Because I was born with a "blessed fate," Kevin Rowley’s mother paid me to be a companion for her son. Publicly, I was his adopted sister. Privately, I was his cherished, secret girlfriend. The diamond ring hidden in his drawer made me believe he was going to propose. Then I overheard him joking with his friends: "It's been five years. The fate you stole for Abby is stable now. Isn't it time you compensated your little girlfriend by marrying her?" "Who would marry a cursed-luck plaything?" "Aren't you afraid she'll get her heart broken and leave?" Kevin’s voice was laced with contempt. "She’ll be on death's door if she leaves me. Unless she can find a man with a stronger fate than mine, she's stuck with me for life." So that was it. He cherished me not out of love, but to steal my life force for his one true love. He wanted me to be his personal battery, his plaything for life. I stumbled home in a daze, pulled out the original agreement, and laid my cards on the table with his mother. "I won't be renewing the contract. Our arrangement is over." 1 Mrs. Rowley was stunned. "Aria, you know what happens. Every time you're away from Kevin for more than three days, your luck turns. Minor incidents end in blood, major ones in the hospital. Why can't you just stay with us and be my daughter? We don't need a contract anymore. Why do you have to go?" Just then, Kevin strode in, snatching the papers from her hand. His brow furrowed. "Who said you had to leave just because the contract is up? It’s not like the Rowleys can't afford to feed you." "I want to go back to the mountains," I said, my voice steady. "I've been away for so long. It's time I went back to see my master." Kevin’s face darkened with disapproval. "What’s there to see in that backwater? You’ve been gone for years, and has your so-called master ever once contacted you? Every time you were sick, who was the one taking care of you?" Perhaps my gaze was sharper than usual today, because he met my eyes for a second and fell silent. He knew exactly why my luck always turned. As for why my master had become unreachable, that was a mystery to me, too. A deep-seated instinct told me his disappearance was connected to my stolen fate. After dismissing his mother with a few quick words, Kevin ignored my protests, swept me into his arms, and carried me into his bedroom. The moment the door closed, he pinned me against a cabinet, his mouth crashing down on mine. "Aria, what is it? Am I not good enough to you? Is my mother not good to you? You'd rather throw away the life of a princess to go back to that shithole and see some old man?" He was as domineering as ever, biting my lip hard enough to draw blood. The metallic taste filled my mouth, just as the scent of another woman—Abby’s perfume—filled my nostrils. My body had no resistance to Kevin, but it had even less to Abby. If Kevin was a sun that drew me in, Abby was a fatal-force magnet. I'd always known she was special to him, but whenever I saw her, I felt an inexplicable joy, a happiness that far surpassed what I felt for Kevin. I’d even started to question my own sexuality. Now I knew the truth. I was drawn to her because she held a piece of me. She had stolen my fate. "Aria, the Rowley estate is your home," he murmured, his voice softening. "It doesn't matter if you're an orphan or a jinx. My mother and I will always treat you like family. Why would you risk everything to go back and see someone who doesn't even care about you?" "If you really want to go, I'll take you when I'm less busy." Every word was a carefully crafted trap, designed to sound like he cared. But knowing the truth, I saw the cracks in every single one. I fought against my body's instinct and pushed him away. "Fine." He didn't love me. Even if I stayed, I would just waste away and die young. It was only a matter of when. My compliance seemed to ignite something in him. A dark desire flickered in his eyes. "Aria, this is what I love about you. So obedient. Like a little rabbit, makes me want to devour you whole…" He reached for my clothes. I clutched the collar of my shirt and shoved him back, stopping his advance. If my fate was a flame, then I was the lamp. Abby had stolen the flame, but until it fully merged with her, she couldn't risk "breaking a taboo"—or all her efforts would be for nothing. That was why Kevin couldn't touch her. And his insatiable desire for me? It was because I was the lamp. He couldn't have the flame, so he took out all his frustrations on me. My rejection stunned him. Usually, all he had to do was stand there, and my body’s instinct would do the rest. Without my fate, I needed his proximity to feel warm, to feel that indescribable rush of happiness. He gripped my chin, a smirk playing on his