Sienna stood by the window, cradling the child in her arms. The view outside was suffocating—towering trees obscured the sky, their dense canopy casting shadows that seemed to echo the weight of her own confinement. The estate felt vast and isolating, the heavy atmosphere of a deep courtyard trapping her like a forgotten bird in a gilded cage.

As evening fell, the stillness was disrupted. Cars began arriving, their headlights cutting through the encroaching darkness. The sound of doors slamming and muffled voices carried through the house. The housekeeper soon came to take the child, leaving Sienna standing alone in the dimly lit room.

Half an hour later, the child was returned, cradled in Elijah’s arms. His imposing figure filled the doorway, his expression unreadable.

Sienna quickly reached out to take the child, her heart racing. But instead of handing the baby over, Elijah held both of them, pulling her into his embrace.

Her body tensed in resistance, but she dared not struggle for fear of hurting the baby. “Mr. Morgan, please don’t,” she murmured, her voice trembling, her words a plea rather than a command.

He smirked, his gaze sharp and teasing. “Don’t what? Don’t want the child?” His voice dripped with mockery as his cool lips brushed her cheek.

Sienna turned her face away, her lower lip trembling as she bit down to suppress the tears welling in her eyes. What did he think of her? What did he see when he looked at her—a toy to amuse himself with?

After he had teased her enough, he finally handed the baby over. “It’s late. Put him back in the crib,” he instructed, his tone casual, as if the intimacy of moments ago had meant nothing.

Relief washed over her like a fragile reprieve. She carefully placed the child in the crib, her hands trembling slightly. But just as she straightened, Elijah’s presence was upon her again, his tall frame pressing against her back as she leaned over.

His breath tickled her ear, his voice low and intimate. “Be good, and I’ll arrange for you to see your brother tomorrow.”

Her hands gripped the crib’s railing tightly, her knuckles white. “You’ll be seen,” she whispered, fear lacing her words.

“Don’t be afraid,” he murmured, his lips grazing her ear. “Be good.”

Shame, despair, and helplessness coursed through her as she bit her lip to keep herself from crying out. The man who towered over her, relentless in his control, showed no sign of mercy despite having claimed her body just the night before.

Suddenly, the sound of a voice broke the oppressive silence from outside the room.

“Elijah, are you here?”

It was Courtney.

Sienna recoiled in alarm, her wide eyes darting toward the door. “Stop!” she hissed, her voice barely above a whisper. “Your wife is here!”

But Elijah didn’t even flinch. “Don’t worry about her,” he said with chilling indifference, his actions unrelenting. “She’s nothing.”

His disregard for the situation only seemed to fuel his intensity. Sienna’s heart pounded in terror. She didn’t even register the venom in his words; she just wanted it all to end.

The footsteps grew louder, each one echoing closer and closer. They were almost at the door.

Sienna’s face drained of color, her entire body trembling with fear. If she was caught in such a compromising situation with Elijah in his wife's house, she could already imagine the fallout—a scandal that would ruin her completely.

"Elijah, stop now," she whispered desperately, her voice barely audible.

Finally, he relented, finishing quickly. Without missing a beat, he moved away, his expression calm as he straightened himself and adjusted his clothes.

With an air of indifference, he walked to the door and opened it, the tension in the room palpable. Courtney stood there, poised to enter, her hand half-raised. Elijah pushed past her without hesitation, brushing her aside as if she were invisible.

From where she stood, Courtney couldn’t see Sienna hidden behind the screen, but the heavy, musky scent in the air told her everything she needed to know. Her sharp eyes darted toward the room as she caught the sound of uneven breathing from within. The scene unfolding in her mind twisted her face with hatred, and her hands clenched into fists at her sides.

Just as she was about to storm into the room, Elijah glanced back over his shoulder. “Weren’t you looking for me?” he asked coldly, his voice a pointed challenge.

Courtney froze, then quickly schooled her expression, forcing a smile. “Yes, Elijah, I needed to talk to you.” Her voice was sickeningly sweet now, her demeanor shifting to gentleness as she followed after him.

