to have children to be horrifically unattractive. Yet, this Young Master... how could one even describe him?
Lucius gathered his thoughts, trying to find the right words, and all he could come up with was: a rare gem!
Despite his bald head wrapped in bandages, which clearly indicated he was injured, it did nothing to diminish his striking good looks! His chiseled features were perfectly proportioned, and whether viewed individually or in combination, this man seemed like a child spoiled by the divine.
As if that wasn’t enough, his physique was blood-pressure inducing! Broad shoulders, long legs, and a set of abs that looked like they could cut glass. And that v-taper was undeniably enticing...
A glance below, and Lucius’s face flushed a deep crimson as he shouted, “Pervert! Exhibitionist! Get dressed!”
Only after he shouted did he realize he was also completely naked!
He surveyed the room for something—anything—that could cover him. The cold, stark decor and various shades of gray furniture made Lucius shiver.
Reluctantly, he wrapped himself in a gray bedsheet, stepping carefully over the matching woolen carpet to the wardrobe. Upon opening it, he was taken aback by what lay inside!
Thinking it was just a small closet, he instead found a spacious walk-in closet about the size of a small apartment. Clothes of every kind were neatly arranged, and rows of shiny black shoes filled ten cabinets—shirts, ties, belts... countless assortments.
What a waste!
Lucius couldn’t help but mutter under his breath, then, fueled by irritation, he seized a white dress shirt and slacks and flung them at the Young Master, barking, “Put these on!”
He grabbed a dress shirt for himself as well. The hem billowed down to his knees, clearly indicating that the original owner was significantly taller than Lucius.
The Young Master innocently clutched the clothes he was tossed, pouting adorably and tilting his head. “Sister, I can’t wear clothes. Mistress Liu said if I’m not naked, I can’t have babies, and if I can’t have babies, I can’t go out to play!”
“…”
In that moment, Lucius finally caught on to the fact that this Young Master might have a few screws loose... He curiously pointed to himself and asked, “Do you know who I am?”
The Young Master nodded and replied, “You’re the pretty sister! Grandpa said the pretty sister is here to be my wife!”
That response utterly left Lucius speechless.
He closed his eyes, reminding himself to stay calm before continuing, “And you? Who are you?”
“I…” The Young Master tilted his head, pondering for a moment, “I’m a baby!”
A baby, indeed!
Who isn’t a baby at heart?
Lucius inhaled deeply, forcing a smile. “Sweetheart, how old are you?”
The Young Master took the question seriously, his handsome face contorting in confusion.
After a long moment of contemplation, he dropped the clothes he was clinging to, stretched out his long fingers, and began to count, “I'm... one, two, three, four, five... Sister, I’m five years old!”
He beamed proudly at Lucius, as if counting his age was a monumental feat, eagerly awaiting praise!
Lucius stared up at him, expressionless, for five seconds, deliberately avoiding his gaze downward before turning away.
Forget it; he wouldn’t stoop to arguing with a dimwit!
No wonder someone had to buy a wife; it seemed this fool was indeed as thick as a brick.
He tossed the bedsheet he wrapped himself in toward the Young Master without sparing a glance. “Wrap that around you and stop flaunting yourself, or I'll have you castrated!”
Not that he expected this childlike fool to figure out how to dress on his own.
Just as the Young Master was covered with the sheet, his voice rang out, filled with confusion, “Sister, there are no birds here…”

