Rita's heart pounded like a drum when Robert brought up the idea of a contract marriage.
The urge to bolt surged through her—the only thing on her mind was to get as far away as possible from this guy, from this suffocating building.
Without giving Robert a chance to react, Rita bolted.
She knew Robert wasn't the type to let her slip away without a fight, so she spun on her heels and made a beeline for the stairs.
Their office was perched on the 20th floor, but waiting for the elevator was a luxury she couldn't afford, so she dashed toward the stairwell.
Panting and pushing her limits, Rita thundered down the stairs. It was a serious workout, and her energy was flagging fast. The echo of Robert's footsteps hammered in her ears—he was hot on her heels!
By the time she stumbled to the 9th floor, her energy was sapped, and she ducked into the stairwell landing, squeezing into a corner and praying Robert would give up the chase.
She held her breath as the footsteps gradually faded into silence, and only then did she dare to breathe a sigh of relief.
Leaning against the cold wall, Rita's mind raced back to the past.
Flashback
Robert Hum--the name alone was enough to send shivers down the spine of anyone familiar with the high society of their city. He was the quintessential playboy, infamous for his escapades and the wealth of the Hum family that always seemed to clear the way for his indulgences.
The Hums, once a notch below the affluence of Rita's own family, had watched from the wings as the Ross fortunes took a nosedive.
Rita remembered the days when her family's name opened doors and commanded respect. But as fate would have it, their wealth dwindled, and with it, the once warm and loving nature of her parents. They became shells of their former selves, their kindness replaced by a cold pragmatism that saw their daughter not as a cherished child but as a bargaining chip.
"You need to understand, Rita," her father had said with a stern voice that brooked no argument, "this marriage to Robert Hum is not just about you. It's about the survival of our family."
"But, dad, marrying that man is like chaining my soul to a rock and throwing it into the ocean!" Rita had protested, her voice a mix of desperation and defiance.
Her mother, once soft and gentle, now had eyes like steel traps. "Your personal feelings are irrelevant. This is about duty, about saving what's left of our name and our legacy."
The arrangement was simple in its cruelty: a marriage in name only, a union that required no shared home, no intimacy--nothing but Rita's presence on Robert's arm at public events and her signature on a marriage certificate. It was a lifeline for her family, a way to keep them afloat financially, but for Rita, it was a death sentence to her freedom and her dreams.
Feeling the walls closing in, Rita had made the hardest decision of her life. She refused the marriage, standing firm even as her parents disowned her, their words cutting deeper than any physical wound.
"You are no longer a daughter of ours," her mother had declared, her voice void of emotion. "You are a disappointment, unworthy of the Ross name."
With nothing left but her resolve, Rita turned to the only person she could trust--her childhood friend Esther.
"Esther, I have nothing," Rita had confessed over the phone, her voice a hoarse whisper. "I can't... I can't marry him. I need to get away."
Esther's voice had been a lifeline in the darkness. "Rita, I'll help you. We'll figure this out together."
Grateful for the offer, Rita had accepted a loan from Esther, enough to help her start anew. And so, she had transformed, shedding the skin of the overconfident heiress to become a down-to-earth office worker.
She had built a new life in Lew City, one of anonymity and hard work, far from the gilded cage of her past.
It was a life where Rita could be her own person, free from the expectations and manipulations of her family and the predatory gaze of Robert Hum.
Flashback Ends
Just as Rita was about to step into the elevator, eager to exit the building and leave everything behind, she froze in disbelief. There he was—Robert, the very man she'd convinced herself was out of her life for good, standing right in front of her. His eyes widened in surprise as they locked onto hers.
"Rita? I just knew you wouldn't bolt outta here like that. It's like fate, or the gods or something, decided we'd bump into each other again, right, my soon-to-be bride?" Robert's voice was laced with a mixture of amusement and disbelief.
"Uh!!!" Rita's response was instinctive and loud, a shriek that turned heads and drew the attention of everyone nearby.
Robert, realizing the scene they were causing, hastily grabbed her wrist and raised his voice in an apology to the onlookers.
"My bad, everyone! My girl's just... uh, super shocked to see me, that's all. Really sorry for the commotion."
With a firm grip, he yanked Rita to one side and pinned her against the wall, his voice dropping to a menacing whisper.
"What's this? You planning on running off again, like you tried to pull years back? You gotta understand, our destinies are tied, Rita. We're meant to be together."
Rita, her face a mask of disgust, spat directly into his face.
"We're nothing to each other, Robert. Why the hell are you so obsessed with marrying me? I know for a fact you don't give a damn about me."
"Who told you that nonsense? I was over the moon when I heard I was gonna tie the knot with the Ross family's precious daughter!"
Robert's tone was mocking, almost gleeful. "Look, Rita, don't even think about skipping off to Lew City again. We can start our own family right here. I bet your parents would be thrilled!"
Rita's patience snapped. "Let go of me, or I swear I'll smack you so hard, Robert!"
He chuckled, a taunting sound. "Oh, you think you can hit me? That's my fiery girl! Go on then, give it a shot. I'm curious to feel the sting of your hand."
"You're revolting," Rita spat out, and with a burst of adrenaline, she shoved him hard.
Robert staggered back, clearly caught off guard by her strength.
Seizing the moment, Rita spun on her heel, intent on escape.
But Robert was relentless. He sprinted after her, wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace from behind.
"Rita, come to my place tonight. I guarantee you'll be begging to marry me once you get a taste of how good I can be in bed."
"You're disgusting," Rita snapped, whirling around to deliver a fierce slap across his face.
Robert's expression twisted into one of rage, and he grabbed a fistful of her hair, pulling with all his might.
"You little bitch! That really hurt!"
With a fierce struggle and gathering all her strength, Rita aimed a vicious kick at the most vulnerable part of his anatomy.
Robert doubled over with a howl of pain, his grip loosening.
"Ouch! Damn it!"
Rita thought she was finally free, but Robert, now on the floor and nursing his injury, had one more card to play.
He reached for his phone, his voice strained as he dialed. "Officer, you gotta help me—I was almost killed by this... this stranger!"