What becomes of a woman who falls into the hands of kidnappers? Mia Kane was finding out firsthand. They wanted to break her, to turn her into a slut.

Her eyes were blindfolded with a black cloth, her mouth was sealed with tape, and she was tethered in a corner like an animal.

Her body was covered in wounds; not a single patch of her skin was left unscathed.

The rope was barely a meter long. Any further, and it would tighten around her neck.

She had struggled desperately several times, choking until she couldn’t breathe, her face turning purple as she gasped for air.

She can’t escape...

She heard the kidnappers outside the door cursing in a rage. One of them had just tried to force himself on her, but she had bitten into his throat. A little more pressure, and she would have crushed his windpipe, killing him.

For that, she had been brutally beaten, tethered here, and even drugged.

Outside, something was happening. The boat rocked from a violent collision, sending her sprawling to the floor.

The sound of gunshots.

Someone screamed in agony.

Finally, everything fell silent.

BANG! The door was kicked open. The thud of boots on the floor, heavy and deliberate.

She curled into a ball, knowing what was coming. Soon, she would become a bitch in heat, devoid of all reason. No matter what kind of man he was, she would be begging him to take her.

No... not like this. She can’t betray Chase Lockwood.

Just then, the tape was ripped from her mouth. She could finally speak.

"Don’t... don’t touch me... or Chase Lockwood will never forgive you! I... I’m his woman... He’s already on his way. He’ll come to save me."

"No, he won’t."

The voice was low and hoarse, different from the other kidnappers’.

Maybe this is their leader.

"Yes, he will. He wouldn’t just abandon me."

Chase Lockwood had been kidnapped, and she had come alone with the ransom to save him. The kidnappers had agreed to release him if she took his place.

To save the man she loved, she had walked straight into danger. When Chase Lockwood left, he told her to wait. He promised he would go back, get help, and return to rescue her.

He had even warned the kidnappers that if they so much as touched a hair on her head, they would be making an enemy of the Lockwood Family—a fight to the death.

So, he had to be coming back.

The kidnapper leader said nothing, simply playing an audio recording.

"Chase, I’ll admit it, you won fair and square. I never thought Mia Kane would actually trade herself for you. Here’s the ten million from our bet. I’m transferring it now."

"Everyone knows Mia Kane is your number one lapdog, Chase! Sure, you were ’kidnapped,’ but it’s not like you needed her to save you. Those guys wouldn’t dare lay a finger on you."

"Enough. It’s Vivian’s birthday. Let’s not talk about her."

That was Chase Lockwood’s voice.

It was as pleasant as ever, but now it was filled with a boundless tenderness she had never heard before. She used to think he was gentle with her, but it was nothing—not even a fraction—of the affection in his voice now.

"That’s right, it’s Vivian’s birthday today. Chase booked the entire club for her. Now that’s what you call true love."

"Chase, are you really not going to save Miss Kane?"

"Today is your birthday. Nothing is more important than you. Go on, birthday girl, make a wish. Whatever it is, I’ll make it happen."

"Then... I want to be with you forever, Chase." The girl’s voice was filled with a cautious yearning.

Chase Lockwood seemed to pause for a moment before replying, his voice full of affection, "Alright. There’s nothing I’d want more."

Nothing he’d want more. How perfect.

Mia Kane’s body was growing hotter by the second, but her heart felt as if it had been plunged into an icy abyss. An unbearable pain followed, as if a sharp talon were squeezing it mercilessly.

But a flicker of hope ignited within her. Maybe the audio was fake, doctored.

This has to be one of the kidnappers’ tricks, a way to make me submit.

"It’s fake. It has to be fake..."

"Utterly foolish."

The kidnapper leader’s voice was chilling as he gripped her chin.

The moment the man drew near, her breathing grew ragged. She swallowed hard. A hollow ache spread through her, an instinctive craving for... something.

"Do you know what kind of drug they gave you? If you don’t have a man, you will die."

"Let me die, then! Even if I die, I won’t betray Chase Lockwood!"

"If he really loves you, he wouldn’t let you die, even if you’re no longer... a virgin. And if he doesn’t love you, then dying for him would be a complete waste. All you have to do is service me, and I’ll let you go.

"Just me. No one else will touch you. And you get to live. Think about it."

"I... I agree..." Mia Kane forced out the words.

Then, the man dragged her into the abyss. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"Your first time? Aren’t you Chase Lockwood’s woman?"

The man sounded genuinely surprised. He said something else, but Mia Kane could no longer think. All she knew was that to survive, she gave herself to the leader of the kidnappers.

Even if Chase Lockwood forgave her, she could never face him again, could never stay by his side.

At that thought, she couldn’t stop the tears from falling. Unexpectedly, the man leaned down and kissed her tears away.

When she’s rescued, she’ll report him to the police. She’ll make sure he rots in jail!

Fueled by a surge of hatred, she bit down hard on his shoulder. The rich, coppery taste of blood filled her mouth. The man grunted in pain.

Mia Kane squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for a punch. But he said nothing. She couldn’t see him, but she could feel him. His body was all hard, corded muscle. It was intimidating.

For a moment, she couldn’t tell who was truly in the drug’s grip—her, or him.

Eventually, exhaustion claimed her, and she fell into a deep sleep. She slept fitfully for a time. When she opened her eyes again, she was still on the boat.

She was alone in the room. Surprisingly, her wounds had been treated with medicine. A set of clean clothes lay on the bedside table, exactly her size.

She walked out of the cabin but saw no one. It was like a ghost ship.

She desperately wanted to believe it was all just a dream, a nightmare. But the marks on her body were a stark reminder that all of it had been real.

She got off the boat and hailed a cab on the side of the road.

I should go home and surprise Chase Lockwood, she thought. He must be worried sick right now, trying to figure out how to rescue me.

But for some reason, another address surfaced in her mind.

"The Ambrosia Club."