Valerie Ashford, a 21-year-old girl, was fed up with her monotonous and restricted life. She was constantly under surveillance, even though she spent twenty-four hours a day simply sitting at home.

She had no friends whatsoever, her internet usage was strictly limited to a daily quota, she attended informal schooling, and she had never been able to see the outside world, despite begging her father desperately.

No one allowed her to leave the mansion, as she was the last descendant of the Ashford family, who had been kept hidden for a long time.

Today, the Ashford family was holding a business meeting at the grand mansion; people began arriving one by one, each curious about the invitation to tonight’s party.

Valerie was sitting in the back garden, lost in thought, when she was slightly startled by the arrival of Jason, her personal valet.

“Miss, Mr Nolan has returned,” said Jason.

“You mean my father? Has Father come home?” Valerie’s eyes fixed on Jason, full of hope.

The man nodded. “He’s just arrived; he’s waiting for you in the main hall now.”

Jason reached out his hand to Valerie and helped her to her feet. “Be careful, Miss.”

“Thank you, Jason,” whispered Valerie.

Valerie immediately ran to meet her father; she hurried down the corridor towards the main hall without a second thought, paying no attention to the floor beneath her feet.

As soon as she reached the hall, her grandmother let out a little gasp when she saw Valerie running towards Nolan—her father—but she nearly fell over after bumping into a tall man.

“Valerie!” Valerie’s mother cried out softly.

Nolan breathed a sigh of relief, but he felt embarrassed by Valerie’s reckless behaviour in front of his guests who had already arrived.

Nolan guessed his wife had forgotten to tell Valerie about the event taking place at that very moment.

Meanwhile, Valerie winced; she would have fallen had the man she’d bumped into not caught her by the waist. Those piercing black eyes seemed to bore into Valerie’s emerald ones; this was the first time Valerie had met a stranger, apart from the family and servants in this grand house.

Valerie blinked several times; they had remained in that position for quite some time.

The stranger supporting Valerie had black hair styled in a quiff and a handsome face; a smirk appeared on that handsome face, and Valerie immediately moved to break free from his embrace.

“I-I’m sorry…” The girl apologised politely before approaching her father.

Nolan smiled awkwardly at the guest Valerie had just bumped into; the man merely gave a slight nod, as if tolerating what the last of the Ashford family had done.

“Why were you running like that? You’re acting like a child, Valerie!” Nolan whispered, half-annoyed, once the girl was by his side.

Valerie just snorted softly, “I was excited because Dad’s home, but it seems he doesn’t like seeing me.”

Valerie then slowly lifted her head, still shy. Her eyes caught sight of the handsome man who had just supported her body so she wouldn’t hit the floor.

His gaze was cold, but when their eyes met again, Valerie could clearly see that the man was giving a smirk that sent a sudden shiver down her spine.

“It seems the Ashford family has a new addition?” The handsome man spoke in a casual tone to Nolan, his gaze softening, yet still brimming with charisma.

Valerie was slightly taken aback by the masculine voice; there was quite a difference between the way the man looked at Valerie and the way he spoke to Nolan.

Valerie felt as though she were looking at a different person from the one who had just grinned at her.

Nolan seemed to take a deep breath; the man appeared as though he wasn’t ready to speak, but eventually his lips parted, “She is my only daughter, Valerie Ashford.”

The handsome man looked slightly surprised, but for some reason Valerie felt it was fake; he seemed to be putting on an act, and Valerie could see it clearly. Yet every time their eyes met, Valerie’s heart suddenly raced; she felt nervous and also afraid for no reason.

“You’re amazing; I’m sure many people don’t know about your daughter. It turns out the heir to the Ashford family is a woman,” said the handsome man again, “I reckon your talent will be passed down to her.”

“Thank you, Mr Morvane,” replied Nolan.

“Hello, sweetheart, I’m Rovano Morvane.” The man extended his hand to Valerie; his tone was flat, but his face was utterly—evil.

Valerie had no choice but to shake his hand, and instantly her body felt a shiver run through it; her heart was beating faster than usual.

It was as if she’d been struck by an electric shock, and then the man’s piercing gaze and his smirk left Valerie transfixed.

Rovano Morvane—Valerie never imagined that name would leave her unable to think clearly for a moment.

What had she been feeling just now? Rovano’s gaze was fixed on her once again; Valerie felt as though she were being stripped bare by his very stare. It made her feel uncomfortable.

