"Are you serious?"

Estella quickly recognized his furious tone, but she knew he was merely suppressing his emotions for her own sake. She is unable to talk and must maintain her stance. Forever.

She glanced aside and said, "I'm sorry, but I have to go home."

She gently moved the man away from her before she stepped away from the kitchen. She attempted to stand up straight but she failed. She winced in discomfort. Her wound is still not healing well. She is aware of the discomfort caused by her wound.

"Do you think I'll simply let you go? You wrecked my life."

Estella sighed and raised her head upwards. “Mr. Hudson, I told you that you can do anything to me, hurt me, if you don't want to send me away. I want you to punish me for the things I've done!”

The young man laughed loudly and moved closer to her. "Are you sure? Are you kidding me? Who is the source of your evilness? You appear to be too afraid to say anything? ”

She took a swallow. She attempted to keep her voice steady, so she wouldn't have to hunch over to talk. "No one ordered it; I'm just terribly upset, which is why I did it to you." She lied, again.

"Liar!" yelled Lucius, enraged.

Irritation, rage, and hatred can all be seen on his face. She desires to reveal everything, but she's terrified and concerned about her family. She doesn't want to put her mother and siblings in jeopardy because of the financial blunders she's made.

"How much do you need just to speak?" Lucius asked bitterly and for a little period, it seemed to emerge from the kitchen as if something has already been planned.

Estella's face furrowed as Lucius reappeared, holding a substantial sum of money. Lucius approached her while carrying the money and placed it on her lap. She had a couple of thousand pesos in her hand. Because she doesn't have a huge hand, part of the money slid on the cold floor.

Her brows furrowed in disgust, and she hurled the money, scattering it on the floor. "I ain't no fucking gold digger! I'm not in need of your filthy money!" Estela yelled, rage visible in her eyes.

"Then what fucking do you want?" "While shouting, Lucius asked.

"Please..." Her tears began to fall from frustration, and she felt nothing but exhaustion, psychologically and emotionally as if she were already suffocating.

She was aware that what she had done was wrong, and she was also aware of the consequences of her actions. She regrets what she has done, but how? Thoughts are battling in her head. Her mother would die if she did not take the offer. However, she now regrets everything since she ruined an actor's reputation.

Her apologies mean nothing to Lucius; he wants to know the truth, but she's terrified no one would trust her since she lied once. Even if she tells the truth, she will be unable to defend herself and her family from the dangers.

"Don't cry in front of me," Lucius said as he walked away. She ultimately lost sight of him and was left alone in the kitchen. Instead of eating, she sought shelter for the meals in order to keep flies at bay. She used to be quite hungry, but after a fight with Lucius, she has lost her appetite.

* * *

Lucius exhaled a frustrated sigh; he had consented before because he didn't want to watch ladies weep. He just cannot stand to look at women crying because of pain. This is also the reason he couldn't tell his mother about his father's dark secret of cheating. Watching his mother cry pains his heart. Nothing upsets him more than witnessing his mother cry as a result of his father's infidelity. Her mother was pure and beautiful, he couldn't stand it when he sees her crying and thinking that she is not enough.

He diminishes women's tears. Every person he met in different bars was merely a one-night stand. There are no strings or attachments permitted. He has no sentiments for any of the women he has slept with. It's only for entertainment purposes.

He took out his smartphone and phoned his manager's number while he sat on the sofa. He hasn't spoken anything yet since he hasn't gotten any information from Estella. He was aware that she was terrified. Lucius can sense the fear in her heart.

'How are you, Lucius?' Did you manage to locate her?’ His boss inquired.

'Yes, no information yet, but I can handle her,' he responded. He was aware that his manager would investigate his problem, which is why he insisted on his assistance.

'Anyway, there's an assembly here at the studio next week that you have to attend.'

The call has ended...

