“Lindsey, don’t be afraid. I’ll protect you.”
“With me, you can cry, shout, or complain as much as you want.”
“I love you, and I’m willing to wait.”
Warmth filled my heart, and my eyes welled up with tears. I wrapped my arms around him and kissed his lips.
“Marcus, when my dad gets out of prison next year, let’s get married.”
“Alright, whatever you say.”
He beamed like a child and kissed me passionately.
Standing in the sunlight, with him by my side, I looked back and saw that the muddy path behind me had been covered in flowers.
I knew it was time to take that brave step forward.
+15 Bonus
Side Story Marcus Dale
The first time I saw Lindsey was the day after I found out I was the heir to the Dale family.
She was cornered by a group of thugs near a dumpster, hurling vile insults at her and slapping her on the head.
She knelt on the ground, her hands clasped together, begging for mercy in a desperate, submissive way.
A wave of irritation washed over me.
Without thinking, I stepped forward and shielded her behind me.
That day, I saved my timid, quiet little one.
For the first time in my twenty–five years, I got into a real fight.
She was so thin and fragile, trembling with fear.
Feeling a surge of sympathy, I took her home with me.
Using what little savings I had, I bought her a set of clothes.
It wasn’t until I washed the grime off her face that I realized how beautiful she actually was..
My adoptive family was poor, and my foster parents had bad tempers.
They refused to let me keep her.
Fortunately, my quiet little one had a place to stay.
It was shabby, but it kept out the wind and rain.
Alone, she struggled to survive in the mud and filth.
For the first time in my life, I felt my heart ache for a stranger.
From then on, I would unconsciously look out for her, and a thought began to take root in my mind: I had to protect her and take her away from here.
Before I could act on that thought, things took a turn.
She became a trending topic online.
That’s when I realized she wasn’t just an ordinary girl. I didn’t know the details of what happened, but I understood that her past hadn’t been easy.
Carter Hall.
I made a mental note of his name. I had to make sure
ure she slave
stayed far away from this man.
But reality always has a way of catching you off guard. The little mute girl disappeared. The villagers said she’d been taken away
by some rich man.
It must have been Carter!
I was frantic, but there was nothing I could do. Desperate, I took a DNA test report and went to find the Dale family
