My Royal Kidnapper

Chapter 1

[1]

I was kidnapped by my father's enemy.

[2]

The ransom was set at 10 million dollars.

[3]

To my shock, my father wouldn't even pay a dime. Instead, he offered me as a bride.

[4]

"If your dad doesn't pay up, believe it or not, I'll kill you!" the man said through gritted teeth, threatening to throw me into the river. My teeth chattered. "I believe you."

[5]

A year later, my father called. The man yelled into the phone, "Forget the money! Come and take her back. I'm not here to babysit!"

[6]

He hung up, biting his cigarette in frustration, scrubbing my underwear, looking frustrated.

[7]

1 In the dilapidated rental house, the man wore his black cap low, revealing his muscular arms tattooed with an eagle.

[8]

"Remember what to say?" "Yes." I was on the brink of death.

[9]

The phone rang. "I've got Emily..." "Dad..." My father hung up the phone as soon as he heard my name.

[10]

The man called him again.

[11]

"I have no money. Take her if you want."

[12]

The next call went straight to voicemail. My father had turned off his phone.

[13]

Everyone in the room stared at me. "Neil, what now?" they asked, looking at him.

[14]

I later learned his name was Neil Wilson.

[15]

Neil glanced at me, stubbed out his cigarette, and said hoarsely, "Throw her into the sea."

[16]

2 I ended up being thrown into a swimming pool.

[17]

In this remote area, there was no ocean at all.

[18]

Half an hour later, I climbed up, soaking wet. I went back to my original spot, waiting for my fate.

[19]

They were playing cards.

[20]

Neil glanced at me and casually tossed a card, not saying anything.

[21]

The others started talking when they saw me.

[22]

"Neil, she's from the city. Won't she catch a cold being soaked like this?"

[23]

"Yeah. City folks rush to the ER for a paper cut."

[24]

I felt like I was sitting on pins and needles, barely daring to breathe out loud.

[25]

"Since you care about her so much, why not marry her?" "Neil..."

[26]

"Seems like you're here to flirt instead of money."

[27]

He shot them a glare, and they all fell silent.

[28]

He turned back to me. "Why are you standing here?"

[29]

"I..." I stood up awkwardly and moved to another chair.

[30]

"Go take a shower. If you get sick, there's no hospital here."

[31]

He lit a cigarette and walked out, grumbling, "What a nuisance. Turn left up ahead, and don't touch my clothes!"

[32]

I replied tearfully, "OK." He was so mean.

[33]

3 I cried while showering.

[34]

The reason I cried wasn't because my father wouldn't come for me, but because I managed to swim in just half an hour.

[35]

My wealthy father had hired a private swimming coach who charged 20,000 dollars for a lesson, and I still didn't learn to swim.

[36]

My name was Emily Gill.

[37]

My father, Danny Gill, was a wealthy man who had been married more than a dozen times.

[38]

There were twenty kids in the family, and I was the dumbest.

[39]

Till today, he still couldn't believe he had such a slow-witted, underdeveloped daughter.

[40]

Until one day, he laughed out loud holding my paternity test. "I knew it! There's no way I could have such a dumb kid!" But as he laughed, his face turned livid as he realized he was a cuckold.

[41]

From then on, I was neglected.

[42]

I didn't have an allowance anymore.

[43]

And I lost my exclusive room. I was relegated to the basement.

[44]

Every day, I got up early to cook, mop, do laundry, and serve the whole family.

[45]

I asked my grandma, "Why doesn't Dad like me?"

[46]

She glared at me. "Ask your mom."

[47]

I shook my head. Grandma's memory was failing her again.

[48]

My mom had been dead for ten years.

[49]

Since then, I had been cautious and done all the chores without complaint, fearing that my father would be displeased otherwise.

[50]

I thought that was how my life was going to be, but one day, I was kidnapped.

[51]

My peaceful life was suddenly shattered.

[52]

4 After showering, I had no clothes to wear, so I rummaged through the wardrobe for a T-shirt.

[53]

After quite a while, I still couldn't find any suitable pants. Hearing someone calling me outside, I braced myself and hurried out, not daring to stay inside anymore.

[54]

As soon as I stepped outside, everyone stopped what they were doing and just stared at... my legs.

[55]

Neil was one of them. He frowned and stood up abruptly.

[56]

"What are you looking at? You've never seen a woman before?" he yelled at them.

[57]

"Neil... we weren't looking."

[58]

"Get out!" They put down their cards and left, cursing.