lips. "Playing hard to get? Trying something new today, are we? I like it…" I watched with cold eyes as he leaned in to kiss me again. "This is the master bedroom," I reminded him, my voice flat. The desire vanished from his face. For five years, I had been the woman he tangled with every night, but I had never been allowed to sleep in his bed. I’d never even been near it. He was afraid my bad luck would taint the room, and by extension, the Rowley family's fortune. As Kevin hastily pulled me out of the room, his mother was coming down the stairs. "Kevin, where are you dragging your sister off to in such a hurry?" He didn't miss a beat. "We have something important to discuss." Mrs. Rowley looked at us suspiciously. "You two are always so secretive. You're not up to something you shouldn't be, are you?" 2 Kevin’s grip on my hand tightened. He pushed me into my own room before rushing to heat a glass of milk for his mother. "Mom, just drink this and go to bed." Mrs. Rowley loved when he did this for her. It always helped her sleep through the night. "I’d like some too, Mom…" I started to say. Kevin shot me a venomous look. I’d always suspected there was something wrong with the milk, but I couldn't believe Kevin would drug his own mother. It wasn't until earlier today, when I found the sleeping pills hidden in his room, that I knew for sure. I decided to let it go. This devoted son drugged his mother every time he wanted to spend a night with me. What was one more time? Once I was gone, he'd stop. If I exposed him, it would only ruin their relationship, and I'd gain nothing. Half an hour later, Kevin tried to sneak into my room, only to find the door locked. He was furious. He actually called a locksmith to pry the door open. After sending the man away, he stormed over to me, his voice dripping with irritation. "It's not your period, so don't play the virtuous maiden with me. Aren't you usually like a starving wolf? It’s only because I'm patient that I put up with you. Don't push it." He pulled a scandalously sheer piece of lingerie from a hidden compartment in my closet and tossed it at me. "Change into this. Stop wasting my time." When I didn't move, he became rough. Looking into his eyes—eyes that could show deep affection even to a dog—I was struck again by the cold, hard reality: he had never, ever truly cared for me. Who would fall in love with a tool to warm their bed? He yanked at my shirt, and the fabric tore, exposing my chest to the cool air. I fought down the overwhelming urge to press myself against him. For the first time, I didn't throw myself into his arms. "I'm tired. Some other time." My repeated rejections had pushed him over the edge. He grabbed my wrists, about to restrain me, when his phone rang urgently. Hearing the panicked sobs on the other end, Kevin rushed out to get Abby. Terrified that I would lose control and follow them like a lost puppy, I slammed the door shut. But Kevin kicked it back open. "Abby has a fever. Get over here and take care of her." I looked at her chapped lips and flushed face. "You should take her to a hospital," I said coldly. Abby came and sat next to me, taking my hand and pouting. "Aria, I don't want to go to the hospital. I just want to be close to you. I don't know why, but I feel warmer when you're near." She rested her head on my shoulder. Every cell in my body screamed with a traitorous joy at her touch, but I took a deep breath and shoved her away. "If you're cold, have Kevin warm you up." The thought of her stealing my life force while I'd been dancing around them like a fool sent a chill through me. Abby’s body began to tremble uncontrollably, her face a mask of pathetic misery. "Aria, why are you being so mean today? Kevin, I feel so sick…" She clutched her chest, her breathing shallow. Kevin immediately rushed to her side, gathering her into his arms. But I didn't miss the strange, knowing look Abby shot me over his shoulder. A deep sense of unease settled in my stomach. 3 After settling Abby in his own room, Kevin came back and ordered me, "You're sleeping with Abby tonight. And don't forget, obeying orders is your job." He was right. That was my job. But the employment contract had expired two years ago. When I first left my master in the mountains, I was naive and worldly. I was scammed out of all my money and ended up at a temple, desperate for food. That’s where I met Mrs. Rowley. The temple's abbot told her I had a blessed fate and that forming a connection with me would greatly benefit her son. A devout believer, Mrs. Rowley immediately offered me a contract: "One million dollars for three years. Be my goddaughter." My master always said that every meeting was fated. Starving and desperate, I couldn't refuse. When I first