Evelyn Ross stood near the large wooden desk.
Evelyn Ross kept her eyes fixed on the locked glass drawer.
Inside the glass drawer, the silver necklace with the blue sapphire star shone brightly under the room light.
Evelyn Ross felt a deep ache in her chest.
Evelyn Ross remembered her biological mother wearing this exact silver necklace.
Her biological mother used to smile while wearing it.
Evelyn Ross touched the cold glass of the drawer with her trembling fingertips.
Evelyn Ross said to herself, “My mother died in a fire five years ago.
This necklace disappeared into the ashes on that terrible night.
Why does Damien Vance have it now?”
Suddenly, the heavy dark wooden door of the master bedroom opened with a soft click.
Damien Vance walked into the large room.
Damien Vance held a neat pile of clean clothes in his hands.
The clean clothes belonged to his cousin, Tiffany Vance.
Damien Vance saw Evelyn Ross standing by his private wooden desk.
Damien Vance saw the tears running down Evelyn Ross’s pale face.
Damien Vance walked across the white marble floor toward Evelyn Ross.
Damien Vance said to Evelyn Ross, “Why are you crying, Miss Ross?
Did the cold champagne make you sick?”
Evelyn Ross turned her body around quickly to face Damien Vance.
Evelyn Ross pointed her right index finger down at the locked glass drawer.
Evelyn Ross said to Damien Vance, “I am not crying because of the champagne, Mr.
Vance.
Look inside this glass drawer.
Tell me the truth right now.
Where did you find this silver necklace?”
Damien Vance stopped walking.
Damien Vance lowered his eyes to look at the blue sapphire star inside the glass drawer.
His face remained calm and cold.
His dark eyes did not show any surprise.
Damien Vance placed the pile of clean clothes down on the edge of the large wooden desk.
Damien Vance said to Evelyn Ross, “I bought that silver necklace at an elite underground auction, Miss Ross.”
Evelyn Ross stared at Damien Vance with anger and confusion.
Evelyn Ross replied to Damien Vance, “You are lying to me, Mr.
Vance!
This silver necklace belonged to my biological mother.
It disappeared five years ago when my mother died in a house fire.
How did it end up at an elite underground auction?”
Damien Vance stepped closer to Evelyn Ross.
Damien Vance looked straight into Evelyn Ross’s tearing eyes.
Damien Vance said to Evelyn Ross, “I am not lying to you, Miss Ross.
I bought this silver necklace exactly five years ago.
I paid two million dollars for it.
The person who sold it to the auction house did not leave a name.”
Evelyn Ross felt her breath catch in her throat.
Evelyn Ross gripped the edge of the wooden desk tightly.
Evelyn Ross said to Damien Vance, “Did you know the necklace belonged to my biological mother when you bought it?”
Damien Vance replied to Evelyn Ross, “No, Miss Ross.
I did not know your mother.
I bought the necklace because the blue sapphire stone contains a hidden microchip.
That hidden microchip holds secret data about your family’s remaining land.”
Evelyn Ross felt a wave of shock pass through her mind.
Evelyn Ross realized that Damien Vance had been investigating her family for a very long time.
Evelyn Ross said to Damien Vance, “So you saved me at the gala tonight because of this secret data?
You do not care about me at all.
You only want the land.”
Damien Vance did not deny her words.
Damien Vance stood completely straight.
Damien Vance said to Evelyn Ross, “We made a business deal, Miss Ross.
I provide protection and wealth, and you provide the land.
Now, take these clean clothes.
Go into the bathroom and change your wet dress before you freeze.”
Evelyn Ross looked at the pile of clean clothes on the desk.
Evelyn Ross looked at Damien Vance’s cold face one more time.
Evelyn Ross said to Damien Vance, “Fine, Mr.
Vance.
We are business partners.
Nothing more.”
Evelyn Ross picked up the clean clothes from the wooden desk.
Evelyn Ross walked across the large bedroom.
Evelyn Ross opened the door to the massive marble bathroom.
Inside the bathroom, Evelyn Ross saw a giant white bathtub and gold faucets.
Evelyn Ross took off her wet, ruined dress.
Evelyn Ross dropped the champagne-soaked fabric onto the floor.
Evelyn Ross put on the clean clothes.
The clothes were a pair of oversized black silk pajamas.
The silk pajamas felt very soft and warm against her cold skin.
Evelyn Ross used a dry white towel to dry her long brown hair.
After ten minutes, Evelyn Ross opened the bathroom door.
Evelyn Ross stepped back into the master bedroom.
Damien Vance was sitting in a large leather chair behind his wooden desk.
Damien Vance was typing quickly on a slim black laptop.
Damien Vance looked up when Evelyn Ross entered the room.
Evelyn Ross walked toward the giant bed with the white sheets.
Evelyn Ross said to Damien Vance, “The contract says I must stay in your bedroom tonight, Mr.
Vance.
Where am I supposed to sleep?”
Damien Vance pointed his hand toward the giant bed.
Damien Vance said to Evelyn Ross, “You will sleep on the bed, Miss Ross.