Nolan found it odd that Rovano had been staring at his daughter ever since they’d arrived. The event wasn’t due to start for another hour, but this guest was particularly punctual; he’d arrived early along with a few other guests.

“I didn’t know you’d be coming early, so nothing’s ready yet—the event doesn’t start for another hour,” Nolan said to Rovano, who was staring intently at Valerie.

Valerie, who had inadvertently returned Rovano’s gaze, made Nolan’s paternal instincts flare up like a raging fire.

Rovano exhaled, a small smile etched on his face as he began to look friendly. His thoughts were fixed on Valerie, who had caught his attention.

Rovano turned his gaze back to Nolan, “Oh, I’m always like this, Mr Ashford. Especially with my prospective business partners. Discipline makes for a good first impression."

“I wasn’t just guessing; the Morvane family sent their eldest son here. Where on earth is Jordan?” asked Nolan.

Rovano glanced briefly at Valerie, then back at Nolan, “He’s in Paris; there’s some business from my mother’s hospital,” he replied.

“Of course, aside from inter-company business, I have another proposal,” Rovano continued his conversation with Nolan.

“What is it, Mr Morvane?” Nolan asked casually.

Rovano fixed his gaze on Valerie, and Nolan immediately followed suit. “I want her.”

“Pardon?” Nolan was slightly taken aback; Rovano’s words had caused a major misunderstanding.

“I want your daughter,” said Rovano in a very clear and firm voice.

Rovano’s request sounded like a demand; Valerie felt her heart beating even faster, especially as Rovano pointed at her without a shred of shame. The girl clutched her dress and then simply walked out of the hall.

Nolan had already flatly rejected the man, and Valerie also took a dislike to Rovano for blurting out that he liked her in front of everyone, even though this was the first time they’d met.

Valerie shook her head; meeting strangers was terrifying, not at all like what she’d seen in the films. Was this why she wasn’t allowed to leave the mansion?

“He’s a madman, absolutely terrifying!” Valerie muttered.

The girl continued walking towards the back garden, the place where she usually went to be alone. Her father had finished introducing her to all the guests after their conversation with Rovano Morvane.

Just as she breathed a sigh of relief, she sensed someone standing right behind her. Valerie swallowed hard; her throat suddenly felt dry and, once again, the atmosphere around her felt oppressive.

Slowly, Valerie turned around. There stood a tall figure wearing a white shirt with the top two buttons undone, and a black tuxedo draped casually over his broad shoulders.

With his muscular hands tucked into his trouser pockets, any girl would surely be captivated by such a handsome man striking such a cool pose.

But Valerie was terrified out of her wits when she saw him.

Cold sweat trickled down her temples and her hands suddenly began to tremble; Valerie didn’t realise how badly her body was shaking.

Tap, tap, tap.

Rovano walked slowly; with every step he took, Valerie’s heartbeat seemed to quicken.

Now he was even closer, just a step away from Valerie; he towered over her, standing before the girl who had just risen from her seat.

The man before her stood tall yet relaxed; he gazed at Valerie with piercing eyes, a smirk clearly etched on his handsome face.

Valerie tilted her head back to look at Rovano, who was now slightly bending down to look at her face. The difference in their heights made Valerie feel even more intimidated.

Rovano’s face drew closer suddenly; his eyes were locked on Valerie’s. The girl could barely breathe and steadied her trembling body by taking a step back, as she felt cornered.

She tried to break free from Rovano, but his gaze kept her rooted to the spot.

Their foreheads were almost touching, and Valerie lost the nerve to speak. She could only feel her throat going dry; even swallowing was difficult for her.

“Do you know… Raven?” Rovano asked in a low voice, almost a whisper.

His voice was so soft that only Valerie could hear it, as she felt the warmth of Rovano’s breath on her face, making her chest feel tight.

She needed a little space, but Rovano held her gaze, which seemed to make Valerie’s body go stiff too.

“H-hah?” the girl stammered.

“Raven,” Rovano repeated; he gave a fleeting smile, which felt more like a sly grin.

Valerie blinked; she was frightened and confused by what Rovano was doing right now. The handsome man was bullying her.

“R-raven?” Valerie’s voice finally emerged, though it was very faint, "A black bird of prey?"

A sly grin reappeared on Rovano’s thin lips. “That’s right.”

