When I was fifteen, I got lost exploring the wilderness and almost met a terrible end, only to be saved by three rough–looking men. a seven–tenths resemblance to my moonlit memory – captiva- Their faces, strikingly similar to the one that haunted my dreams
–
ted me instantly. My father, at my insistence, brought them back to the Thorne estate as my personal kept men.
But over the years, their arrogance grew with my indulgence. They even secretly pledged their lives to Brittany Miller, our houseke- eper’s daughter, right under my nose.
“Hold on, Brit, just you wait. Once that old man kicks the bucket, the entire Thorne Corporation will be ours. Scarlett Thorne is crazy about me, we’ll just sell her off to some shady establishment where she’d make a good sum, if she didn’t mind the clientele.”
Later, at the auction gala, one of them, Ryder, asked me what the mysterious item for today’s auction was. I didn’t answer. The three of them were about to scold me when suddenly, they were leashed, thrown into a dog kennel, and locked up.
smiled. “The auction item? Isn’t it right here?”
2
Watching the
two of them exchange affectionate glances, I scoffed and turned away. I went upstairs and found my father. “Dad, I’m
tired of these three.”
The old man, hunched over his desk, poring over documents, paused and looked up, puzzled. “Tired of them? I thought you were quite fond of Ryder? Why the sudden change of heart?”
I curved my lips. “What do you do, Dad, when a pet bites its owner?”
My father understood. He waved a dismissive hand. “Get rid of them.”
Ryder was the name my father gave him, though he never liked it, insisting on calling himself Ryder. Because of his face, so similar to the one in my memories, I never forced him.
As I descended the stairs, I saw Ryder, who had just parted ways with Brittany Miller, the housekeeper’s daughter.
“Ryder, what were you just doing?”
Ryder, who was about to brush past me, froze, then frowned, a mix of unease and irritation on his face. After all, I always used to
call him ‘Ryder, my love.”
“What’s it to you?”
I didn’t care about his attitude; after all, I was the one who encouraged him to mimic his cold, detached tone. A cheap imitation,
truly.
“I saw Brittany Miller with you, just now.”
Ryder stiffened, then his face hardened. “Scarlett Thorne, are you having me followed?”
The commotion attracted Zane and Knox, Seeing that I had mentioned their little innocent flower, they immediately glared at me
with ill intent.
“Scarlett Thorne, who we spend our time with is our business. What right do you have to question it?”
