When I was eighteen, Vaughn Sterling, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, hooked his finger into the back tie of my dress and dragged me out of hell. "You guys don't want her?" "Fine, I'll keep her." Later on, he trapped me against his chest, deliberately tempting me: "I'm getting sick of hearing you call me 'Uncle Vaughn.' Want to change it?" I suppressed my frantically beating heart: "C-change it to what?" The man's voice carried a wicked smile: "We're not related by blood anyway. What do you think?" 01 My first meeting with Vaughn Sterling was far from pleasant. That day, I was watching the family shop as usual. Exhausted, I had just rested my head on the counter and fallen asleep. Hearing a noise, I jolted awake and stood up. The first thing I saw was a face that was far too handsome. It was aggressive. Seductive. He looked exactly like the beautiful, dangerous immortals described in fantasy novels. I stared at him in a daze, not realizing he had already called out to me several times. "Tsk," Vaughn’s eyes glinted with a layer of disgust. "Little girl, you're drooling." The moment he said that, I snapped out of it. Muttering an apology, I sprinted to the bathroom to clean myself up. When I returned, my messy braids were undone, falling loose down my back, and my face was washed clean. "Are you looking to buy a bottle, or do you need a room?" I looked at the man sitting in the wicker chair, biting down on a cigarette. My eyes were glued to his long, crossed legs; I couldn't look away. My family originally just ran a small local liquor store, but because we were near a scenic national park, my dad had converted the second floor into a motel to host tourists. Vaughn only wanted a bottle of our craft bourbon. But as his eyes swept over my face, he suddenly pulled back the hundred-dollar bills he had laid on the counter. He changed his mind. He said he was staying the night. "What's your name?" he asked. "Avery," I answered honestly. "Got a boyfriend?" It was phrased as a question, but the man clearly didn't care about the answer. He grabbed my wrist and yanked me forward. Vaughn’s legs trapped mine, and his long, elegant fingers effortlessly slipped under the hem of my shirt. 02 "How old are you?" His tone was frivolous. Feeling a dangerously unusual vibe, I violently pulled myself away. My back slammed into the wooden liquor cabinet, hurting so much it messed up my breathing. "I'm... I'll be eighteen in less than a month." The man's gaze slid over my chest. He didn't believe me. Until he spotted the high school textbooks sitting on the counter nearby. He believed me. "Fuck." The cigarette slipped from Vaughn’s fingers and fell to the floor. He looked annoyed and embarrassed. "You're an underage kid, and you're out here watching the shop in the middle of the night?" "My... my dad told me to." He looked incredibly angry. I was so scared I shrank into the corner. My nose stung, and I let out a few pathetic, stifled sobs. Hearing me cry, Vaughn rubbed his temples in frustration and buttoned up his previously loose shirt. He left. I thought he wouldn't stay here anymore. But a little while later, he came back holding several large shopping bags. "I've never coaxed a kid before." "Eat this, and you're not allowed to cry anymore." He tossed the bags to me. I opened them and saw food, snacks, and gadgets—things I always wanted but could never afford. I was a little happy. But not just because of the gifts. After doing all that, Vaughn didn't rush upstairs. Instead, he lay back in the wicker chair by the door, closing his eyes to rest. He didn't say a word. But I knew he was intentionally staying with me, giving me courage in the dark. He probably didn't know. That was the safest, most peaceful night I had experienced since my mom died. 03 Vaughn paid me several crisp hundred-dollar bills. Enough to cover his room for a long time. I used to dread coming home from school, but now I couldn't wait. Because Vaughn only showed up at night when I was watching the shop alone. When the weekend finally arrived, I woke up early and busied myself downstairs. But I never saw him come down. I was frustrated that I didn't have an excuse to go find him, until I realized the ancient water heater was acting up again. It was practically a godsend. When I went up to deliver a kettle of hot water, he wasn't fully awake. His silk shirt hung loosely, his belt unbuckled. He looked like a wealthy heir recovering from a wild night of indulgence. I didn't dare look at him. I put the kettle down and tried to leave, but he raised an arm to block me: "Kid, grab me a towel." His voice was low, raspy, and lazy. A shiver ran down my spine, and it felt like