Valerie managed to swallow and breathe a little more calmly as Rovano created a slight distance between their faces, which had been almost touching moments before.

“A raven usually chooses its prey,” Rovano whispered again, “to survive.”

His right hand rose and his fingers gently caressed Valerie’s left cheek, making her eyes widen in surprise; Rovano was teasing Valerie through his touch.

“And that raven has found his prey.”

Valerie’s eyes followed Rovano’s finger as it slowly descended to her chin, touching it from below—which automatically made her tilt her head back further.

Their eyes met again, for quite some time.

“I’ve got you, Valerie,” Rovano said again, his voice barely a whisper, his face drawing closer still, spontaneously.

The girl stepped back, but her feet were held fast by the chair behind her.

Valerie could no longer remember what happened after that; her eyes simply closed tightly because she was so afraid she couldn’t move a muscle, her fists clenched to suppress the trembling.

Something soft brushed against her full, pale pink lips, making them slightly damp, and something forced its way into her mouth. Unfortunately, her body was completely stiff.

Her heart was pounding so hard, her blood rushing through her veins.

That hand pressed against the back of Valerie’s neck, finally causing her body to go limp and succumb. Her hands, which had been trembling and clenched, now opened and touched the broad chest of the man who was now kissing her.

Coming to her senses, her eyes opened; sure enough, Rovano was kissing her. Valerie’s hands fought back, pushing the man away with all her might.

“Ah!” Valerie screamed; she felt something pierce her neck.

Valerie felt her head buzzing; slowly her vision blurred until darkness swallowed her, her body going limp.

Slowly she stepped backwards; her body was no longer balanced until finally she fell, but Rovano caught her immediately.

Valerie Ashford, unconscious in the arms of Rovano Morvane.

A drugging kiss? No. That wasn’t what had rendered Valerie unconscious.

Rovano had injected a sedative into Valerie’s neck, using a small syringe that the girl hadn’t noticed at all, and only felt once it had been withdrawn.

Rovano had hypnotised her to close her eyes and feel his kiss.

There was no one in the back garden apart from Rovano, Valerie and two of Rovano’s bodyguards who had just arrived. Rovano’s plan was very well organised, wasn’t it?

“Take him to my car without anyone noticing, as quickly as possible, and you…” Rovano pointed to one of his bodyguards. “Distract them and deal with the security CCTV. Do everything exactly as planned; don’t leave the slightest loophole.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Oh, and give them a big surprise.”

Amidst the revelry of the business party, they were unaware of a small scream signalling a loss. With a casual stride, Rovano tidied himself up and rejoined the party.

His prey was already in his grasp.

Nolan, will you remain so arrogant? Valerie is mine now.

Nolan and Mrs Ashford—Natasha—were finally able to relax on the living room sofa; discussing business and introducing Valerie had been quite exhausting today, even though the person they’d introduced hadn’t been around them for the duration of the event.

“I haven’t seen Valerie since she slipped away whilst meeting that Morvane—where has she gone?” Nolan asked his wife, massaging his temples as his head felt slightly dizzy.

“Last I saw her, she was heading towards the back garden,” replied Natasha.

Nolan sighed heavily, “Let’s check her room. She hasn’t even opened my present, even though today is her birthday. Has she forgotten?” He pointed to a wrapped present on the table.

“Weren’t you the ones with her all day? You were parading Valerie around to the guests like some sort of object,” asked Nolan’s father, Jaden Ashford.

Nolan sighed again; he hadn’t even realised when Valerie had slipped out of his sight because there were so many guests.

“I will check on her. Natasha, you need to rest. You’ve been busy all day getting everything ready,” said Nolan’s mother, who had also joined them.

Nolan’s mother went upstairs first, whilst Nolan stood still for a moment, watching his father, who still looked angry.

“NOLAN! NOLAN!”

Everyone in the mansion immediately rushed towards the source of the sound as Nolan’s mother’s loud, desperate screams rang out repeatedly.

Nolan panicked when he saw his mother kneeling at the threshold of his daughter’s room, sobbing uncontrollably.

“What’s wrong, Mum? Calm down…”

“Valerie… Valerie’s been kidnapped!!”

Nolan saw that Valerie’s room was in complete disarray and unrecognisable; how could this have happened when security at their home was so tight?

With a look of disbelief, he stepped fully into Valerie’s room, which looked like a shipwreck; on the dressing table mirror was a message written in Valerie’s lipstick.

