### **Araya's POV**
A sharp pain pierced my heart as tears streamed down my face like an unstoppable waterfall.
I never expected Yang to treat me this way. It was too harsh to believe. Life is cruel and wicked.
I felt helpless...
I felt weak...
Pathetic and exhausted, my legs stiffened as I pushed Asher's stroller forward. A part of me wanted to collapse on the ground and let it swallow me whole, but I couldn't. I had Asher.
Harshly wiping my tears, I looked up and spotted Ash among her friends, their voices filling the air with cheerful chatter. She looked so happy, her excitement radiating from her smile.
I swallowed hard, quickly wiping my tears as her black eyes met mine.
**"Sister!"**
She bid her friends goodbye and hurried toward me. I forced a weak smile.
**"What are you doing here? We just finished dance practice. I didn't expect to see you."** She picked up Asher, who immediately woke up with a soft whimper.
**"I... I..."** My voice cracked as I struggled to hold back my unshed tears. Ash gently patted Asher's back, soothing her.
**"Did you two go on a date without me?"** she teased, placing Asher neatly back in the stroller. **"Don't tell me you didn't get me anything! That's so unfair."**
The thought of Ash finding out the truth made my stomach churn. She adored Yang, believed he was the kindest and most handsome man alive. The love and trust she had for him would shatter if she knew the truth.
I took a deep breath, trying to suppress the bitterness threatening to spill over. Ash wasn't the reason for my pain, so there was no point in lashing out at her. Clutching my arms tightly, I turned my gaze away as fresh tears threatened to escape.
**"Ash, can we go home, please?"** I said, louder than necessary, masking my emotions.
She nodded and started pushing the stroller without question.
Once we got home, I kicked off my flip-flops and turned to her. **"Ash, can you take care of Asher tonight? I'm not feeling well."**
**"Of course! But first, tell me what you two did today."** She grinned, following me inside, her excitement making my already frayed patience snap.
I sighed heavily. **"Leave me alone, Ash. Just for tonight, okay?"**
Her face fell as I turned away, heading to my room. **"Keep Asher in your room tonight,"** I added before shutting the door behind me.
---
### **Morning**
I leaned against the edge of the bathtub, closing my eyes as exhaustion weighed me down. My body felt completely drained from my encounter with Yang yesterday.
I wished it had all been a nightmare. But it wasn't.
How did I become so unlucky? Had I committed some unforgivable sin in my past life to deserve this hell?
A tear slipped down my cheek.
**"You are mine, sex doll. Mine forever."**
His cruel voice echoed in my head, making me shudder. I forced myself to block it out, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around my fragile body.
As I stepped into my room, my eyes landed on a note resting beside Asher.
---
**We ran out of groceries, so I went to get some. I'm sorry for last night, sister. If something is wrong, please talk to me instead of keeping it to yourself. I'm your sister and your friend.
I already bathed Asher for you. Be back soon. -Ash**
---
I covered my mouth, my body shaking with silent sobs. Asher's big blue eyes stared up at me, a soft smile curling her lips as she reached out her tiny hand, as if saying, **"Momma, don't cry."**
I leaned forward, pulling her into a gentle hug. My heart ached, but her innocent giggle momentarily washed away my pain.
She was so fragile, so beautiful. Her golden curls—a mix of mine and his—framed her delicate face. Her pink lips made her look like a little doll. Without a doubt, Asher resembled me far more than him, and for that, I was grateful.
I just prayed she wouldn't inherit his personality.
A yawn escaped her lips as she drifted off again.
Even if I lost everything, I still had her. I still had Ash.
**"You are my life, and I will never live without you two. I'm sorry, Ash, for last night. I promise I won't lash out at you again."**
Carefully, I placed Asher in her crib before dressing in a white skirt and a pink top.
I had started as a waitress when I first came to Korea, but thanks to my high IQ, I was promoted to the personal manager of **Dolly's Perfume Company**.
**"Our brand is dominating the market, and it's all because of your hard work, Kathryn,"** my boss, Mr. Dylan, had once told me proudly. **"You're like a daughter to me. I'm glad I didn't overlook a gem like you the day I met you at the restaurant."**
Everyone at work knew I was a single teenage mother, yet they treated me with respect and genuine kindness.
Even Mrs. Darling once said in a meeting, **"Your daughter is going to be just like you—sharp-minded and articulate. The way you perceive flowers and scents to create the perfect perfume is truly remarkable. You are one of a kind, Kathryn."**
The pang of emotions in my heart was undeniable as I was reminded of how my baby came into this world. But despite everything, I was proud—proud to call her my daughter, proud to have Ash as my sister.
The only way anyone could separate me from them was through death.
I took a deep breath, exhaling slowly before pulling the stroller toward the door and descending the stairs.
"Ash's birthday is in a day, and Asher and I have decided to surprise her with a party as an apology," I mused, giggling softly. But a large part of me carried a lingering suspicion—something bad was bound to happen.
I walked forward, listening to the murmurs of passersby, their voices dripping with admiration for Asher's beauty. Over and over again, they gushed about her, oblivious to the storm brewing inside me.
As we passed by the main reception, I noticed a group of children playing in the museum park. Mud smeared their little faces as their laughter filled the air, their joy so pure and innocent.
And then, my gaze locked onto him.
He stood beside a sleek black Honda, his pearl-blue eyes glowing with a hypnotic intensity. The way they radiated was almost unnatural. Dressed in a sharp formal suit, he was impossibly tall—easily nearing two meters. And that smirk…
**My monster.**
Panic surged through me. Instinct kicked in, and I turned to run, but his deep, chilling voice stopped me dead in my tracks.
"Got rejected again, sex doll?"
Fear tightened its grip around my throat. My heart pounded violently in my chest as I swallowed hard, forcing myself to turn around.
And there he was—the man who haunted my nightmares.
"Aren't you happy to see me?" A devilish smirk played on his lips as he studied me, his gaze dark with amusement.
"Aren't you happy your engagement got annulled?" he taunted again.
I gripped the stroller tightly, my hands trembling. My body quivered in rage, but his smirk only widened. He took a slow, predatory step toward me.
I staggered back instinctively.
He stopped.
So did I.
"She's my child, doll. And your two days are up," he said, his voice dark and menacing. A violent shiver ran down my spine as tears welled in my eyes.
"Time's up, doll. I need my child. Asher is mine, and I am rightfully her father."
I looked up, meeting his shameless smirk with tear-filled eyes.
"Don't give me that look, doll. It was a deal, and dragons always keep their word."
My shoulders slumped in defeat, a lone tear escaping down my cheek. I wiped it away harshly.
"Please… don't take Asher away from me," I begged through my sobs.
Footsteps approached from behind. I turned, seeing Jack and a few of his men walking toward me.
Jack took two steps forward, his gaze shifting between me and Asher, who was now wide-eyed with tears. She looked up at me, recognizing my voice instantly.
"Take the baby," Luciano ordered.
I jerked back, clutching Asher protectively in my arms.
"Please, don't do this to me, Dragons. I'll do anything—just don't take her away from me!" I pleaded desperately.
"Really?" he drawled mockingly.
Jack's men moved swiftly. Before I could react, Asher was ripped from my arms. I gasped, reaching out, but they shoved her into a sleek black car—the same one I had noticed earlier.
"No! Give her back! Don't do this to me!" I screamed, pounding on the car door, my fists useless against the cold metal.
Luciano ignored my tantrums. His hand shot out in a blur, striking my cheek with brutal force. The impact sent me stumbling to the ground.
"Asher is my child," he declared coldly. "If you want to be a mother to her, you'll have to prove yourself."
He crouched down, grabbing my jaw in a bruising grip, forcing me to look at him. Tears brimmed in my eyes as I clutched my stinging cheek.
"Anyone who wants to get close to her—anyone who wants to be her mother—must marry me."
I exhaled sharply, my shoulders dropping as revulsion twisted my face.
"I hate you, Dragons," I spat, venom dripping from my words.
His expression darkened. The next thing I knew, another slap burned across my cheek.
"Are you deaf? Didn't you hear me?" His voice was ice-cold. "You are mine. You have no right to hate me."
I whimpered, collapsing onto the pavement as fresh tears streamed down my face. Pain jolted through my body as I struggled to rise, but he yanked me back down effortlessly.
"You remember the rules?" he asked, his voice dangerously low.
I glared up at him, my rage a mere flicker against his unyielding dominance.
"I am not your sex doll, Luciano," I hissed through clenched teeth. "I am Araya Kathryn Elizabeth Stewart."
His grip tightened on my upper arm, pulling me closer. I clawed at his hands, trying to pry them off, but his strength was overwhelming.
Tears slipped silently down my cheeks, my helplessness suffocating.
"I should have known you wouldn't obey unless threatened," he whispered against my ear, sending a violent shudder through me.
I swallowed hard, my voice trembling. "Please… let go."
With a sharp jerk, he released me, making me stumble back. My hands trembled as I ranted through my sobs.
"Don't take Asher away! She is my life!"
His hand shot out again, gripping my jaw so tightly I flinched.
"You remember the rules," he reminded me.
I nodded, defeated.
"I... wish... I had never met you," I choked out between hiccuping sobs. "You're a maniac… evil… You deserve to rot in jail."
His eyes burned into mine, and before I could react, he slammed me onto the cemented pavement. My head struck the sharp corner, and a sharp, agonizing cry tore from my lips.
"I want you to break for me, sex doll," he growled, his voice thick with sadistic pleasure. "You are mine. You belong to me!"
I gasped for breath, my vision blurring.
**How do I escape him? He's a monster… another Lucifer.**
Before I could gather my thoughts, he grabbed me again, dragging me somewhere unknown. My legs wobbled, but I had no choice but to follow.
"Let me go," I rasped weakly, but his grip only tightened, threatening to crush my bones.
The car door slammed open, and I barely had time to process what was happening before I realized—Jack's car was gone.
"Asher," I whispered brokenly.
Before I could protest, I was shoved into the passenger seat. I lunged for the door, but it slammed shut, hitting my face. I whimpered in horror.
Luciano slid into the driver's seat, his face unreadable.
I scooted as far as I could toward the car door, my body trembling. My mind screamed for an escape.
He sped off recklessly, the car slicing through the streets like a bullet. My tears flowed as fast as his driving.
I sobbed into my hands, my body curled in fear.
**Where is he taking me?**