Chapter 1: The Beginning of Fate（1）
The night streets were especially cold after the rain, the dim streetlights stretching Leanna Baker’s shadow long and thin. Clutching a letter tightly in her hand, she hurried along, not even noticing the splashes her shoes made in the puddles.
The letter came from an unfamiliar name—Rhett Grey. Its contents left her both puzzled and uneasy. Not only did it detail her name and address, but it also outlined the specifics of the debts left by her parents with alarming accuracy. Most unsettling of all was the offer it presented, one that seemed impossible to refuse.
“Simply sign the contract, and all your debts will be wiped clean.”
“Contract…” Leanna whispered so softly she could barely hear herself. She glanced down at the last line of the letter—“Meet at Grey Manor tonight at eight.” A flood of questions surged in her mind: What was this all about? How did this person know everything about her?
She didn’t have much time to hesitate. The enormous debt weighed on her like a boulder, making it hard to breathe. If this was truly a solution, it seemed she had no other choice.
Grey Manor was located deep within a secluded forest on the outskirts of the city. It took Leanna nearly an hour to find it. Standing at the entrance, an indescribable sense of oppression washed over her. Beyond the towering iron gates stood a dark, Gothic castle with spires piercing the night sky, and faint candlelight flickering through the stained-glass windows.
“This place is downright eerie…” Leanna muttered under her breath. Taking a deep breath, she reached out and pressed the doorbell.
The chime echoed in the silent night. Soon, a butler dressed in a black suit opened the gate. His face was expressionless as he said softly, “Miss Baker, please follow me.”
Leanna followed him into the manor, feeling increasingly uneasy with each step. The walls were adorned with ancient oil paintings, the deep-set eyes of their subjects seeming to watch her every move.
The butler led her to a spacious parlor, lavish yet austere in its decor. A massive fireplace roared with flames, but the room still felt cold and unwelcoming.
A man stood by the window, his tall figure silhouetted against the firelight. As he turned to face her, their eyes met, and for a moment, Leanna felt the air freeze.
“Leanna Baker.” His voice was deep and magnetic, carrying a natural authority. “Welcome to Grey Manor.”
Leanna forced herself to remain calm, lifting her head to meet his gaze. “You are Rhett Grey?”
“Indeed.” Rhett smiled slightly, a hint of unsettling coldness in his eyes. “Thank you for accepting my invitation. I trust you’ve read the contents of the letter.”
Taking a deep breath, Leanna tried to keep her voice steady. “I want to know why you chose me, and what exactly this ‘contract’ entails.”
Rhett’s smile deepened as he walked over, leaning down to look directly into her eyes. “Because you possess something we need. As for the contract, it’s both simple and complex.”
Rhett handed her a document, its terms clearly outlined in black ink: Leanna would marry into the Grey family as a “wife” for a period of one year. During this time, she was to fully comply with the family’s rules. In exchange, all the debts left by her parents would be eliminated.
“This must be a joke,” Leanna couldn’t help but say as she looked over the document.
“Not at all.” Rhett’s voice was deep and icy. “It’s your opportunity—a chance to change your current situation.”
Her fingers trembled slightly at the edges of the paper as she looked at the man before her with complicated emotions. “Why me? Why choose me?”
His gaze grew profound, his voice dropping lower. “Because of your blood. It holds a special significance for us.”
Leanna’s breath caught, and she took a step back. “My blood? What are you talking about?”
“You don’t need to understand that right now,” Rhett said coldly. “But you need to realize that this contract is your only chance.”
Leanna’s mind was a whirlwind. Logic screamed that this was all too absurd, like some twisted joke. Yet the crushing reality of her debts left her with little choice. The image of debt collectors and the threat of losing her home loomed large.
“You’re saying my blood is important to you?” she asked, trying to suppress the tremor in her voice. “I need a reasonable explanation; otherwise, I can’t sign something so outrageous.”
Rhett’s eyes held a hint of amused indifference as he approached her, an overwhelming pressure emanating from him. “A reasonable explanation?” His voice was calm. “Perhaps the opportunity itself is the explanation.”
A chill ran down Leanna’s spine under his gaze, but she stubbornly stood her ground. “If you’re not going to let me understand everything, then I absolutely can’t agree.”