something was going to jump out of my chest. The motel towels were cheap bulk buys my dad got from the flea market. After thinking about it, I ran to my own room and grabbed a brand-new towel. I also made a piping hot glass of honey water. When I dropped off the kettle, I had smelled a faint scent of alcohol on him. However, when I went back, I saw Vaughn flirting with a female tourist. The man's large hand, with its prominent veins, gripped the curvy woman's waist without an ounce of tenderness. Half of his head was hidden behind her bare shoulder. ... The scene was too intense for me. My body lost all its strength, and I couldn't breathe. Crash. The glass cup shattered at my feet. The boiling water splashed, and I cried out in pain. At that exact moment, Vaughn stopped what he was doing. 04 "Are you cursed or something?" Vaughn grumpily grabbed my ankle and ran it under cold water in the sink. To escape his annoying family drama, he had specifically chosen this remote, secluded town. Figuring there were plenty of women around, he hadn't brought anyone with him. But he had been here for almost a week and hadn't found anyone to his liking. He had just bumped into one, and I ruined it. "I'm sorry..." I kept my head down, my eyes burning red. "Just my bad luck." Seeing that I was on the verge of crying, Vaughn quickly changed his tune, his voice softening considerably: "Alright, I don't blame you." Only then did I break into a teary smile. I don't know if the morning's incident ruined his mood, but surprisingly, Vaughn didn't go out. After treating my burn, he stayed downstairs the whole time. He either teased the stray dog in the yard or tossed me pieces of candy, hovering around me. "You look like a good student, but you're doing terrible on these practice problems." His gaze fell on my workbook. My face flushed red, and I used my body to block his view: "I... I missed a lot of classes..." "So there are a lot of things I haven't learned." "Why?" Vaughn paused, tapping his cigarette ash into an ashtray. "My dad doesn't want me to go to school." Just mentioning that man made my back and cheeks sting with phantom pain. "He makes me work... if I don't finish, I can't go out." Hearing my words, the man didn't say anything. He pulled up a chair and sat right next to me, his long legs almost brushing against mine. "Give me the book." 05 Seeing me unresponsive, Vaughn gave a lazy smile: "What? You think a degenerate like me doesn't know how to study?" "Relax. I'm more than qualified to teach you." He really didn't look like the type to sit quietly and study. He had an aura that suggested he was raised in extreme wealth and luxury. Plus, the things he did made him seem like a playboy heir treating the world like his playground. But who could have guessed? This man had earned dual PhDs from a top Ivy League university by the time he was twenty. Half-skeptical, I handed him the textbook. To my surprise, Vaughn was incredibly good at teaching. He explained things so clearly that I understood instantly, and my efficiency in solving problems skyrocketed. Just as I was immersed in the joy of learning, I realized he only had two days left before his checkout date. An unspeakable sadness filled me. The night before he was supposed to leave, I was miserable. Until— Vaughn slid a platinum credit card across the counter. "Extending my stay." "I need to see your report card with my own eyes. Otherwise, I won't feel any sense of accomplishment." He didn't specify how many days he was staying. Holding that card, I practically wanted to jump for joy. 06 The day the quiz grades came out, I ranked first in the class. It was the first time I got a perfect score in Physics. I was so excited I cooked two extra meat dishes to thank Vaughn. But instead of him, I ended up waiting for my dad, who had been gambling heavily for the past two weeks. He had lost money again. Carrying the suffocating stench of alcohol and violence, he flipped the table full of delicious food. Then, he mercilessly grabbed a cane and started whipping me. His arrogant curses and the whistling sound of the cane breaking the air rained down on me like a storm. I scrambled to dodge, begging for mercy, hoping to awaken whatever conscience he had left. But it only resulted in more brutal abuse. This nightmare, which had lasted for nearly ten years, finally ended when Vaughn appeared. Hiding in a cabinet, I watched him kick my dad squarely in the chest, sending the pathetic man flying several feet away. As if that wasn't enough, Vaughn stepped hard on the hand that held the cane, grinding his heel into it. I turned my head away, unable to watch. Until—someone opened the cabinet door. Along with a