...On the journey to the Pace estate,
Mrs Pace left to her mansion in another car, leaving the soon to be couple to get acquainted.
In a limited edition Maybach,
"Here, sign it" she heard the resolute voice of the man beside her. Liliana tilted her head , her light green eyes tinged with a hint of confusion. "Sign it, you'll be my wife but only on paper, I can't give you anything more... pausing for a moment, he continued, "you've probably heard the rumors about me, don't doubt it".
"Mr Pace, what will I gain from this?" she asked meekly.
His eyes filled with disgust and voice cold as ice, "Help with my grandmother and I'll help with your parents, providing everything you need as Mrs Pace, it's a win win for both of us, this deal will only last for three years with no emotional feelings attached..also, we'll sleep in separate rooms so stop hesitating and sign it", his voice laced with impatience. Liliana signed it after some considerations in her heart and handed the contract back, Oxford took it and tossed it aside indifferently. Liliana saw this but didn't care and rested her head and closed her eyes hoping to have a little shut eye before reaching their destination.
---
Liliana layed on the comfortable bed in one of guest room of the Pace estate, her body finally at rest after the exhausting journey. The room was lavishly decorated, the walls were painted with white and beige, the bed frames with a matte gold color and a small walk in wardrobe. The bathroom alike, she stared at the ornate ceiling, her thoughts drifting back to the events that had brought her back here.
*Flashback*
Hearing whispers around her, Liliana thought, "Am I dead?" A male voice cut through the haze, "She's waking up. Inform Lotar." She tried to move but winced in pain. "Whoa, easy there," the voice said, soothingly.
A hand helped her sit up. As her eyes adjusted to the brightness, she saw a handsome muscular man with dark blue eyes and auburn blonde hair with a hint of red, it looked really good on him, trying to focus. "wh..." She was interrupted by the burning sensation in her throat.
"Here, have a drink," he said, offering her a glass. Liliana hesitated, eyeing the glass warily. Seeing her hesitation, he took a sip himself, "See, all good".
Her face flushed with embarrassment, She took the glass and gulped it gratefully. After moistening her throat, she asked, "Where am I? Who are you? What are you going to do to me?"
"Slow down, princess," he said with a slight smirk his eyes gleaming with amusement which made Liliana frown. "You're in a safe place. I'm Felix, and we're not going to do anything to you—well, none that I know of." his ambiguous statement left her uneasy.
*End of Flashback*
Liliana blinked, bringing herself back to the present. She glanced at the clock on the bedside table. The meeting with Mr and Mrs. Pace hadn't been as tense as she thought, probably because of Mrs Pace's seemingly unfounded concern which made her quite puzzled, she didn't have any initial interactions with the Pace's family before. Her stepmother's words and her father's attitude had left her feeling more like a pawn than a daughter, well... Not that she had expected anything different, they stopped being humans to her the moment they left her for dead six years ago.
A knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts."come in" a young maid entered, carrying a tray of food. "Miss, I've brought you some desserts and refreshments. If there's anything else you need, please let me know."
"Thank you," Liliana said with a charming smile that adorned her already beautiful face as she took the tray, and the maid blushed before leaving and closing the door softly behind her. On the tray was beautifully decorated cookies, a slice of vanilla cake and a glass of water and milk.The aroma of the cookies was enticing, hearing her stomach growling, she realized she hadn't eaten anything since she arrived.
*Flashback continued*
In the wood shed, the burly goon's curses echoed. "How could you let a little rat like that escape? She was drugged and injured, yet she managed to get away and leave you all with injuries... useless, just useless."
"Find her before sunset tomorrow, or you won't see the sunset yourself," he ordered before storming out.
"It's all your fault," the skinny goon said, kicking his comrade. "I wasn't the one trying to get into her pants," his comrade muttered
"What did you say?" the skinny goon demanded.
"Nothing, just that the boss was too hard on us," the other goon quickly justified, receiving a smack on the head.
"better watch your words".
*End of Flashback*
Back in the present, Liliana finished eating and placed the tray aside. She walked to the window, looking out at the sprawling estate, the sky darkening, seemingly wanting to rain. Her thoughts were clear—determination and a burning desire for revenge. As she prepared for the upcoming events and expectations of the Pace family, Liliana knew she had to stay vigilant, Her past had shaped her. She thought, " I've been preparing for 6years, these 3 years will be more than enough".