[59]

"You, get inside." He pulled a long face as he looked at me.

[60]

"I... OK." I didn't dare argue and ran back to the room.

[61]

I heard his footsteps behind me and was so scared that I quickly shut the door.

[62]

With a bang, he kicked it open.

[63]

"You're dressed like this?" He sized me up. "So young and already up to no good."

[64]

"Sorry.

[65]

I... I have no clothes."

[66]

I stammered. Seeing he wouldn't relent, I stood in situ trembling.

[67]

"If you have nothing to flaunt, don't show off your legs."

[68]

He leaned against the doorframe while staring at me. "The men outside are all rogues who would make you suffer. Don't you know?"

[69]

"I don't..." "Well, now you do. They've been single for years, some even decades."

[70]

I was genuinely scared.

[71]

A tear slipped from my eye, and I quickly wiped it away.

[72]

"Why are you crying? Now you're scared?"

[73]

I didn't say anything.

[74]

I bit my lip, trying not to cry.

[75]

"Fuck me!" Chewing on his cigarette, he walked to the wardrobe, rummaged through it, and finally pulled out a pair of athletic shorts and threw them at my head.

[76]

"Put them on! If you cry again, believe it or not, I'll throw you to the wolves!"

[77]

"I believe you." I quickly put on the shorts.

[78]

"In the bathroom!" He glared at me. Then he sighed, "I'm a man and a bad one no less. Do you know what you're doing?"

[79]

"OK!" I grabbed the shorts and ran away.

[80]

5 He was meaner than my father.

[81]

I didn't dare defy him at all.

[82]

When I came out, the room was already empty.

[83]

I saw him at the door, picking up a food delivery.

[84]

He only ordered one meal.

[85]

I sat beside him, watching him open a box of pasta, my mouth watering.

[86]

He glanced at me. "Want some?" "Yes." I nodded honestly.

[87]

"Too bad," he tossed the fork aside, saying lightly.

[88]

I fell silent.

[89]

Now that he didn't want me to eat, I couldn't snatch the box from him. In terms of strength, I was no match for him at all.

[90]

"Do you know how much your dad owes me?"

[91]

"10 million dollars." My father had told me.

[92]

"At least you know. I guess you aren't that a hopeless case." He laughed out of anger. "And you still want to eat my food? What is it? You want to add another 30 dollars?"

[93]

I hadn't eaten all day, and all I could think of was the pasta. "Can I?" I looked at him pleadingly.

[94]

He dragged out the words. "In your dreams. Don't think that batting your eyelashes will soften me. I never fall for that."

[95]

"OK."

[96]

I swallowed my saliva and sat quietly, not daring to speak.

[97]

He opened the box, poked around with the fork, and muttered, "This tastes terrible."

[98]

Then he grabbed his cigarettes and lighter and went to the balcony.

[99]

I quietly watched him smoking on the balcony with his head back, and soon, he was on his third cigarette.

[100]

My stomach growled, but he still didn't come back.

[101]

I looked at the pasta and stroked my belly, and finally, when he wasn't looking, I grabbed a piece of bacon and stuffed it into my mouth.

[102]

When he turned around, I froze. I felt that my heart skipped a beat, and I didn't dare to chew.

[103]

But gladly, he just glanced at me and then took out his phone to make a call. As he was on the phone, he turned around.

[104]

I finally breathed a sigh of relief.

[105]

Hunger overcame fear, and I continued to sneak bites.

[106]

By the time he walked back, there was only pasta left in the box. I had eaten all the bacon.

[107]

"Where's the bacon?" He squinted at me. "I don't know."

[108]

"You don't know?" He stared at me intently and then suddenly raised his hand. I thought he was going to hit me and stood in situ, paralyzed with fear.

[109]

But he just wiped the sauce from the corner of my lips and held it up in front of my eyes.

[110]

Busted! "You ate the food. Now, tell me. What are you going to do about your dad's debt?" He leaned back, looking at me leisurely.

[111]

"Ask him to pay."

[112]

"He ran away." He stared at me. "Then... do you want me to pay?"

[113]

"You? How? Do you really think you're worth 10 million dollars with nothing to offer?"

[114]

"You..." Feeling humiliated, I was furious but didn't dare show it.

[115]

"Finish the food and go away. Don't bother me again."

[116]

He stood up, seemingly losing patience, slammed the door, and left.

[117]

Of course, I would leave. Only a fool would stay after being told to go! I finished the food and ran out as fast as I could.