Their voices and footsteps receded into the distance. Left alone, Sienna slid to the floor, her strength drained. Tears blurred her vision as she hugged her knees, the weight of shame and fear crushing her.

--

The next day, Sienna requested leave and went to visit her brother in prison.

A black business car was waiting outside the Morgan Family estate, its tinted windows gleaming under the sun. Elijah’s assistant, Liam, was behind the wheel, his expression unreadable as he opened the door for her.

At the prison, when Sienna finally saw her brother, she covered her mouth to stifle a sob. Gavin sat across from her in a gray prison uniform, his face marred with fresh bruises. It was clear he had been in a fight.

"Gavin, why did you get into a fight again?" Sienna asked, her voice tight with anxiety.

Gavin lifted his head, his sharp eyes dark with anger. “Sienna,” he growled, “tell me the truth. Are you with Elijah?”

Her heart skipped a beat. Panic surged through her veins. “I’m not,” she lied, her voice unsteady.

“Don’t lie to me!” Gavin roared, slamming his fists against the table. The loud bang drew the attention of a nearby guard.

“479, maintain discipline,” the guard barked, his tone stern.

Gavin leaned closer, lowering his voice to a harsh whisper. "Do you think I don’t know? You were with him, bore his child—how could you stoop so low?"

Sienna was already sobbing, her voice trembling as she tried to explain. "Gavin, it’s not like that. Please, listen to me."

Gavin exhaled deeply, his anger giving way to frustration. His tone softened, though his eyes remained filled with worry. "Sienna, listen to me. You need to leave him. Go as far away as you can. He’s not someone you can handle—he’s dangerous, a demon..."

"Visiting time is over!" the prison guard called out sharply.

Gavin's words cut off abruptly. He stood, his posture stiff as he gazed at his sister with deep concern. “Promise me, Sienna. Be obedient—leave him.”

--

When Sienna exited the prison, she saw the black commercial vehicle waiting for her, but this time, the driver’s seat was occupied by Elijah himself.

He leaned casually against the door, his face shadowed by a slight scowl. The ground beside him was littered with cigarette butts, a sign that he’d been waiting for some time.

Noticing her red, swollen eyes, he raised a hand to brush away her tears. “Little girl,” he murmured, his voice deceptively gentle.

Sienna flinched, pulling her face away sharply—and in her haste, her head struck him lightly on the cheek.

The sound wasn’t loud, but it was enough to make Elijah pause. His expression darkened as anger flickered in his eyes.

Sienna froze, her heart pounding. She fully expected him to retaliate, perhaps even strike her. But instead, Elijah grabbed her arm and unceremoniously pulled her into the car.

"Let me go!" she cried, struggling against his iron grip. Her resistance was futile; she was no match for his strength.

“Fasten your seatbelt,” he commanded coldly, his voice laced with menace. “Unless you want to die right here.”

Sienna’s chest heaved as she tried to compose herself. Gathering what courage she had, she turned to him, her voice trembling with accusation. “Did you tell my brother about me?” Tears streamed down her face, her emotions a chaotic blend of fear and anger.

Elijah’s jaw tightened, and a sharp, cold glint flashed in his eyes. “It’s better this way,” he said flatly. “He was going to find out eventually. Did you really think you could keep it a secret forever?”

His sarcastic words only fueled the fire of her anger. Without a second thought, Sienna yanked open the car door, ready to escape.

The chill in Elijah’s eyes deepened. He extended his hand to stop the door, his voice icy. “Sienna, are you sure you want to challenge me?”

Her eyes, red and swollen, remained silent, but the frustration she had carried for days surged to the surface. “Just leave me alone,” she muttered, barely able to contain her emotions.

Elijah’s face flickered with something unreadable, but his smile grew even more mocking, his voice low. “Then go. Get out.”

Without hesitation, Sienna jumped from the car, her movements sharp, as if to prove a point.

Before she could regain her footing, the car sped off, its engine roaring as it disappeared into the distance, nearly sending her stumbling.

Bitterness tightened in her chest as she walked quickly, her mind clouded with frustration. But as she glanced at the winding road ahead, a sinking realization hit her—how foolish she had been.

The sky above darkened ominously, thunder crashing, and heavy rain began to fall in torrents.