Chapter 3

Lucius Blackwood frowned, her heart racing as she rummaged through the nightstand, desperately searching for clues about her mysterious host's identity. To her relief, she unearthed an identification card.
Staring at the photo and name, Lucius felt disbelief wash over her.
Though she had never been one to follow celebrity gossip, she had heard that name echo through the halls of Kingston University at least a hundred times a day, thanks to her roommates. They spoke of him with a mixture of admiration and obsession, using words like “dashing,” “cool,” and “irresistible.”
William Harper was the heir of Kingston’s elite Harper House, a popular heartthrob in the entertainment industry, and the dream man of countless young women—a bona fide icon. He was only twenty-five.
But a month ago, tragedy had struck. He was injured while filming; reports said he had fallen when a wire snapped, landing straight on his head. Since then, he had vanished from the public eye after being whisked away to the private hospital operated by Harper Holdings.
Every day when Lucius returned to her dorm, she found her roommates lamenting for their "God." Rumors flared everywhere—some claimed he had died mysteriously, others insisted he succumbed to a coma, while more wild narratives suggested he was secretly back at Harper House to manage his family’s fortune.
Daily entertainment tabloids speculated on William Harper’s whereabouts, causing ripples in Harper Holdings’ stock prices.
...
Lucius stood perplexed, comparing the ID card in her hand to the foolish man-child standing in front of her, her lips unconsciously pursed into a thin line as she shifted her gaze between the two. The resemblance was uncanny.
The ID bore a picture of William Harper, his expression arrogant and confident, as if he owned the world.
Before her, however, was a boyishly handsome William Harper, tilting his head and biting his finger, gazing at her with wide, innocent eyes that exuded childlike wonder.
"You're William Harper. You're really William Harper," Lucius stammered, her mind racing to process the impossibility.
She had somehow met the real William Harper in the flesh.
And the embodiment of every teenage girl's fantasy had decided to recruit her in such a bizarre manner, claiming he wanted her to bear his child. It was absurd.
"Big sister, I’m not William Harper. I’m Baby Harper!" he protested, his expression one of deep indignation as if she should’ve known better than to forget.
Lucius rolled her eyes, muttering about how being cute could be a shameful tactic, before responding, "Okay, Baby, tell big sister how I can get out of here."
To her surprise, Baby Harper burst into tears, "Waaah... I don’t want big sister to leave! Please don't go, Baby wants to play with big sister!"
"...What happened to the devilishly handsome guy? Where's the domineering idol?” Lucius thought, at a loss.
She had never met a grown man openly sobbing like a child in front of her before. She sighed, raking her forehead with frustration and awkwardly trying to comfort him, "Don't cry..."
Words failed her as she realized she had pieced together his identity, relieving half of her concerns.
"No." Baby Harper proudly puffed out his chest, pouting and casting her a reproachful side-eye, "Baby wants a kiss to stop crying. Waaah..."
...
Lucius found herself at a loss for words again.
Why was there an overwhelming sense of sugary naïveté emanating from him? Wanting her to kiss him? Dream on.
She shot him a pointed glare before saying sternly, "Stop crying."
Her tone was worlds apart from her previous comforting attempts, causing Baby Harper to freeze, his tears instantly drying up.
Seeing his face turn from sorrowful to apprehensive compliance, Lucius nodded with satisfaction. It felt gratifying to get through to him, like pacifying a child.
In a softer tone, she coaxed, "Baby, could you call Mistress Liu for me? I need to speak with her."
She considered escaping, but clad only in a flimsy garment, even taking a few steps proved to be cumbersome, let alone attempting a hasty exit.
Thus, negotiations were her best option.
Surely, the renowned Harper House would not blatantly disregard legality and engage in slave trade.
However, when she mentioned Mistress Liu, Baby Harper turned away, wrapping himself in the sheets, and responded with a huff, casting her a wounded glance over his shoulder, "No. Big sister is mean! Big sister is scary. Big sister isn’t a good person."

Chapter 4

The words made so much sense that she found herself speechless.
Stay calm, stay calm. He’s still just a kid, can’t be too harsh on him.
Lucius Blackwood fought the urge to pummel him, forcing a gentle, warm smile instead. "Of course not! Baby Harper is just too adorable; I couldn't possibly dislike him."
"You're lying." William Harper quickly glanced back at her with a stubborn pout. "I’m not a three-year-old anymore. You don’t like me, that’s why you don’t kiss me. Hmph."
Lucius Blackwood's smile froze for a second. A string of profanity flashed through her mind before she chuckled faintly.
She reassured herself, whatever, this kid is just acting like a three-year-old. It’s just a kiss on the cheek. Besides, he’s a total heartthrob; I won’t lose out on anything. No one’s watching, after all.
With a steely resolve, Lucius Blackwood decided to give him a quick peck.
Alright, here goes.
Just as she steeled herself for the act, she felt a sudden warmth against her lips. A familiar medicinal scent enveloped her senses, sending a wave of heat through her body, leaving her frozen in shock.
One second, two seconds, three seconds…
It felt like an eternity before William Harper finally pulled away.
Lucius Blackwood couldn't believe her eyes.
What the hell.
Did that just happen? She got kissed by a clueless sweet pie? This was nothing like she had imagined. She was just going for a quick kiss on his cheek. Anger bubbled up inside her. Lucius Blackwood’s long, thick eyelashes fluttered as she opened her eyes, clenching her teeth, just in time to hear William Harper excitedly exclaim:
"Sis, you're so sweet."
He even smacked his lips as if savoring the moment.
Lucius Blackwood's mind went ablaze with humiliation, her fair face turning a bright shade of red, her chest heaving in anger. Her first kiss had been stolen by a stranger—a clueless sweet pie. She hadn’t even experienced the thrill of having a crush yet, and now this!
What’s so great about being a heartthrob, anyway? I certainly don’t like him.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. If it weren’t for their height difference, she would’ve kicked him right in the face. But since she couldn’t reach his face…
Her gaze dropped, simmering with rage as it landed between his legs, and she kicked out with determination, hitting the target perfectly.
"Take that, you filthy pervert!"
"Ah!" William Harper cried out in pain, falling onto the bed, clutching his stomach, a pained expression crossing his face. "Waaah... Sis is mean! Sis hit Baby..."
"I'm hitting you exactly, you perverted idiot! I’m going to take you down!"
As Lucius Blackwood frantically wiped her lips, a mix of anger and desperation surged through her. Just as she was about to kick William again, the door swung open with a bang—
"What happened, Young Master? Are you alright?" A familiar voice rushed in.
It was Mistress Liu.
Around fifty, a bit heavier set, dressed in a tidy white traditional outfit, and sporting graying hair slicked back neatly.
Seeing William writhing in pain on the bed, Mistress Liu’s eyes nearly bulged with concern. "Young Master, are you hurt?"
She turned her sharp gaze towards Lucius Blackwood. "Miss Blackwood, what did you do to our Young Master?"
Lucius Blackwood refused to cower. She was the victim here! Why did this woman speak to her in such an accusatory tone?
"Oh please, that’s a question I should be asking you! What did you do to me? Why am I here? Do you realize human trafficking is illegal?"
"Illegal," Mistress Liu scoffed, as if Lucius' words were utterly ridiculous. "In Kingston, in this Serenity Grove, the House of Harper is the law. The Young Master is the law. Don’t kid yourself; even if our lord spent a fortune to have you bought, you can only obediently serve our Young Master."
Mistress Liu’s words struck Lucius like a slap in the face.
She couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief, "Makes perfect sense. So who’s getting paid? I didn’t take a dime from you, so why should I suffer?"
"Because this is the House of Harper, and we set the rules here."
"You all." Lucius Blackwood, a law-abiding person at heart, found it impossible to reason with such self-righteous people.
Sighing, she decided to spare her breath and bolted for the door.