sliver of daylight came Vaughn, his eyes full of heartbreak. He knelt in front of me, blocking the view of my deranged father, who was desperately stuffing the cash Vaughn had dropped into his pockets. "Don't be afraid." Vaughn brushed aside the sweat-soaked hair sticking to my face. When his gaze fell on my torn, tattered dress, a dark, heavy gloom settled in his eyes. He smoothly pulled my exposed straps back into place, wrapping his jacket around me. Then, he carried me out. My emotional state was a wreck. The man patiently coaxed me for a long time, letting me wipe my tears and snot all over his neck. Once I stopped crying so miserably, he finally stood up, wanting to take me to the hospital. "No..." I stopped him, shaking my head. These injuries would heal on their own. I had no money for the hospital, and I was terrified of hospitals. Unable to persuade me, Vaughn had someone rush over with a bunch of medical supplies. My dad hadn't left, and Vaughn was afraid I'd be beaten again. So, he just let me sleep in his room. 07 When I woke up, the room was eerily quiet. Vaughn's room was completely filled with his scent. It smelled amazing and seemed to have a sleep-inducing effect on me. The moment he went to cook, I fell fast asleep. "Vaughn?" I called out tentatively. The next second, a silk ribbon was suddenly tied over my eyes. I nervously clenched the blankets beneath me. But I relaxed when I smelled his familiar scent. When I opened my eyes, the room was pitch black. There was only a single cluster of warm light. It was coming from candles on a birthday cake. "Happy birthday, Avery." This was the first time Vaughn had called me by my full name. Such an elegant name coming from his mouth sounded incredibly beautiful. My voice choked up: "How did you know..." Ever since my mom died, I hadn't celebrated a single birthday. As long as my dad didn't beat me, I considered it a birthday gift. "Saw a text notification pop up on your phone." Vaughn teased: "Good thing you're a heavy sleeper. Otherwise, where would I find the time to prepare this?" "First time celebrating a birthday with someone. You're pretty lucky." The man casually wiped away my tears and used his thumb to dab a bit of frosting onto my nose. "Make a wish." Originally... I only had one wish. But now, looking at Vaughn, I thought I had a second one. 08 Maybe I was too greedy. My birthday wish didn't come true. In fact, I didn't even get to see Vaughn one last time before he left. It was raining heavily in town. I sat at the cherry wood desk as usual, staring at my blank test paper. If Vaughn hadn't left, he would be sitting here, peeling walnuts for me, teasing me in his lazy drawl: "Wow, as expected of my student. You're so smart." Humans are like that. Once you taste sweetness, you never want to eat bitterness again. Even though I had made do for over a decade, after tasting the food he cooked, everything else felt impossible to swallow. Even though I was used to wearing ill-fitting old clothes, after wearing the pretty dresses he bought me, everything else felt unbearable. I bit my lip and wiped the tears from my face. I wrote a few words on the paper: Test into a college in his city. My wish was to go to a university in the same city as him. But I was too naive. Because my dad had no intention of letting me study. Worse, the day after Vaughn left, he tried to marry me off to a creepy, older bachelor in the next town to settle a gambling debt. A few older women held me down on the bed, forcing me into a cheap red dress. I cried and begged him not to sell me. But that so-called "father" had long lost his humanity. He pulled my hair and laughed triumphantly: "No one to protect you this time, you worthless money-drain." "You hung around that guy every day, I thought you were going to fly up the social ladder and become a phoenix. But all he did was pay some useless tuition fees for you." "But he gave me an idea. While you're still pure, I can get a good price for you. If you run off with some wild man one day, I'd lose out, wouldn't I?" Hearing those words, I felt like I was plunged into an ice cave. My hands and feet were bound with thick rope. I had nowhere to run. 09 But I never expected that Vaughn would come back. When he carried me out of the car, his tone was casual: "Kid, I haven't been gone that long and you're already in trouble? Are you a magnet for trouble or what?" Seeing that handsome face, I immediately burst into tears. It was the aftermath of extreme terror. I clung to Vaughn like a koala, refusing to let go. He tried a few times to peel me off him, but seeing how clingy I was, he finally compromised and let me hold him. My dad and that older man were beaten