Sienna stood alone beneath the oppressive sky, her arms crossed protectively over her chest. She felt like the last person in a world crowded with people, abandoned in the downpour, lost, unable to find her way.

Suddenly, the sleek black car reappeared, stopping in front of her. The door opened, and the tall figure of Elijah stepped out, holding an umbrella. “Get in,” he commanded, his voice surprisingly gentle.

Sienna lifted her wet face, her lips trembling as she silently climbed into the car.

Elijah tossed her a clean towel, his gaze intense and focused on her.

The white shirt clung to her body, damp against her skin, tracing every curve with the rise and fall of her breath. Gone was the innocent girl he once knew—now, she held the allure of a woman, her beauty wrapped in a quiet, intoxicating charm.

The sweet, milky fragrance that lingered around her only added to the heat spreading through him.

His hand reached for her, and Sienna’s heart skipped. When her gaze met his, the intensity in his eyes was unmistakable—desire burned in them, raw and unmistakable.

Her hand trembled, and the towel slipped from her fingers, falling to the floor.

Outside, the storm raged on, but inside the car, a different rhythm took over—one that pulsed with unspoken tension.

…

That night, neither of them returned to Morgan's house.

Instead, Elijah booked a hotel in the mountains, and there, he pushed her limits, his torment stretching through the hours, filling the silence of the night.

Even though she gazed at him, a man who exuded such restraint, she couldn’t shake the feeling that he always seemed unsatisfied, as if something was missing in him. Were his desires really so different from his wife’s?

Sienna had suffered intensely, and the cold rain had taken its toll. The next day, she fell ill.

She lay in bed, her body heavy with exhaustion, but her thoughts kept drifting back to her child. She urged the man to leave and return home, but Elijah’s expression remained serious.

“I’m not going back today,” he said flatly.

She assumed he hadn’t had enough of her company, so with a frustrated grimace, she insisted, “I have to go back. I need to see the baby.”

His gaze darkened, and his voice dropped seriously. “Something’s happened to your brother.”

The words didn’t quite register at first. "What do you mean? What happened to Gavin?"

He was gone.

Gavin had been involved in a fight with criminals in prison and had been stabbed in the neck with a sharpened toothbrush. He bled out before he could be saved.

Sienna had no other family, and so Elijah accompanied her to the morgue to identify the body.

The body had already been prepared, the blood drained from his lifeless form. Gavin’s features, so familiar and handsome, remained unchanged, but the unnatural pallor of his skin made him look almost unreal. If it weren’t for the cold, ashen color of his complexion, she might have sworn he’d open his eyes and call out her name.

"Gavin!" she cried, her voice breaking as she rushed forward to hold his body.

Her last family member, her final piece of hope, was gone.

She continued to shake him, her mind refusing to accept the reality of it. They had just spoken yesterday. How could he be gone? He had to be playing some cruel trick on her, like he always did. Her brother, the master of mischief, wouldn’t just vanish.

Watching her sob uncontrollably, Elijah stood frozen. He squeezed his fists by his side, torn between sympathy and helplessness. Finally, he called Liam, instructing her to come in and pull Sienna away.

“Miss Clark,” Liam’s voice was soft but firm. “There is no resurrection after death. Please forgive me.”

Sienna lifted her tear-soaked face and met Elijah’s eyes, her gaze filled with raw, desperate pain. “You promised you’d take care of him. You promised you’d make him better…”

Elijah pulled her into his arms, his voice heavy with regret. "I'm sorry."

Sienna pushed against him, her fists pounding on his chest in a frantic attempt to break free. "You killed my brother! You’re the one who caused this! It was a traffic accident, but you insisted on sending him to prison! You killed him!"

Elijah's expression grew colder, his arms tightening around her in an effort to prevent her from hurting herself—or him.

Sienna’s cries began to subside, her body shaking with exhaustion. She looked up at him, her eyes hollow, broken. "Elijah," she whispered, her voice hoarse. "I can’t do this anymore."

He stared at her, confusion flickering across his face. "What do you mean?"

"I won’t be a nanny anymore. I’m leaving the Morgan Family... I’m leaving you."