[118]

But half an hour later, I came back, looking a mess.

[119]

6 "Interesting."

[120]

Neil looked at me. "Why are you back?" "It's raining outside." I shivered from the cold. "And it's very dark."

[121]

"You're afraid of the dark? You aren't afraid of me?" he asked.

[122]

"No," I said.

[123]

Compared to the dark, he seemed less scary.

[124]

He was stunned for a moment and then took off his T-shirt with one hand. "What about now?" I stared at his well-defined muscles and then his eight-pack abs... "How old are you, kid?" he asked with a smile.

[125]

"Eighteen." I held my breath.

[126]

"Just eighteen? I'm old enough to be your uncle," he sighed, grabbing my hand and placing it on his abs. "Like this?" I had never seen such a scene before, and suddenly, something started flowing from my nose.

[127]

I quickly tilted my head back. "I think my nose is bleeding."

[128]

"You're... unbelievable." He grabbed a few tissues and roughly pressed them against my nose.

[129]

After half an hour of chaos, he put his T-shirt back on while I sat beside him, my nose stuffed with tissues, questioning whether any of this was real.

[130]

"Sleep on the sofa tonight. Leave first thing in the morning."

[131]

"OK."

[132]

"OK what? You're not satisfied? I'm letting you stay for one night because I feel sorry for you, and you even want to take my room?"

[133]

"It's not like that. I'm not dissatisfied. I just... I've never slept in a living room before, and I'm scared." I hugged a pillow, looking at him pitifully.

[134]

"Why? There's nothing to be afraid of."

[135]

I fell silent.

[136]

"If you want to sleep in the room, then you'll have to sleep with me," he said and turned into his room without a hint of tenderness.

[137]

7 I thought I wouldn't sleep a wink. To my surprise, I woke up in the living room the next day, and it was already noon.

[138]

The second I woke up, the door to his room happened to be pushed open.

[139]

Neil, with his messy hair, glanced at me for a second before ignoring me as if I were air.

[140]

He went to the kitchen, and I followed him.

[141]

"What are you doing?" "I don't know how to leave, and I don't have money for a cab," I said honestly.

[142]

He glanced at me and said nonchalantly, "Then stay here forever."

[143]

I didn't say anything. I just kept following him.

[144]

Annoyed, he said, "Danny owes me money, I'm not giving you cab fare."

[145]

"I know." I continued to follow him.

[146]

He couldn't take it anymore. He pulled out some bills from his wallet and threw them at me, "Take it and get lost! You're so annoying."

[147]

I picked up the money. "I can't walk to the station. It's too far."

[148]

"So? You aren't thinking that I'll drive you, are you? Do you think I'm doing charity here?"

[149]

"I don't think you're a bad person," I said seriously.

[150]

"Are you stupid? I'm not a bad person? Just because I didn't kill you? Give me a break!"

[151]

He was so angry he laughed, not wanting to deal with me anymore.

[152]

"Before I change my mind, I suggest you disappear from my sight ASAP."

[153]

He gave me an ultimatum.

[154]

I had no choice but to leave with the money.

[155]

But I came back within an hour.

[156]

I had gone to the station and saw a video on someone's phone saying my father had fled abroad with huge debts, and all his property was seized.

[157]

I stood in situ for half an hour but was still unable to process the shocking news.

[158]

By the time I came to my senses, I was already at Neil's door.

[159]

I had no home.

[160]

Neil went grumpy the second he saw me. "Why are you still here?" "My house was seized."

[161]

"So?" "I don't know where to go."

[162]

"So you come to me?" He stood up angrily. "I can't get rid of you now?" "It'll just be... temporary." My mind was blank. I felt like my soul had been sucked out.

[163]

"I'm warning you. This is not some homeless shelter. Go back to where you came from. I'm not a good person!" "OK."

[164]

"Danny owes me money, and you come here? Do I owe you two? Believe it or not, I'll..."

[165]

"I believe you."

[166]

As soon as I finished speaking, I suddenly felt dizzy. Then my vision went black, and I fainted.

[167]

8 When I woke up, the room was noisy.

[168]

"Neil, she looks really pitiful."

[169]

"Yeah. Her dad is so heartless, abandoning his daughter and running away."

[170]

"She may be pitiful, but what about our hard-earned money? Aren't we pitiful?"

[171]

It was Neil who said this.

[172]

I was awake but pretended I was still asleep. "Her dad is awful, but it was we that brought her into the mountains."

