A runaway with nothing to lose. A powerful man with everything at stake. A fate neither saw coming. Sheila'Lning has spent her life running-from her past, from her captors, from the cruel hands that sought to claim her. But when a desperate escape lands her in the arms of Dean'Changli, a brooding businessman with a mysterious past and a baby in his care, her world takes an unexpected turn. Mistaken for a nanny, she seizes the chance for safety-only to realize she's stepped into a dangerous game of power, deception, and hidden enemies. Dean has no patience for complications, especially not ones wrapped in lies and defiance. But when an attempt on his life forces him and Sheila into the unknown, their survival depends on trust-something neither of them can afford. As secrets unravel and passions ignite, they find themselves bound by more than just circumstance. But danger is never far behind, and Sheila's past isn't the only one with unfinished business. In a world where loyalty is a rare commodity and betrayal lurks in the shadows, can they protect what truly matters before it's too late? Love. Power. Survival. Some bonds are written in starlight... and forged in fire
Chapter 1 RUNNING FROM THE PAST
RUNNING FROM THE PAST
CHAPTER ONE
SHEILA'LNING
I ran without looking back as I dashed through the stuffed market square almost hitting a fruit seller's stall. "Look at where you are going!" the merchant screeched after me.
Ignoring the looks I got as I dart through the market place like a headless chicken, I pick clothing items from the stalls of fabric sellers haggling prices with their numerous customers. My stomach rumbled with hunger, reminding me it hadn't received any food for a few days now.
I slow down a bit as I looked around not knowing where to head to, a food seller parking her cart just at the skirt of the market draws my attention. I dip my hand into the pocket I had found stitched to the innards of my garment, fingers dancing along the coins I had managed to have stolen from Jules. It should be enough to get a decent noon meal, with that thought in mind I headed to the food seller's cart. The woman had been kind enough to offer me a pair of too tight shoes which I was thankful for.
From where I stood, I could see my new owner scrambling through the market looking for me in the aftermath of the brief but chaotic stampede that had occurred due to the mad dash everyone was engaged in to see the city's Mayor who had been sick.
I dash into the lane in front of the market skirt, following the lane for hours. As I advanced further from the market, I noticed the buildings looked much more spectacular than the ones I saw after the market skirt.
I slowed down my hurried pace to gaze around me. Since I had been taken from Ovale city, if I was not busy adapting to my newest master, I was too busy trying to survive each day I did not have all that time to sight see.
The part of town I was in had no stalls in them, just rows of neatly structured shops. In front of most shops various size and color of hovercars were parked indicating rich people were the ones who patronizes them.
I approached one of the shops, peeping into the place through the large side window. The place was painted an off-white color splashed at some places a dull yellow, both men and women mingled around the building. Confused as to what they are doing, I made a move to continue on my way.
A voice beside me stopped me by saying "Miss Genvre, I am sure I did not ask you to meet me here so that you can peep at the people inside the establishment". I turned my head to the owner of the voice, my throat swollen with a trapped scream.
The man before me was very tall considering my height, his eyes a mash between coin gold and champagne gold narrowed at me in irritation. "Excuse me?" I croaked out my eyes wide in fear.
"Are you not here for the Job?" he questioned, rising an eyebrow. His eyes ran a scan of my body before bouncing back to meet my gaze. "I am?" I said in reply not sure I wanted to deceive the man I was the person he was meant to meet here. Just then, a cry rings out in the air angrily.
The man before me swipes a hand down his face before heading to one of the hovercars parked, he yanks the handle to the passenger's door open pulling out a car seat in which a small bundle was residing in.
"Well are you just going to stand there?" the man says his angry gaze resting on me. On autopilot I collect the car seat from him, my hand trembling a bit. "We agree on a thousand zure coin, I take it?" he says before stalking into the weirdly colored shop.
I watched as he approached a group of older men on a circular platform who looked like they were few seconds from leaving. The bundle lets out another cry, snapping my focus back to the car seat in my hand, with slightly trembling hands I lift the satin material covering the car seat to reveal a baby who had its face screwed in preparation for another round of scream before it set it eyes on me. The baby and I engaged in a stare off before it actually dawned on me.
I was holding a baby and I was currently been employed as a nanny by a man I don't know who refers to me as miss Genvre. "Keffing shit!" I say as I stare wide eyed at the baby before I looked up into the shop to find where the baby's dad was.
I pushed the door to the shop to give back the baby and apologize for whatever keffing shit just went down outside. The baby's father got to me before I could attempt to look around for him. "Miss Genvre I would like to assume you know where the childcare center is located here" he says pinning me with his gaze as irritation with a splash of frustration flash through his eyes. "I think there is a mix up her-'' I was saying before he cuts in anger pouring off him in waves.
"Look, I really don't have time for this back and forth with you. If you did not want the job you would not have come here today, so just do your damn job'' he says tone cold and voice so low I could have sworn he was talking to himself and not me.
Just then the baby lets out another sharp cry, everyone in the shop went silent at that, eyes snapping to our direction. The baby's dad wrapped his hand around my arm, dragging me along with him to what I think is the childcare center. The room was empty as we stepped in, before I could say anything he left.
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