He already suspects SKYRIM Entertainment is the mastermind; he knew it was furious with him and Black Dream Entertainment since they leaked claims from the dirty running of them in artists they retain, other than that they have exchanges of illegal transactions within its building.

He understands who is behind everything. Yuan Devegas, the president of SKYRIM Entertainment, is his friend in the past. When one of their friends died, they parted ways. Lucius had no idea that his friend would kill herself because of him.

He stood up and returned to the kitchen, hoping Estella would settle down and began to eat. Lucius wandered his eyes as soon as he walked in. He looked at the covered food on the table without even taking a nibble.

She didn't eat anything.

He took the tray and piled the leftover food on top of it. ‘What happened to the woman?’ he asked himself. His unit is so large that he believes he didn't spot her leaving.

He caught up with the girl who was staring out the window; he had assumed she had left. She was simply admiring the little garden he had created close to the living room to grab her attention, he coughed. "Hey, lady, eat up. I don't want you to faint from hunger again.”

She didn't turn to face him right away, and he watched her wipe the tears from the glass's reflection. He realizes he caused the woman to cry and feels bad about it.

"Thank you, but I'm not hungry..." she murmured, her voice low and frigid.

"Would you please join me? Let's get some food. I swear I won't make you speak the truth. ”

In this case, if he speaks calmly, the girl may not be terrified of him. Perhaps he will not compel the girl to tell the truth. She may be bombarded with emotions and fear. She needs more time to express herself and the truth.

Damn! Woman, don't cry in front of me.

He murmured this while staring at her.

He was ultimately approached by the girl. "You're not angry? You should be outraged, and you should be relieved that I didn't eat-"

"How come you always act like you're the victim?"

He tries to remain calm, but Estella's attitude irritates and annoys him. She's playing the victim, and he's playing the villain.

"Lucius-"

"Shut up and follow me to the kitchen," he commanded.

He assumed the girl would not accompany him. Estella sat in the chair in front of him. He will be with the girl initially until she feels comfortable with him before asking her about the truth. Lucius will not waste his time missing the opportunity to take revenge on his former friend. Even though they have memories of the past, he decided to ruin him too after he ruined him.

They were both dumbfounded while they ate together, and a terrible quiet descended over the room. Both of their gazes were fixed on the food they were eating. Estella feels uneasy with the scenario, and Lucius wants to ask questions.

He must be privy to every detail of their conversation. His throat was itching to ask questions and discover the truth, but he restrained himself. He pledged to be silent throughout that period.

To break the stillness, Lucius cleared his throat. "Hmm... Is it okay if I ask a question? It's fine if you don't want to.”

Estella eventually lifted to allow her to see him. "I understand you have a lot of questions. I don't know anymore what to do," Estella said after finishing the meal on the plate and drinking the water from the glass. "Or to say, but I'm truly sorry; perhaps you don't understand since you're wealthy; you can employ me as your maid and punish me," she added.

He nodded and rolled his eyes because of her reply. "You relax after you eat. That's exactly what I want you to do. ”

Her eyes opened in surprise. “R-Rest? Nevertheless, I'm not a visitor here, and I'm so sorry for what I've done to you that you should punish me. You can call the cops to imprison me..."

He sighed at how terrible her reasons and replies are. "Shut up and rest."

He stood with the plate he had used once, his back to the woman, and was ready to move towards the sink when she said.

"Wait!" exclaimed the girl.

He made a little turn to face the girl. “What? Do you need anything? "

"I'll do the dishes. Then I'll rest as you desire. " Estella volunteered to do the dishes.

"Are you sure?" he said, his attention fixed on the girl's thigh. The wound is still open. "You may be exhausted as a result of what happened; you should rest-"

"I am not handicapped. I'm sure I can do it," she insisted.

Estella sighed and slumped her shoulders as she groaned from exhaustion. She was hoping he wouldn't ask about what happened again since she was terrified of the consequences if she told the truth. No one will defend her or her family.