Chapter 5

To Lucius Blackwood’s absolute dismay, two young bodyguards had suddenly materialized at the doorway, blocking her escape like two immovable mountains. Their cold, unyielding glares made it clear—there was nowhere to run.
Under the unmistakably predatory eyes of the strangers, Lucius felt her face flush with embarrassment. Instinctively, she crossed her arms over her chest, trying to hide her slender figure clad in a William's Shirt. As if on auto-pilot, she slipped to a corner by the balcony wall, the shadows concealing her as she pulled the black curtain slightly to shield her exposed neck and face.
Biting her lip in frustration, Lucius felt like she had exhausted every ounce of embarrassment a single day could hold.
Mistress Liu, the formidable matriarch, watched Lucius with a smirk that practically mocked her naïveté. “Miss Blackwood, since you’ve arrived at Serenity Grove, I suggest you comply and serve Young Master faithfully. If you play your cards right, you could very well be the mistress of this estate, with no one daring to disrespect you. But if you continue to flaunt your ignorance, don’t expect me to show you any courtesy.”
Lucius felt her temper flare at those condescending words.
Was William some kind of ancient king that she must ‘serve’? Did they think the House of Harper had a throne to inherit?
With a scoff, Lucius shot back, “I’d advise you to let me go home right now, or I’ll have no choice but to call the cops on you for kidnapping!”
At that moment, William, freshly relieved of his pain, overheard her. The idea of his sister leaving was intolerable. He had finally found a new companion—an attractive older sister at that, and his grandfather had said she would stay at Serenity Grove to play with him. There was no way she could just walk out.
Little Harper pouted and looked at Lucius with the saddest eyes he could muster. “Sister, please don’t go. I really like you! I want you to stay and play with me. I’ll even give you my toys…”
He paused, thinking hard for a moment before adding, “If you like to touch my chest, I promise I’ll let you do it every day!”
His innocent sincerity tugged at Lucius’s heart. Why couldn't she just let herself like this sweet little boy?
As William's words faded, Lucius noticed Mistress Liu’s face shift from anger to something darker that hinted at wicked delight. “Young Master, besides touching your chest, what else has Miss Blackwood done?”
Lucius's face turned from red to crimson at Mistress Liu’s suggestive question.
This wasn't how it happened!
At this juncture, William, following instincts he didn’t fully understand, covered himself, tears welling in his eyes. “Sister also… hit me here, and it really hurts!”
“What?” Mistress Liu’s voice rose, concern imbuing her tone, coupled with barely contained fury.
Her beloved Young Master, previously a shining beacon in their family, had been physically and mentally scarred by injuries. Now, to think he might also be harmed by a woman who was merely a purchased guest—it felt unforgivable.
Fury built within Mistress Liu as she commanded the guards, “Looks like it’s time someone taught you a lesson, Miss Blackwood.”
She turned to the two bodyguards blocking the door. “Take her to The Confinement Chamber.”
The bodyguards, obedient as always, stepped forward with swift precision, effortlessly lifting Lucius from the floor, rendering her thrashing useless.
Lucius's heart sank. Was this really happening?
She was the victim here!
And now they were brazenly slapping her with confinement? What twisted sense of justice was this?
“Let me go! You’re all insane! You can’t keep me locked up!”
With a thud, Lucius found herself unceremoniously tossed into a dimly lit room—a veritable prison comprised entirely of walls.
The door slammed shut, leaving her in utter darkness; it was everything she had heard about the dreaded Little Black Room.
In that moment, panic set in.
What had she done? She shouldn’t have confronted Mistress Liu. Instead, she could have bought time—whatever their demands, she should have complied first and negotiated later.
But now, it was too late for regrets.
Crouched by the door with her head in her hands, Lucius stared into space, drowning in remorse.

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