Bound By Vengeance

, large and veined, feeling the strength that contrasted with her own fragility. Doubt still clung to her heart, but the image of her pale mother and her starving younger b

mosphere inside the car was tense, filled with silence, only broken by the sound of rain tapping against the windows. The man sat next to her, his posture straight, his gaze fixed ahead, but Aluna could f

a deal." His tone was flat, but there was an emphasis that made Aluna feel

fusion and a hint of fear, but there was als

eat up despite the cold. "I saved you from those leeches. In return..." He paused, his eyes returning t

with the frantic pounding of her heart. Marriage? A sacred bond, full of love and commitment. How co

a hint of doubt. "A contr

nd the insane logic behind it. Could marriage be contracted like a b

end. You're free." Rey's voice was cold and impersonal, as if he were explaining a clause in a business contract that

nge and terrifying nightmare. "But... why? Why are you doing this? What do you want from me?" She dared to ask, though fear gripped her h

der his scrutiny. "You have something I need." His answer was short, mysterious, offering no clue about his true intenti

growing stronger, creeping up her nerves. She felt like an object being desired, no

ed object. There was a strange gleam in his eyes, something difficult to decipher, but it made Aluna feel a strange wave in her stomach. "That's not your conc

s would never stop harassing them until they got their money-or worse. In the midst of the yawning abyss of desperation, this stranger's offer sounded like the only lifeline, even though it felt strange, suspici

, trying to find out more about the details of the agreement that felt like selling her sou

and impersonal, as if this marriage was merely a business transaction with a clear time limit. No emotions, no sincere promises, just invisible

reets they were driving on. The city lights glimmered, seeming so distant from her simple life. The feelings of anxiety and discomfort gnawed at her heart, mixed wit

eway, flanked by perfectly manicured trees. Aluna was stunned by the sudden grandeur surrounding her. This wasn't just a house. This was an estate, a different world she had never imagined, a chasm separating he

iculously arranged. The warm light spilling from the windows illuminated the luxurious furnishings visible from the outside, but all the opulence could not warm the cold and alien feeling now gripping Aluna's h

h graceful, unhurried movements. He then turned and looked at Alun

leaving behind the faint smell of wet earth. She looked up, gazing at the grand mansion before her, feeling a mix of awe and fear. This was a world completely different from he

ked with Aluna's, intense and uncompromising. "This is our marriage contract," he said coldly, offering her the folder. "Read it and sign it. After th