She had no idea what Lucius was up to, and all of a sudden he became calm, despite the fact that he had recently become enraged with her.

Instead of overthinking, she just focused her concentration on washing dishes. She struggled to rise after cleaning the dishes. Straighten up and walk, although she grimaced in pain with each step.

"Damn it!" she exclaimed, feeling as though the wound was being ripped apart.

“See? It's your source of pride. I assumed you'd be able to manage it? " Lucius questioned her, his arms folded and his back against the wall.

Embarrassed, she stared at the young guy, who then steadied his own walk as he approached it, despite the fact that he thought she was about to faint from the agony. When she approached the wall, she stopped and rested first. She stared at the young man, who was also staring at her as if he was happy to watch her struggle.

When she tries to take another step forwards. Estella let out a loud yell as she felt arms around her waist and was surprised to see Lucius carrying her in bridal style. As it began to walk, she held her breath.

"What the hell! What are you taking me to? I can handle myself! Let me go! " Estella yelled, but the man seemed unconcerned.

He ignores her, instead of seeing that the man's arms are becoming increasingly tenser while carrying her. She was really weary of shouting, but she couldn't take her gaze away from his lovely face. She can't take her eyes away from his deep and lovely eyes, as if she's been entranced; she's not sure why, but her hand wants to touch his face.

Estella buried her hand and pushed herself not to gaze at the young man since she may have flirted with his natural good features. Until they arrive in Lucius' room. He carefully placed her in his bed.

"Is this where I'll sleep?" Estella asked.

"Why, and where do you wish to go?"

"But, it appears that this is your room-"

“Sleep. Don't say anything. " He insisted.

“O-okay. Thank you." At that moment, Estella is speechless. Why is Lucius letting her sleep in his room, especially in his bed?

The young man remained silent. He exited the room and shut the door. Her gaze darted across the entire room as soon as the young man exited. A flat white ceiling combined with a black tint in each corner of the wall. Colors that are pleasing to the eyes and do not bore them. She likes it when it's not too bright or too dark.

I miss my family and hope they are well.

She considers the impact of her actions. If her family realized what she had done, they would forsake her. A tear trickled from her sorrowful eyes, and he quickly brushed it away before turning black.

“Hey bro! What’s up?”

Lucius was caught off guard by his friend's unexpected appearance. Kian with Sandra-his cousin. These two were married only a week ago. He believes they returned home after their honeymoon.

"Has anything happened yet?" he humorously asked of the two.

Sandra giggled, smirking. "Tsk, I'm still not ready! I also stated that you will not have a nephew as long as you do not have a girlfriend!"

He laughed, even more, when he heard what he said. "Why? I'd rather have a nephew than a girlfriend." They both chuckled at the same moment.

"You have to do it now since we don't have a plan yet. But don't worry! As long as you don't have a girlfriend, there will be no baby! Period!" Sandra jokingly said. Lucius has several cousins, but Sandra is his favorite.

While cooking in the kitchen, he heard a shout from his room, and Estella appeared in his thoughts. As he entered the room, he noticed Sandra and Kian staring at Estella, who is now covered with a blanket since she is maybe shy.

"Oh my goodness! You fooled me!"

"She's not my girlfriend," he says flatly.

Sandra arched her brow. "Are you kidding me? Why is she in your room? You've never brought a lady into your room," Sandra pointed out.

"Hello, Lucius' girlfriend!" Sandra greeted Estella.

"Sweetie, the transaction is done. We can make out later," Kian remarked to his wife, winking.

"Sandra, Kian, please come out and rest," Lucius said to the two.

"Rest? Oh my! Did you two-"

"Is that what you're learning from your husband, Sandra?" Lucius asked with an angry tone. He's getting pissed at that time.

“Hey! Why am I impacted? " Kian's request. As the two of them exited the room, Lucius carefully closed the door, locking it. He had forgotten that the two enjoyed roaming around his condo.

"Who is that lady? Is she a girlfriend of yours? "Sandra asked again, but Lucius didn't respond. “Hey! Answer me, your mother needs to know, so she'll be happy.”

He shivered, and he was losing tolerance for his cousin. “How many times should I tell you that she's not my girlfriend?"

Kian approached him and patted his shoulder. "That's simple. Tell us

How did she end up in your room? ”

Lucius said, "It's a long story."

"Then make it brief," Kian said in a flash.

"If you don't share the story, yes. You should expect to hear from your mother that you took a woman home to your condo. " Sandra challenged him.

"You're blackmailing me, huh?" she said to her cousin.

"Well, as I tell her, there is nothing to blame. I'm sure it'll be entertaining once it gets going at your unit. " It even mocked him by smiling at him.

"Whatever," he said, knowing that no matter what he did or asked, his immature relatives would not always listen to him. "Anyway, I have some work to do. You may go home and start flirting.”

As the two idiots continued to tease him, he pushed them away. They both give off the same vibes: immature and annoying. Actually, he dislikes it when people play tricks on him. Lucius's time for jokes is limited.

He headed to his room to look at the girl, but as he was about to open the door when the ringing of his cellphone stopped him. When he opened his inbox and saw a text message from an unknown number.

Take care buddy

His eyes brightened as he immediately remembered his friend Yuan, whom they used to call buddy when they were still friends. Until now, he has refused to quit, oblivious to the fact that he suffers every night because what happened would have been a dream.

Lucius believed it was a huge mistake to bring Estella inside his condo unit and trust her. What if Yuan exploited her to permanently ruin him? Why did he allow it to remain in his home? He should have evicted her. But the more he frees the girl, the less he has a defense against Yuan; he must hold her until the truth is out.

When he opened the door to the room Estella was in. He noticed the woman was sleeping again, but she was in pain every time she tried to move. Something inside Lucius feels pity for the woman; he can't let her die in agony. She was simply weeping and frightened again. He was aware that she was in threat. If something awful occurred to Estella, he may become insane. It is because of him; he has only guilt in his thoughts his whole life, and suffering every night is enough for him.

When Estella woke up, she sat up as she remembered two strangers peering at her in Lucius' room. The man even came in to talk to her till he closed the door of the room, allowing her to breathe comfortably, but Estella fell asleep by accident.

She was hungry, and her skin was greasy. She hadn't taken a bath since arriving at Lucius' condo unit. It's nearly midnight, and it's dark outside the big windows of his room. She and Lucius have been together for nearly a day.

Her thigh hurt again, making it difficult for her to move. She staggered out of the room, grimacing at the searing agony that was developing in her thigh with each step of her feet. She can't move her hip, she can't walk normally, she's in pain, and it's all her fault. Nobody else is to blame. She just has herself to blame for her mistakes.

She saw Lucius's head inclined as she moved her feet in the kitchen. The alcoholic drink is on the table opposite it, and there is a cake in the middle that appears to be his food while drinking.

‘I’m so sorry, Nicole.’

Estella gazed at Lucius while eating the cake when she overheard him talking while asleep.

'I can't love you,' the young guy said again, sweating heavily despite the fact that his condo was air-conditioned.

Estella stopped eating and cleaned her hands before approaching the drunk Lucius. When she stroked his forehead, his sweat was as cold as ice, as if he was in the middle of a dream.

She helped Lucius in standing up, despite the fact that her thigh is pained. She pushed herself to move in order to assist Lucius in getting inside his room to rest. There is only one room in his condo. Only Lucius' room was available.

Estella slid Lucius' arm over her shoulders. They both entered Lucius' room. She put him in his bed, and he is still drunk and murmuring. Estella clenched her teeth. She had no idea what to do with the drunk man.