arrived, Kevin despised me. But on my birthday, after he learned my birth chart, he suddenly warmed up to me. After accompanying him on a trip abroad to meet Abby, I found myself completely infatuated with him. Every glance made my heart pound. I wanted to be near him constantly. When I finally "won him over," I was ecstatic. Now, I realized it was all a setup. After that trip, my luck began to turn. I became prone to illness and accidents. Kevin found a renowned monk to help me, but nothing worked. The monk's only advice was to stay by Kevin's side for my own safety. "Aria Sterling! What are you still standing there for? Get over there, now!" The more frantic he was, the more I suspected tonight was not going to be simple. He tried the same trick again, bringing me a glass of warm milk. If I drank it, I’d be out cold, just like his mother. "Didn't you say you wanted some? And you're always complaining about wanting to sleep in my room. Here's your chance." I picked up the glass and, when he wasn't looking, poured most of it into the bedding. I hoped the few sips I'd have to take wouldn't put me under too deeply. But as I raised the glass, I caught a familiar scent. The milk was just a distraction. This was the same fragrance that had knocked me out that night abroad. I bit my tongue hard, mentally chanting the complex passages my master had taught me to fight off the drowsiness. As I pretended to pass out, Kevin caught me and carried me to his bed. "Kevin, are you sure this will work?" Abby's voice was a nervous whisper. "Her fate is strong. Stealing it completely will cure you for good." "But I'm worried about the backlash…" "Don't be. She loves me. As long as she gives it willingly, I won't be harmed. The backlash will fall on her." Lying in the bed I had once dreamed of, my heart turned to ice. My consciousness was fading, but the rage in my chest burned hot and fierce. When I woke up, Abby was completely revitalized, her cheeks rosy with health. I, on the other hand, felt drained and sick. It took all my strength just to sit up. "Aria, you're awake! I told you, if I'm with you, I don't even need medicine to get better." A person who should have been dead long ago had stolen my life, and last night, she had used my body to solidify her hold on it. It was no different from borrowing my very life. In that moment, I hated myself for being so blind, for not learning a single one of my master's skills. I had been a fool for years, completely unaware. I forced a smile, and my cracked lips immediately started to bleed. There was no point in arguing. All I wanted was to get out of this viper’s nest. But Kevin steadied me, his face a mask of concern. "Aria, you look terrible. I'm taking you to the hospital." Too weak to struggle, I let him. After a series of tests, the doctor’s face was grim. "Her body's systems are aging rapidly. We need to admit her for further observation." I spent the entire day at the hospital, feeling my life force slowly slipping away. Kevin only remembered I existed after confirming that Abby was perfectly healthy. He came to my room, full of apologies, asking how I was feeling, but there wasn't a trace of genuine worry in his eyes. Suddenly, Abby pointed at his arm and gasped. "Kevin, what is that? It wasn't there this morning…" 4 Kevin tried to rub off the dark spot on his arm, but the skin underneath looked like it was about to peel away. I looked away, then down at the identical spots appearing on my own skin, and gave a bitter smile. Kevin’s hand trembled as he glared at me. "Aria Sterling, did you cheat on me? Did you get some disease and give it to me?" He could blame me for anything, couldn't he? Didn't he understand this was karma? The backlash wouldn't kill him, but it would certainly make his life a living hell. The moment I learned the truth, I had decisively cut off all the love I had for him. He stared at the matching spots on my arm, his expression turning thunderous. As if remembering something, he grabbed me and dragged me out of the hospital, not even sparing a glance for Abby. The moment we were in the car, he pushed me down against the seat, his kisses landing sloppily on my neck. I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face. He looked at me, his face a picture of wounded betrayal. "Aria, you don't love me anymore? I know I shouldn't have said that, but… you used to love being close to me, didn't you?" So that's what this was about. He was testing me. Trying to see if I still loved him. And what if I did? He didn't understand. The karma he deserved had already arrived. I shook my tingling hand and pointed out the window.
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "386340", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel