You belong to me now.
"No." The denial slipped from her lips, raw and broken. "I refuse to accept this. I'm not yours. I will never be yours."
Adrian's gaze remained steady, a flicker of amusement dancing in his eyes. "You can keep telling yourself that, Elina. But it doesn't change the fact that your parents have already agreed to this arrangement. The only thing left is your compliance."
Her chest tightened, a hollow ache clawing at her ribs. "I'll make you reject me. I'll—"
"Do everything you can to make me walk away?" he interjected smoothly, one brow lifting. "Go ahead. It will only make things more interesting."
His calmness made her skin crawl. Her hands trembled at her sides. He wasn't just prepared for resistance—he welcomed it.
"Why me?" she demanded, her voice thick with emotion, her eyes burning. "Why are you so determined to force this marriage?"
He rose from his chair—slow, deliberate—the quiet scrape of leather against the floor slicing through the tense silence.
"Because you intrigue me," he said, stepping around the desk with the composed confidence of a man who expected the world to bend to his will. "And because I always take what I want."
Each step brought him closer, his presence wrapping around her like smoke—inescapable, suffocating.
Elina didn't move. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction. Her voice cracked. "What the hell do you want from me? You don't even love me. So why this? Why me?"
Adrian tilted his head slightly, his lips curving—not with affection, but with something far darker. "Love?" he echoed, a quiet chuckle rumbling from his chest. "No, Elina. Love has nothing to do with this."
He paused, then added, voice smooth as velvet, "You are rare. Driven. Stubborn. You're willing to burn yourself down just to light the way for others. That kind of fire... it's captivating. And I don't let go of things that intrigue me."
A shiver traced her spine—not from fear alone, but from the weight of being seen. Not understood, not respected—but seen. Not as a person. As a possession. A conquest.
"You're insane," she whispered, disbelief tightening her throat. "I won't let you do this to me."
"Perhaps," he murmured coolly.
He moved closer still, circling her—like a lion descending from its perch, slow and deliberate. Her pulse raced. Her instincts screamed for her to run, but she stood still. She wouldn't back down. She stood her ground, jaw clenched, shoulders squared.
Then came the blow she never expected.
Adrian stopped beside her, his voice a low whisper that skimmed against her skin like smoke. "And in my world, Elina... no one walks away without paying a price."
________________________________________
Adrian lingered beside her for a moment longer, then turned and walked away, calm and silent. He moved behind his desk with the quiet authority of a man who always got what he wanted.
Elina stood frozen, arms crossed, her eyes narrowing as he reached into a drawer.
He placed a black leather folder on the desk with measured ease. "If you truly want your freedom," he said, voice low and unreadable, "I have an offer."
Her stomach tightened. "An offer?"
He tapped the folder. "This."
"What is it?" she asked, not moving.
"A contract," he said simply.
Elina's eyes flicked to the folder, then back to him. "Why would I sign anything you give me?"
"You don't have to," he said, leaning back. "You're free to walk away. But if you're serious about fighting back... you'll at least open and read it."
She hesitated, every instinct telling her not to trust him. "Why are you doing this?"
Adrian didn't blink. "Because I don't like wasting time. And you're not as unpredictable as you think."
Her jaw clenched. "You're enjoying this."
A faint smile touched his lips. "Maybe."
She took a slow step forward, stopping just short of the desk. "What kind of contract is this?"
"You'll find out," he said. "If you're brave enough to read."
Elina stared at the folder for a long moment, her hands hovered above the folder, fingers trembling ever so slightly.
"Go on," he said, his tone smooth, unhurried, like the calm inhale before a storm breaks. "Read it."
Her heart pounding, Elina reached for the folder and opened it. The pages shifted under her fingers as her eyes landed on the first line.
____________________
____________________
____________________
CONTRACT OF AGREEMENT
This legally binding Agreement ("The Contract") is entered into by and between:
PARTIES:
Adrian Blackwood, hereafter referred to as "The Benefactor",
and
Elina Castellano, hereafter referred to as "The Recipient".
This Contract is made under mutual consent, free of coercion, and governed by the laws of the Underworld Accord (Article 5, Section 9). This Agreement is irrevocable and can only be terminated at the sole discretion of The Benefactor.
____________________
____________________
TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
Clause I:Total Autonomy to Build and Operate the Non-Profit Organisation
a. The Recipient shall be granted full independence to establish, operate, and manage an NPO under her sole name.
b. The Benefactor shall ensure by any means—including threats, force, and legal pressure—that the Recipient's family or third parties do not interfere.
c. The NPO shall remain legally under the Recipient's name unless otherwise revoked by Clause V.
________________________________________
Clause II:Unlimited Financial and Logistical Support
a. The Benefactor shall provide unlimited monetary resources.
b. Legal and underworld protection shall be granted.
c. All partnerships, donations, and contracts concerning the NPO shall be subject to final review by the Benefactor's legal unit.
____________________
____________________
Clause III:Exclusive Ownership and Submission:In exchange for the aforementioned support, the Recipient agrees to the following to the Benefactor. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:
a. The Recipient shall surrender all physical rights, bodily autonomy, and intimate decision-making exclusively to the Benefactor. This submission is to be understood as total, irrevocable, and without limitation.
b. The Benefactor reserves the unrestricted right to engage in physical intimacy with the Recipient at any time, in any place, regardless of her emotional or mental state, without requiring verbal or non-verbal consent at the time of initiation.
c. The Recipient shall neither refuse nor resist the Benefactor's physical advances. Any sign of hesitation, withdrawal, or denial shall be considered a direct breach of this clause.
d. The Recipient shall maintain a physical state and appearance as instructed by the Benefactor, including attire, grooming, and bodily presentation, to reflect his preferences and authority. Compliance with these directives is mandatory and subject to inspection without prior notice.
________________________________________
Clause IV:Restrictions and Prohibitions
a. The Recipient shall not question, investigate, or interfere with any aspect of The Benefactor's life.
b. All personal, professional, and illicit affairs of The Benefactor are exempt from judgment, discussion, or observation.
c. Any expression of jealousy, confrontation, or refusal will be seen as defiance.
________________________________________
Clause V:Breach and Consequences
a. Violation of Clauses III or IV will result in:
i> Immediate withdrawal of all support.
ii> Legal dismantling and public destruction of the NPO.
iii> Blacklisting of the Recipient from any future social or legal endeavours.
b. The Benefactor reserves the right to physically restrain or relocate the Recipient upon breach.
____________________
____________________
Clause VI:Monitoring and Control
a. The Recipient will be under 24/7 surveillance for her safety and obedience.
b. The Benefactor reserves the right to read personal messages, control public appearances, and assign bodyguards without notice.
________________________________________
Clause VII:Silence Clause
a. The contents of this contract must never be spoken of or disclosed to a third party.
b. Any attempt to reveal or duplicate the terms will be considered betrayal and will invoke underworld justice.
________________________________________
Clause VIII:Duration and Termination
a. This Agreement remains in effect indefinitely unless formally terminated by The Benefactor.
b. The Recipient has no right to request a revision or termination of the contract.
c. Any attempt to flee, legally or physically, constitutes a direct violation punishable by Clause V.
____________________
Signed in full understanding and without recourse, under the watch of the Family Code and the authority of the Benefactor.
____________________
Adrian Blackwood (The Benefactor)
Date: _______________
____________________
Elina Castellano (The Recipient)
Date: _______________
________________________________________