‘MY PREY.’

Nolan nearly lost his balance; several of his staff members arrived, including security personnel, and they were stunned to see the state of Valerie’s room, which was in complete disarray.

Natasha ran up from downstairs to the top floor; she hugged Nolan tightly, her eyes widening at the sight of Valerie’s room.

“How could this have happened?!” Her voice boomed, sounding desperate.

Who had kidnapped her? Who knew about his daughter? He had only just introduced his daughter to his business associates today; just today, all the guests were within his reach.

No one had left the tightly guarded main hall; even during the dinner, all his guests were still present.

Nolan remembered every detail. He tried to think clearly and look for any overlooked clues.

Could it possibly be Rovano Morvane who did it because he’d been rejected? No! Nolan couldn’t just make accusations, but he had to find his daughter immediately, wherever she was; he had to check every single guest.

At present, the prime suspect is indeed Rovano, who has been behaving suspiciously, but Nolan cannot act rashly either.

"FIND MY DAUGHTER!"

"Sir!" A man shouted from a distance. He was part of the CCTV control room team.

“All CCTV access has just been hacked! We can’t check anything! Everything’s gone! Including the recordings from the past few days.”

That night, heart-wrenching sobs could be heard from Ashford Mansion and panic swept through the entire building. Nolan tried to calm his family; Valerie was not only the jewel of this family but also a big secret.

...****************...

The wind was blowing so strongly that it made the window curtains billow; the sun was about to rise. Rovano stood at the edge of the balcony railing, taking several deep breaths, before stepping into a room.

He was currently in a luxurious house near the coast—perhaps in Langholmen? Yes, Rovano was in Stockholm, Sweden.

It had taken nearly eight hours to fly directly here from Boston since last night. That was the fastest flight he’d chosen.

The man had even given Valerie a small dose of sedative so she wouldn’t wake up during the journey.

He’d had numerous business ventures in this city for the past two years; Rovano was free to come here whenever he pleased without having to worry about his business back in his home country.

If there’s a meeting? He just video calls; unless there’s something urgent, he can’t stay in Europe for long because he’s here to have fun whilst running a small business.

Rovano positioned himself on top of the bed; he moved very slowly, because he wasn’t alone there.

There was a girl fast asleep, even though the effects of the sedative might have worn off half an hour ago.

Valerie Ashford, the target he had successfully abducted.

Since when had he started targeting women as his prey? This was the first time, especially since receiving information about the Ashford family. It turned out to be true; they had been hiding a girl this beautiful.

Just like his memory from over a decade ago, when he first visited the Ashford Mansion, there was a young girl he’d seen, and she’d always haunted him.

Rovano felt something was wrong with him. But seeing the girl beside him drove Rovano mad; he wanted to devour her immediately, carving wounds and gashes with his trusty little knife.

Her skin was so smooth and unmarked; Rovano was itching to see her cry as she was covered in blood.

This psychopathic man was truly mad; his mental illness was difficult to cure.

Rovano lay beside Valerie, his back to the girl; his hands itched, but he refused to do anything because he was still weighing up a few things.

Up until now, he had always tortured men of his own age. Regardless of who they were, once he’d had his fill of torturing them, if any died from the ordeal, he’d order someone to dispose of the body; if they survived, he’d bribe them with money and release them once they’d received medical treatment.

Simple. No long-term plans; at most, he’d keep his victims locked up for about four days.

But with this one, how many days? Rovano couldn’t even think of anything other than whether to torture her or not.

The girl was on the verge of tears at the slightest touch, and that instantly satisfied his desire, so there was no need to torture her until she bled, was there?

Rovano cursed again; he’d never been interested in women in his entire life. Men were the same. The point was, he’d never given a thought to love or any such ridiculous notion.

He heard a faint sound; Rovano also felt the mattress shift slightly. Had Valerie woken up? Rovano decided to stay where he was and close his eyes; he was curious to see how the girl would react.

“Hmm…”

Valerie opened her eyes slowly and blinked; she gathered her wits completely, as her head was still a little dizzy.

She stared at the ceiling where she had woken up; she realised something—this wasn’t her room.

Her eyes shifted to the plain white blanket covering her body up to her chest; this wasn’t her blanket.

This wasn’t her pillow or her bed, then her head turned to the side where Rovano was lying with his eyes closed.

“R-Rovano?! Where am I?!”