Prologue

Blood is boiling in my body. I've never met someone more infuriating in my entire life than Callum Black. His existence in this world has not only ruined my life, but absolutely destroyed it. I'm already thinking of many ways of killing him in my head and I'm dead serious.

Sitting there across from me, with a sly smirk on his face. I felt my blood boil. Felt the heat rise to my cheeks as I met his cold heart stare. My heart began to race as I felt the anxiety hitting onto my chest.

I wondered what it'll be like to wipe that stupid smirk off his face with my bare hands, crumbling him and watching him fall apart. He was the reason for my demise. He was the reason for my life's tragic events. He ruined me.

And as if that wasn't enough? He was incredibly attractive. Seated before me, his intense grey eyes bore into me, coupled with an infuriating grin. All I could focus on was the certainty that he would escape consequences due to his stunning, seductive appeal. He was about to evade all accountability simply because he was exquisitely and maddeningly charming. And I was about to be ensnared. I would plummet into depths so profound that resurfacing would be impossible. The decision slipped out through my clenched teeth, "I'll accept the offer."

I struggled to accept the reality of the situation, my disbelief overwhelming. This was the path my life had taken. The impending victorious grin on his wicked face was already apparent. He exuded satisfaction... and that made me yearn to flee, leave everything behind, and never glance back. But this was my reality now.

"Remove that smug expression, Black. I've agreed to the proposition. What more do you require?" I hissed, hoping for a swift resolution. All I desired was to retreat home, bury myself in bed, and erase it all. "Calm down, love. We've merely initiated," the fiend retorted.

He had amusement written all over his face.

All I wanted to do now was cry. I was 1 minute away from crying. Curl up and cry. One night I decided to get away with everything. I shouldn't have gone into that bar. I wasn't meant to meet him that night. Entering the wrong bathroom, I already knew my life was over. Over, completely over.

I've found myself in a gripping and tense situation after unwittingly encountering Callum Black, a billionaire with vast connections. I witnessed a disturbing scene where he assaulted a seemingly innocent young man, and as a result, I've become entangled in his enigmatic world.

"We'll begin slowly," he began in a measured tone. "I'll take you home, and you'll go to sleep. Forget everything you saw, except for one crucial detail – our arrangement," he concluded in his heavy English accent, a hint of satisfaction on his face. My stomach churned, and my heart raced.

"I've already committed to keeping quiet. I've signed the agreement. What more do you want from me?" I pleaded, my desperation growing as I wished to erase the night's events from my memory.

Suddenly, he rose from his seat, the chair screeching in protest as he unfolded to his imposing height. Clearing his throat, he started to approach me, causing my already trembling form to shiver further. He terrified me deeply, a fact I'd never admit aloud.

Lowering himself to my eye level, so close that I could feel his body's warmth and see the intensity in his eyes, he spoke with an air of finality. "My utmost desire is to erase any memory of you, Miss Ruth, but regrettably, I cannot."

He was standing too close.

The faint scent of alcohol lingered on his breath as he spoke, causing a bead of sweat to form on my forehead. Words escaped me, and I could only manage to shake my head in response.

A smirk played on his lips, and he reclined slightly, seemingly pleased with my fear. "Good. Leo will ensure you get home safely, Gianna. Remember our agreement, sleep on it. We'll be in touch soon," he said, collecting himself. Straightening his attire, he buttoned his suit and headed toward the door, accompanied by a man who appeared to be a bodyguard. Just before leaving, he turned his head slightly, his eyes downcast yet his profile directed at me.

"Listen, Miss Ruth. Keep in mind what I'm capable of, I can just destroy your entire life with just a call. And don't you dare forget it," he hissed, before disappearing through the door. With the door's closure, the last remnants of my composure crumbled.

I jolted forward in my chair, consumed by anxiety, and emptied the contents of my stomach. Tears broke free, and I allowed myself to collapse in the dim, confined space. Leo sat in a corner, head lowered, waiting to escort me home.

With my signature, I had officially surrendered my life, leaving an overwhelming void in my stomach at the realisation.

The door's closure marked the collapse of my remaining composure. I jolted in my chair, overwhelmed by anxiety, and purged whatever remnants remained in my stomach. Tears streamed down, and I allowed myself to shatter within the confined, dim space. Leo sat in a corner, his head lowered, ready to accompany me home.

With my signature, I had effectively relinquished my life, leaving an immense void in my stomach that the realisation carved deeper.

The weight of my decision hung heavily – I had officially signed away my existence. The thought left me with an agonising pit in my stomach.

Callum Black is now the bane of my existence.