[173]

"Exactly... and she looks delicate, quite a match for you, boss."

[174]

"Shut up!" Neil yelled at them.

[175]

"If you want to take her in, do it yourselves. I don't want any trouble."

[176]

Everyone left in a hurry.

[177]

I panicked and blurted out, "I'm not trouble."

[178]

Seeing Neil staring at me, I shut my mouth again.

[179]

"Not trouble?

[180]

Then tell me, why should I take you in?"

[181]

He looked at me amused. "I... I can cook, do laundry, and clean," I said seriously.

[182]

"I won't be a burden. Just let me stay until my dad contacts me."

[183]

You want him to pay you back, right?

[184]

I'm sure he'll contact me soon."

[185]

He stared at me for a while, thinking about something, and then said, "He'll contact you?" "Probably," I said, though I couldn't be sure.

[186]

"No way. I'm a man. Having a woman here is inappropriate."

[187]

"I'll leave when school starts." "Stop lying." He rejected me again, but he wasn't that firm anymore, because he didn't throw me out this time.

[188]

So, I assumed he temporarily took me in.

[189]

9 To my surprise, I stayed here for two months.

[190]

During this time, my dad had never contacted me.

[191]

I secretly called the school, but the teacher wouldn't let me attend classes.

[192]

"Don't come. Your father's creditors are staking out the school gate every day, and other students have been seriously affected."

[193]

Only then did I know my dad's creditors were staking out 24/7 at the school and my grandmother's house.

[194]

My life suddenly plunged into unknown despair.

[195]

But I didn't dare tell Neil, fearing he would kick me out immediately if he knew.

[196]

I started to behave, trying to please him.

[197]

I wanted to cook for him, but I ended up blowing up the kitchen.

[198]

When he pulled me out of the kitchen, my face was so blackened he had to take several looks to make sure it was me.

[199]

"What the hell were you doing?" he yelled.

[200]

"Cooking canned food..." I weakly said.

[201]

"Without opening the can?" "Should I have opened it?" He was speechless. He dragged me to the bathroom and washed me several times as if I were a puppy.

[202]

Finally, he ordered, "You're not allowed in the kitchen anymore."

[203]

"Then how am I supposed to cook?

[204]

Trust me. It was just a genuine mistake."

[205]

"Trust you? Yeah, right!" he scolded me and went to clean up the mess in the kitchen.

[206]

Halfway through, his friends arrived.

[207]

"Neil, what are you doing in the kitchen?"

[208]

"Can't you see?"

[209]

"Since when did you cook for yourself? Where's Emily?"

[210]

"Shut up! She's taking a bath!" "In the middle of the day? Neil, you two..."

[211]

"Shut up!" They shut up at once.

[212]

I had just finished bathing and wanted to help clean the kitchen when I overheard their conversation. I blushed right away.

[213]

"Emily, why is your face so red?" Someone noticed me.

[214]

"The bathwater was too hot," I explained.

[215]

Everyone had an "I get it" look, making my face even redder.

[216]

"Don't you have anything better to do?"

[217]

Neil scolded, kicking them out.

[218]

"Neil, we agreed to play cards every Wednesday. Why are you chasing us out?" They were unhappy.

[219]

"Not playing. Not in the mood," he said decisively.

[220]

"Who messed with you?"

[221]

Neil didn't answer. He glanced at me. "Any news on Danny?"

[222]

"Even the police can't find him. How are we supposed to find him?"

[223]

"Forget it. Just get out."

[224]

Neil pushed them out and closed the door.

[225]

"Any news from my dad?" I asked tentatively. "Shouldn't I be asking you that?" he threw the towel onto the floor and snapped. "How long do you plan to stay here? Forever?"

[226]

"I... 'll leave when school starts," I lied, feeling guilty. Only I knew I had nowhere to go.

[227]

"When does school start?" "September."

[228]

"That's over two months away."

[229]

"I'll do all the chores!" I promised immediately.

[230]

"Chores? One day, it'll be me that gets blown up." He pointed to the kitchen. Then he grabbed two boxes of instant pasta and placed them in front of me.

[231]

"Add it to my debt. When your dad contacts you, pay me back."

[232]

"OK."I took out my notebook and jotted down, "Instant pasta, 4.5 dollars."

[233]

The notebook was filled with pages of meticulous records, all detailing his money I had spent over the past two months.

[234]

He was so mean.

[235]

Therefore, I always kept track of his things I had used.