Dakota Morrison strolled down a dimly lit alley, her heart heavy with the weight of her mother's medical bills. Frustration gnawed at her as she clutched her resume, still unable to secure a job. Little did she know, her life was about to take a drastic turn.
Out of nowhere, two towering figures dressed in black charged towards her, sending waves of terror through her body. She tried to escape their clutches, but her efforts were in vain. They swiftly caught up to her, leaving her breathless and helpless.
"Who are you? Let me go!" Dakota pleaded, her voice laced with fear. "What do you want with me? Ah!"
Before she could comprehend the situation, one of the attackers forced a mysterious liquid down her throat. Within moments, Dakota succumbed to its effects, losing consciousness.
When she awoke, she found herself in an opulent, yet foreboding, villa. Two imposing bodyguards carelessly tossed her onto a plush sofa.
The room was shrouded in darkness, but a commanding male voice pierced through the silence, instructing the bodyguards to leave. They obliged without question, leaving Dakota alone with her mysterious captor.
Still dazed, she strained her eyes to make out the figure before her. As lightning briefly illuminated the room, she caught a glimpse of a tall man with an air of unyielding strength. Who was he?
Slowly, he turned to face her, his gaze filled with an icy chill. Dakota felt a shiver run down her spine as she stood frozen in place.
"Are you Dakota Morrison?" the man's low, cold voice echoed through the room.
Her heart skipped a beat. The voice was hauntingly familiar, but she couldn't place it. Squinting, she tried to discern his features.
In an instant, the room erupted in brightness as the lights flickered on. Standing beside the leather sofa, the tall man exuded an aura of dominance, like an impenetrable wall.
Struggling against the glare, Dakota focused her gaze on the man's back. Finally, their eyes met, and she couldn't believe what she saw.
"Teacher Wilkins...?" she gasped in disbelief.
A smirk tugged at the corners of his lips as he raised an eyebrow, his eyes filled with derision and arrogance. "Teacher Wilkins? Haha...," he chuckled, his voice dripping with disdain.
Closing the distance between them, he approached Dakota with calculated steps. Bending down, his presence overwhelmed her, leaving her weak and vulnerable. Gone were the gentle eyes she remembered from four years ago; instead, they were filled with contempt.
In the eerie silence of the hall, he sneered and declared, "Miss Dakota, listen carefully. I am Philip Wilkins, and you will be my surrogate mother for our unborn child. Don't forget, your biological father is drowning in debt from his gambling addiction. And don't mistake this for a teacher-student relationship. I have no interest in such role-playing."
Dakota's heart skipped a beat. She looked at Philip, pain and confusion clouding her eyes.
Philip's touch grazed her face, sending a chill down her spine. It was as if a cold serpent's tongue was caressing her, foretelling imminent danger.
"So, this is the woman they found for me. Impressive, indeed. You seem to have caught my eye," he remarked in his wicked voice, his words piercing her heart like sharp arrows.
Dakota remained in a daze, momentarily forgetting the peril she was in as she stared at him.
Sensing her vulnerability, Philip's brows furrowed. Suddenly, an inexplicable hesitation washed over him. He massaged his temples, his gaze fixed on Dakota.
"Follow me," he commanded, gripping her hand and forcefully dragging her upstairs.
Dakota's cries for freedom fell on deaf ears as Philip lowered his gaze, ruthlessly prying her hand away. His deep voice resonated with authority, "Miss Dakota, you have no right to refuse. Remember the surrogacy agreement you signed. You must honor your end of the bargain. Desperate for money, aren't you? Don't forget your mother's treatment fees."
Time seemed to stand still as his words hung in the air. She may not care about her father's debts, but her mother's life hung in the balance.
Finally, she relented, her head hanging low, unable to utter a single word.
Days ago, she had signed that surrogacy agreement, but no one had come to claim her. Thus, Dakota continued her search for employment, oblivious to the impending fate that awaited her.
Observing her surrender, Philip sneered and forcefully guided her into the bedroom.
Tossed onto the bed, Dakota scrambled to her feet, her eyes widening in shock. "What are you doing?" she exclaimed, her voice trembling.
Philip's sneer deepened as he retorted, "What am I doing? Did you think you could conceive without physical intimacy?"
Dakota recoiled, her back pressed against the wall, desperately searching for an escape. "I don't want this anymore. I'll repay all the money I owe you. Just stay away from me!"
"Repay me?" Philip swiftly discarded his shirt, exposing his chiseled chest.
"Come on now, you're a grown-up! Surely you understand these intimate matters," he said, not stopping as he lunged towards Dakota.
"Ah! Go away!" Dakota pleaded, backing up against the wall with no escape. She felt trapped.
Before she could even put up a fight, she heard a tearing sound. Her once pristine white shirt was now torn in half, exposing her flawless, pale skin.
"No!" Dakota struggled with all her might, throwing punches and kicks at the man who was overpowering her.
Suddenly, her foot made contact with something soft. The man let out a muffled groan and ceased his actions, staring at her with pain in his eyes.
Dakota was stunned. And then, almost involuntarily, her arm moved.
With a resounding slap, the sound echoed through the room. Dakota froze, staring at her hand in disbelief.
When she looked up, her gaze locked with Philip's darkened eyes, filled with anger as if he could tear her apart.
"I... I didn't mean to," Dakota stammered, feeling a cold shiver run down her spine.
"Not on purpose?" Philip's voice dripped with venom as he continued to glare at her.
After a long, tense moment, he sneered. "Very well. I like a woman with spirit. Perhaps my future partner should be just like you."
Dakota was utterly shocked.
Before she could react, her arms were swiftly lifted above her head. The sound of metal colliding filled the air as Philip restrained her with one hand while unfastening his belt with the other.
"Philip, you're out of your mind! Let me go this instant!" Dakota thrashed about, desperate to break free.
"Let you go?" Philip mocked, using his belt to secure her hand to the bedpost. "How could I possibly let you go? Remember our agreement."
He stood up, his trousers falling to the ground. In the dim light, his strong legs gleamed with a bronze vitality, his sculpted muscles enticing.
Wide-eyed with shock, Dakota screamed and quickly closed her eyes.
"Philip, you're sick! This isn't who you used to be!" she cried, turning her head away as her face flushed with embarrassment. Yet, an unfamiliar surge of desire coursed through her body, causing her to involuntarily arch her back.
As Philip observed her reaction, a devilish smile curved on his lips, his pearly white teeth glistening under the light.
Clearly pleased with Dakota's response, he chuckled and pressed himself against her, gently lifting her chin to meet his gaze.
Trailing his index finger along her pink lips, he observed her with intense interest. Then, he spoke with a hint of dominance, "Dakota, remember this from today onwards, you are mine, my slave."