I will stay here at my desk and work.
I do not need much sleep.”
Evelyn Ross looked at the long leather sofa near the wall.
Evelyn Ross said to Damien Vance, “Are you sure, Mr.
Vance?
I do not want to take your bed.”
Damien Vance replied to Evelyn Ross, “The bed is yours for tonight, Miss Ross.
My guards are patrolling outside the house.
Julian Sterling’s men are still watching the main gate.
You are safe in this room.”
Evelyn Ross climbed onto the giant bed.
Evelyn Ross pulled the heavy white blanket up to her chin.
The bed felt incredibly comfortable.
Evelyn Ross closed her eyes.
Evelyn Ross listened to the quiet sound of Damien Vance typing on his laptop keyboard.
The rhythmic sound made her feel safe.
Evelyn Ross fell into a deep sleep.
The dark night passed slowly.
The next morning, bright yellow sunlight poured through the large bedroom windows.
Evelyn Ross opened her eyes slowly.
Evelyn Ross looked around the unfamiliar room.
Evelyn Ross saw Damien Vance standing in front of a tall mirror.
Damien Vance was already wearing a perfectly clean black suit and a crisp white shirt.
Damien Vance adjusted his black silk necktie with his fingers.
Damien Vance saw Evelyn Ross wake up through the mirror reflection.
Damien Vance said to Evelyn Ross, “Good morning, Miss Ross.
It is now seven o’clock in the morning.
You have exactly thirty minutes to get ready.”
Evelyn Ross sat up in the giant bed.
Evelyn Ross rubbed her eyes.
Evelyn Ross said to Damien Vance, “Why must I get ready so fast, Mr.
Vance?”
Damien Vance turned around to face Evelyn Ross.
Damien Vance said to Evelyn Ross, “Have you forgotten the hidden clause already, Miss Ross?
We must arrive at City Hall at eight o’clock to get married legally.”
Evelyn Ross remembered the contract clause.
Her heart began to beat fast again.
Evelyn Ross said to Damien Vance, “I remember, Mr.
Vance.
I will be ready in fifteen minutes.”
Evelyn Ross ran into the bathroom.
Evelyn Ross washed her face with cold water.
Evelyn Ross brushed her hair.
Evelyn Ross put on a clean dark dress that Mrs.
Higgins had left inside the bathroom earlier.
Evelyn Ross walked back into the bedroom.
Damien Vance was waiting by the door.
Damien Vance said to Evelyn Ross, “Let us go downstairs, Miss Ross.
The limousine is waiting outside.”
Evelyn Ross walked out of the master bedroom next to Damien Vance.
They walked down the long hallway together.
They began to walk down the grand curved marble staircase.
Suddenly, a loud red light flashed on the ceiling.
A loud, piercing security alarm began to ring through the entire mansion.
Beeeeep!
Beeeeep!
Beeeeep!
The loud noise echoed off the marble walls.
Evelyn Ross covered her ears with both of her hands because the sound was too loud.
Evelyn Ross said to Damien Vance, “What is happening, Mr.
Vance?
Why is the alarm ringing?”
Damien Vance stopped on the stairs.
Damien Vance placed his hand on his waist where his hidden weapon was located.
His face became completely dark and angry.
Suddenly, the heavy front doors of the mansion burst open.
Mark Davis ran into the grand entrance hall.
Leo Chang ran right behind Mark Davis.
Both men looked very anxious and tense.
Mark Davis looked up at the staircase.
Mark Davis saw Damien Vance and Evelyn Ross.
Mark Davis shouted to Damien Vance, “Mr.
Vance!
We have a major problem at the front gate right now!”
Damien Vance walked down the remaining stairs quickly.
Evelyn Ross followed Damien Vance closely.
They stopped at the bottom of the staircase in front of Mark Davis.
Damien Vance said to Mark Davis, “Speak clearly, Mark.
Who is at the front gate?”
Leo Chang stepped forward to answer the question.
Leo Chang said to Damien Vance, “Mr.
Vance, your enemy Julian Sterling is not at the gate.
Instead, Evelyn Ross’s stepfather, Richard Ross, and her ex-fiancé, Brad Harrison, have arrived.”
Evelyn Ross felt a cold wave of fear strike her heart.
Evelyn Ross said to Leo Chang, “Why are Richard Ross and Brad Harrison at the gate?
My stepfather has no power against Mr.
Vance.”
Leo Chang looked at Evelyn Ross with a serious expression.
Leo Chang replied to Evelyn Ross, “Miss Ross, they did not come alone.
Richard Ross and Brad Harrison brought five official police cars with them.
They brought the Chief of Police.”
Mark Davis looked at Damien Vance with deep worry.
Mark Davis said to Damien Vance, “Mr.
Vance, Richard Ross has signed an official police paper.
Richard Ross is telling the police that you kidnapped Evelyn Ross by force last night.
Richard Ross claims you are holding her hostage to steal her family land.
The police are preparing to smash our front gates down to arrest you right now!”