Tara Summer was stunned for a moment because she had a keen interest in ancient paintings, so she immediately recognized the mural as the work of Picasso. The lifelike characters were so convincing that no one would believe them to be reproductions. Yet, the idea of a cherished masterpiece being used for a ceiling astounded her.
She was so speechless that her gaze fell onto the king-sized bed beneath, with sparkling diamonds embedded in the headboard. Each of them was impeccable, extremely pure and rare.
Tara opened her mouth wide, taking in the luxury of the entire bedroom. Although she had seen wealthy people before, this was her first encounter with someone this rich! How many people in this world could even compare?
"What am I thinking?" Tara shook her head and came back to her senses. She found herself ridiculous for getting distracted while bound. Escaping was her priority now.
She looked up at the diamond-studded clock on the wall – 5:27 P.M. It had been close to eight hours since she was abducted from in front of the hospital at 10 in the morning. Her mother must be worried sick not finding her.
"Damn bunch of crazies!" She cursed as she stood up and hopped to the edge of the bed. "Why not knock me out somewhere else? Always hitting at the back of the head, one day I'll turn into an idiot! Ah..."
She threw herself off the bed, stumbling over the chains around her ankles. Unable to steady herself, she collapsed onto the floor.
Tara laid there embarrassingly on the floor, sprawled out in an ungainly manner. The luxurious carpet was soft, its firmness providing good shock absorption, preventing her face from being damaged.
She moved her wrists, struggling to get up. The cold air conditioning was blasting in the room, causing a chilling sensation on her backside – her short nightgown had ridden up.
Click — Just as she reached out to adjust her nightgown, the double doors of the room swung open. Tara looked up and froze at what she saw, her hand suspended mid-air.
The man walked in with deliberate steps, his nearly 6-foot frame imposing an invisible pressure.
Under the bright light, he wore a half mask. Beneath the delicate silver-black mask, his lips were tightly sealed, his appearance ice-cold.
He walked toward her with measured strides, his long and muscular legs moving with powerful grace.
He was like an emperor, arrogantly cold, disdainful, and domineering, as though the entire world lay at his feet, a superiority above the rest of the world.
A well-fitted black suit and shirt outlined his tall and handsome figure even more. The contours of his chest muscles were slightly visible beneath his shirt, radiating a potent masculine energy even from afar.
As he came closer, the eyes beneath the man's mask gradually became clearer, dark, sharp, and as cold as ice – one look seemed enough to spell doom.
Tara was thoroughly awestruck, her eyes wide in fascination. Forgetting that she was still sprawled on the floor, she froze, captivated by the man's regal aura and unable to react.
"Tara Summer?" Liam Yancey stopped in front of her, his chilly voice impersonal and superior. His profound eyes scanned her from head to toe, looking down on her.
His gaze finally landed on the woman's snow-white back and slender waist, her skin as white as cream, smooth as jade.
Liam Yancey squinted suddenly, his eyes turning unfathomably deeper, fixating on her delicate and tender body.