She was going to rise up to return the cake to the kitchen when Lucius yanked it from her arm, and half of her body had already touched her body. As their eyes met, her body froze, and she could plainly feel the anguish in his eyes. He was stronger than her as she forced herself out of the arm that was surrounding her waist.

They'll be kissing in no time if they make a mistake.

“Mr. Hudson…" Estella's heart pounded quicker and louder. "Let me go, I can't breathe anymore…"

When Lucius' lips crushed against hers, Estelle's entire body froze. Taking advantage of the little opening in his mouth, she slipped her tongue inside, roving as if she were probing every inch of Lucius' mouth. In response, he moaned quietly, and everything went away. She had forgotten everything, including her throbbing thigh.

They switched positions from previously when she was on top of Lucius. He towers over her. She was enjoying herself at the time, and she should have pushed the young guy away from her, but instead, she gripped his neck and reacted to his kisses.

Their kiss was sweet at first, but after a few minutes, it turned hot and wild. She stutters with each bite of his lips on hers; she just felt this way. But she was reawakened by the sensation of Lucius' hands entering inside her dress, causing her to shove Lucius away from her.

"What the heck are you-" Lucius' eyes widened as he awoke. His drunkenness vanished as he realized he was kissing Estella. "I-I'm sorry," the young man replied slowly, stroking his lower lip.

Estella is speechless… She can't say anything because her brain refuses to operate, or she refuses to move her feet because she wants to continue. But it is wrong. She doesn’t want to be Lucius’ one-night stand.

She knelt down and nibbled her bottom lip. "I'm sorry as well. " She muttered as she rushed out of his room, ignoring the ache in her thigh. There was no objective as she meandered throughout the condo, repeatedly torturing herself.

She swallowed carefully, and the burning she had been experiencing had gradually dissipated. It was a huge humiliation since the young man had an odd relationship with her. Its presence is distinct. Her thoughts were racing as she went till she arrived in an open room.

Music room..,

She proceeded further inside, and numerous instruments were placed. She sat in front of the grand piano, looking around the music room. Her ambition is not to be an actress just for the sake of earning money but to continue and develop her talents, which include singing and playing instruments.

She fixed her gaze on the piano in front of her and smiled, knowing how much she recalls her memories with her father. When she was little and her father was still alive, he taught her to play, and she inherited his love of singing and playing instruments. She has always participated in their town contests since she was trained, but after his father died, she stopped. She lost his desire for everything, even playing, and singing. Even if she wants to follow her ambition without the assistance of his father. But, her family needs her. She set aside her personal dreams for her family.

Her mind keeps telling her that she needs to play a piano key. She pushed a key, and when she heard a wonderful sound, she smiled. It causes her to become emotional. She closed her eyes and began playing the piano. She focused her attention on the music that made everything better.

“Oh my goodness gracious!” When she looked up, she realized she couldn't move in her location. She and her knees tensed once again. "It's you, Lu-Lucius.”

Lucius stared at the piano and shifted its gaze to Estella noticing she was also looking at him. "I didn't know you could play the piano..."

She gave a nod. "I'm sorry, but I noticed it was open and walked in-"

The young man shook his head. "It's okay. This music room isn't something I use very much anymore. You may hang around here if you wish to play. ”

“Really, that’s nice of you. Thank you,” Estella replied and smiled.

After she responded, the room grew silent and uncomfortable. She simply desired to be swallowed by the land rather than meet the young man she had previously desired.

"Anyway, I have some work to do. If you want to rest, you can return to my room. " He muttered as he walked out of the music room, leaving her speechless.

She inhaled deeply. What is going on with her? She is not like this; she still hates men, but Lucius is different. The enchantment he bestows on her is rather unique.

She had just left the music room to go to the kitchen; she was hungry and dirty, and she needed to take a bath, but she was thinking whether or not, since she doesn't have a dress to wear. She sought for clothing to wear after eating, but all she saw were men's clothes, and she was still a size huge up to her knees. She also has no option but to stink, so she'll simply put up with it.