He chuckled softly, a dangerous glint in his eyes. Turning back to the table, he picked up a glass of wine. “Do you really think you have the option to refuse?”
His words struck a nerve. Her fingers tightened around the document as memories of relentless creditors and her dilapidated apartment flooded back. She took a deep breath, inner turmoil intensifying.
“Who exactly are you?” she demanded, a mix of anger and helplessness in her voice. “How do you know everything about me, even the details of my debts?”
“I am Rhett Grey, master of the Grey family. There’s nothing I can’t find out if I wish,” he replied sharply.
“That’s your answer?” Her voice rose slightly, anger ignited by his indifference. “You’re so sure I’ll go along with your plan?”
He set down his glass, stepping closer until only inches separated them. “Leanna, understand this: I’m not certain you’ll comply. I’m simply offering you your only way out.”
“But I’m not your pawn!” she exclaimed, determination flaring in her eyes.
The room’s tension escalated. Rhett stared at her intently before speaking with a subtle threat in his tone. “You might try to refuse, but the consequences could be more severe than you imagine.”
A cold sweat broke out on her back. Instinctively, she gripped the document tighter but maintained her defiance. “Whatever you intend, I need time to consider.”
He gave a faint, meaningful smile. “Of course, you’re entitled to think it over, but time is short. Your debts won’t wait.”
Pressing her lips together, Leanna turned and headed for the door. Rhett didn’t stop her, watching as she disappeared down the corridor.
Leanna gripped the document tightly, her emotions a whirlwind of conflicting feelings. Logic told her that all of this was utterly absurd, like some kind of twisted joke. Yet the weight of reality pressed down on her, making it hard to breathe. The enormous debt left by her parents was like shackles dragging her into an abyss, and this contract before her was the only chance to escape her predicament.
“You’re saying that my blood holds some kind of significance for you?” She looked up directly at Rhett, her voice trembling slightly with tension. “You need to give me a reasonable explanation, or else I can’t possibly sign something so ridiculous.”
A hint of cold amusement flickered in Rhett’s eyes as he slowly approached her, an overwhelming pressure enveloping Leanna. “A reasonable explanation?” His voice was deep. “Perhaps you should understand that the opportunity itself is the explanation.”
Under his intense gaze, Leanna felt a chill run down her spine, but she stubbornly stood her ground without retreating. “If you don’t intend to let me understand everything, then there’s no way I’ll agree.”
Rhett lowered his head and chuckled, a smile that was both disdainful and dangerous. He turned back to the table, picked up a glass of wine, and said calmly yet coldly, “Leanna, do you think you have the option to refuse?”
His words pierced Leanna like a sharp knife, striking her where it hurt most. Her fingers trembled slightly as images of creditors repeatedly coming to harass her, and the dilapidated apartment that was on the verge of being repossessed flashed through her mind. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, but the inner turmoil only intensified.
“Who exactly are you?” she suddenly demanded, her voice filled with anger and helplessness. “Why do you know everything about me, even the exact details of my debts?”
Rhett lifted his gaze, eyes sharp as blades. “I am Rhett Grey, master of the Grey family. If I wish to know something, there’s nothing I can’t find out.”
“That’s your answer?” Leanna’s voice rose slightly, her anger fully ignited by his indifference. “You’re so certain that I’ll follow your plan?”
Rhett slowly set down his wine glass, walked over to her, stopping just inches away. “Leanna, you need to understand one thing. I’m not certain you’ll comply; I’m simply offering you your only way out.”
His voice was deep, carrying an irresistible force, but Leanna felt a surge of uncontrollable anger. “But I’m not your pawn!” she exclaimed loudly, a glint of determination in her eyes.
The atmosphere in the room grew tense, like a drawn bow ready to release. Rhett stared unblinkingly at Leanna, as if scrutinizing her every expression. After a moment, he spoke slowly, his tone carrying a subtle threat: “You might try to refuse, but the consequences could be more severe than you imagine.”
A cold sweat formed on Leanna’s back. Instinctively, she gripped the document tighter, yet she gritted her teeth and said, “Whatever you intend to do, I need time to consider.”
