Chapter 2

Henry Moore opened the car door and left without a reply. His movements were effortless yet elegant. He was clearly no regular man. Henry Moore left hurriedly as he had something urgent. He had the thought that he had seen those eyes before. “Daddy!” Little Nomi sat up suddenly. Amid her daze, she saw a tall figure when her eyes were opened slightly and he seemed like a father figure in her mind. That figure stood tall and firm with natural elegance. Listening to Little Nomi’s scream and noticed the leaving figure’s jolt, Monique Xander’s heart ached a little. … Blues Bar, five years ago. “You’re awesome to get into the best university here, sister. My parents are ecstatic, especially my dad. He was so happy that he would use a megaphone to show you off to the neighbors if he could, you really made them proud.” Yvonne Xander curved her lips for a smile on her gentle face. “Yvonne, it’s too noisy in here. Let’s go home!” Monique Xander frowned. It was too noisy in the bar. Yvonne Xander invited her and her friends over to a bar to celebrate her getting into the university. “Sister, you don’t really come to bars, just give it a try and have some fun.” Yvonne Xander pulled Monique Xander to take a seat. “This is their signature cocktail, it’s sweet, it’s pretty nice.” “I don’t drink.” Monique Xander instantly put up her hands to decline. Indeed, she never drank. “Come on, this doesn’t have much alcohol in it, you won’t get drunk from this. Don’t be a buzzkill.” “Exactly.” The others went along. Monique Xander accepted the cocktail and took it in one shot as she did not want to disappoint the others. It was indeed sweet and nice. Her sister’s friends gave her a toast again and again. She was getting uncomfortably dizzy after a few drinks. “Yvonne, let’s go home.” Monique Xander’s head was spinning. “Mom will kill you if you go back like this. My friend said that he has a room upstairs, he’s not there right now, you should go and take a rest.” Yvonne Xander raised a brow, a hint of amusement in her eyes. “Fine.” Monique Xander frowned as she was a little reluctant. However, she thought of the consequences of her aunt seeing her like that. She would be lucky to get off with a scolding, she would likely get chased out of the house. “I’ll take you there.” Yvonne Xander hastily pulled Monique Xander in the lift’s direction. Monique Xander did not have the time to think. After all, her mind was a blur. She let Yvonne Xander guide her as she followed in a daze. Monique Xander was thrown onto the bed as soon as she reached the room. She felt really uncomfortable; her body was weak. “Are you reaching soon? My sister is in room 1201, hurry up. Oh, remember to take photos.” Monique Xander was about to take a good nap when she heard Yvonne Xander’s voice in her daze. She sobered up a little from the shock. She tried her best to sit up. She could not believe her ears. Regardless of whether what she heard was true, all she could think about was fleeing the room. Although the cocktail was sweet, the aftertaste was pretty strong. Her mouth was dry and her brain could not function anymore. It was as if countless ants were crawling under her skin, she had no energy at all. Monique Xander forced herself to get up and wobbled her way outside. As she was turning to the stairs, she could absently hear a rough male voice, “Where is she?” Terrified, she crawled up the stairs hurriedly. She was losing her consciousness bit by bit. She could sense that someone was chasing after her from behind. She strained to pull herself up and moved forward strenuously, supporting herself by pushing against the walls. She fell into a doorway suddenly. Subconsciously, she closed the door behind her. She backed herself against the door as she gasped for air. “Is anyone here… Water… I need water…” Monique Xander shook her head and walked forward as she mumbled. She needed water for her dry throat. The lights in the room were off, it was complete darkness. She twisted her leg suddenly and fell forward. “I need water…” Monique Xander’s head was spinning like crazy. “Hmm…” ‘What’s this? It’s so cool, this feels nice.’ “Who…?” A cold and solemn voice was heard. Monique Xander could hardly make out a pair of eyes similar to an eagle’s in the darkness. “Water? Hmm, I want some water. I’m really thirsty.” Monique Xander’s mind was blurred. However, the coolness she felt was comforting to her, she could not help herself… “...” The man noticed the girl’s odd situation. “Hot… I don’t feel so good… Help me…” Monique Xander was losing consciousness. She felt awful as if thousands of worms were chewing on her. Someone wanted to harm her, and it was no other than her sister. “Please… I need some water…” Monique Xander repeated as her hands started touching the cool object under her. ‘What is this?’ Monique Xander was unsure where she fell, but it felt like a person was under her. She wanted to open her eyes to look, but the room was in complete darkness. As she was losing her consciousness, she wanted to stand up but she did not have the energy. She tried to support herself with her arm before she collapsed again. The man shut his lips tight as if he was trying to hold something back. Then, it was as if time skipped forward. The morning came. The sun was shining through the curtains. Monique Xander opened her eyes slowly. Her body was aching all over, there was a cool scent in the air. She looked at her surroundings with confusion, it was a large suite. Surrounded by thick curtains, she could barely see the sunlight. Her memories from the previous night reappeared in her mind gradually. Panicked, she flipped the sheets to check on herself. She was totally naked. She had bruises all over her fair skin. She had left the lion’s den only to enter another wolf's voluntarily! Monique Xander wanted to cry but she had no tears. She got up from the bed in a hurry and fled the scene. She did not even dare to look at the man beside her. She only remembered his cold soft lips and his eagle-like sharp eyes. “Mommy, is that daddy?” Little Nomi asked Monique Xander as she stared at the leaving figure. Her daughter’s tender voice pulled her back from her memories. Monique Xander relaxed her frowning brows, turned over, and looked at Little Nomi lovingly. “Mommy will work harder to get a car. When that happens. Mommy can take you out to play every day and we can meet daddy then, alright?” Monique Xander gave a light smile as she caressed Nomi’s head. She could imagine Little Nomi’s elated face when she could finally meet her father. “Okay.” Little Nomi raised her head and blinked with yearning. She wanted to have a daddy like the other kids and the man just now really looked like her daddy. “If we can’t find him, can we get the man just now to be my daddy, mommy? He is really handsome!” Nomi twirled her round eyes and asked. If he could be her daddy, the other kids would be so jealous of her. “Of course, anything you say, okay?” Monique Xander was amused but she obliged. How could someone that handsome be him? The problem was she had no idea how he looked. A hint of helplessness flashed in her clear eyes. Monique Xander planted a small kiss on Nomi’s forehead, “Good girl, sleep for a while more, will you?” “Yes, Mommy.” Nomi returned a kiss to her mother, adjusted her tiny body for comfort, and closed her eyes. Looking at her clever Little Nomi, Monique Xander’s heart was warm. She started up her car engine and disappeared into the endless night. … The sun shone through the windows the next morning and landed on Monique Xander’s face. A mother’s smile was always so warm. “Mommy, what are you cooking? It smells good.” Nomi raised her head and looked at her mother with her big round eyes, she looked like she was going to drool. “Sunny-side up, your favorite.” Monique Xander pinched Little Nomi’s round pink nose lovingly. “Mommy, you’re the best! Love you!” Little Nomi pouted her tiny pink mouth and gave Monique Xander a flying kiss. “Mommy has to go to work. I’ll be back by noon to cook you a nice lunch. Do not open the door for strangers, okay?” Monique Xander accepted her kiss while she took a piece of meat for Little Nomi. “Okay.” Little Nomi lifted the corners of her mouth to form a sweet smile. Her mother had nagged her about this many times that she had it ingrained in her mind by now. Still, she promised.