severely. When they crawled up from the ground, they spewed filthy curses at Vaughn, telling him to mind his own business. Seeing him unfazed, my dad went completely crazy, grabbing a weapon to hit me. He had taken that old man's money to gamble. I had to marry him today, whether I wanted to or not. Afraid of dragging Vaughn into it, I proactively dropped to my knees to beg my dad. But I was grabbed by the back of the neck and lifted up. "Following a piece of garbage like this, it's normal to be a little cowardly. However..." "A teacher for a day is a father for life. It makes sense for me to educate you on his behalf, right?" The last sentence was directed at my dad. Before I could react, Vaughn pressed something cold and metallic into my palm. A metal pipe. Then he grabbed my arm, raised it high, and brought it down hard. Smack. The man who was arrogant a second ago instantly turned into a puddle of mud, lying on the ground groaning endlessly. "Understand, kid?" "This is how you deal with scum. You have to hit them where it hurts. Efficiency is key." Vaughn used real force that time. My palm was numb from the impact. But my heart felt incredibly vindicated. 10 My dad said he was going to call the cops. But when he saw the look in Vaughn's eyes, he suddenly became very quiet. I didn't know why. Then I saw Vaughn smiling, stepping on my dad's head, and gesturing to the older bachelor with his finger. I don't know what the man said, but the old man, already pale with fright, looked like he had seen a ghost. He trembled like a leaf. "You... you sold your daughter to me, so she's mine! Now I'm giving her to him." "I... I don't want her anymore. It's none of my business. Whoever wants her can have her." "I don't want her." Vaughn was very satisfied. With a cigarette in his mouth, he hooked his finger into the back tie of my dress, pulling me toward him. "Hmm? None of you want her?" "Fine, I'll keep her." After saying that, he lifted my chin, forcing me to look up. In my line of sight, Vaughn's narrow eyes were devilishly captivating. He exhaled a puff of white smoke. He asked me: "Kid. Want to come with me?" 11 I followed Vaughn back to the Sterling estate. Seeing that castle-like architecture, I truly realized that Vaughn and I were not from the same world. The men and women in uniforms called the man beside me "Young Master." I had only seen scenes like this on TV. I was so nervous I could barely take a step. Until a large hand rested on the back of my head, and Vaughn unceremoniously ruffled my hair. "What are you spacing out for? We're home." That simple phrase "we're home" made my eyes sting and filled me with deep anxiety. Back in my hometown, I had agreed so readily. I never stopped to think... would Vaughn's family hate me? However, facts proved I was overthinking. I didn't expect that only one person lived in this massive house. And it was an older man. Vaughn called him by his full name, Arthur Sterling. The man in his fifties just called him a little brat. I was totally confused. Thankfully, the housekeeper reminded me that this was Vaughn's biological father. I had to call him Grandpa. Grandpa was thrilled by my arrival. Not only did he prepare a lavish family dinner, but he also excitedly told Vaughn to take me to pick out a bedroom. Dresses and jewelry were sent to my room by the pile. He treated me exactly like his own granddaughter. Even the maids in the house affectionately called me "Little Miss." Overnight, I went from hell to heaven. 12 Vaughn transferred my school records at lightning speed. He enrolled me in the best prep school in the city. I was happy at first, until the pretty class president led the charge to isolate and bully me. Only then did I understand... class is an uncrossable chasm. At my strong request, I enrolled as a sponsored, low-income student. For my daily commute, I chose the most eco-friendly option: taking the bus. Probably because I was too out of place among those rich kids, they targeted me. I didn't tell Vaughn about this. But he noticed something was wrong. "Tell me, what happened?" The man first checked my forehead to ensure I wasn't sick, then looked at me expectantly. I mumbled: "Studying... is a bit hard." This wasn't a lie. Compared to my small-town school, this place focused much more on comprehensive development. Just the spoken language classes alone made me feel inadequate. Vaughn didn't think this was a big deal. He said he would hire tutors for me, adding that I was very smart and catching up to the top students was only a matter of time. Finally, he looked at me, his tone teasing: "Also—kid, do you think I'm just a decoration?"
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