Chained to his love

Chapter 1 – The Shattered Heart The crystal chandelier sparkled in the Sterling mansion, its golden light reflecting off the polished marble floor. Large garden with different types of flowers surrounded the mansion . Servants moved quietly through the grand halls, but in one corner room of the estate sat Elena Sterling, the beloved only daughter of the Sterling family. She had long shining hair, round big blue eyes but her hair are all messy and her beautiful blue eyes is all red .All the things in the room are shattered and broken as if it she doesn’t wants anything any more. Despite her wealth, Elena’s heart carried a childlike innocence. She had never cared for luxury, nor did she flaunt her last name. What she wanted most was love—simple, genuine love as most of the innocent girl wants. Wants only one man to give all her love and even she was Will to do anything. And she believed she had found it. But she didn’t know that it is not easy to found true love. Her hands held tightly to a small bouquet of roses, their crimson petals soft against her palms. They weren’t expensive or rare, but to her, they were priceless because they came from him—Adrian, the man who had stolen her heart. She thought that he was her world. Some time her friends said that Adrian is not how you see or believe he is but Elena is blind in Adrian love. He isn’t like the others, Elena often told herself. He doesn’t see me for my money. He sees me. Adrian was everything she thought she wanted: charming, witty, and humble. He came from middle class family, yet his smile could light up her darkest days. In her innocence, Elena saw him as her escape from the cold world of business deals and arranged expectations that surrounded her life. Adrian shows Elena that she was her every thing and whether rich or poor , even she was actually from poor family he would treat her as she is. “He likes me as I’m” Elena thought. That evening, she had planned a surprise for him. A dinner at her favorite café by the riverside, the place where they had first met. She wanted to tell him how much he meant to her, how deeply she trusted him. But trust, she was about to learn, was the cruelest illusion of all. The café was warm and inviting, filled with the soft hum of conversations and the scent of freshly baked bread. Elena entered quietly, her silk dress brushing against her ankles as she searched for Adrian. Her heart leapt when she spotted him—tall and familiar, his dark hair tousled just the way she liked. She was excited and nervous to express her feelings But her steps froze, her breath catching in her throat. Adrian wasn’t alone. Seated across from him was a woman, older and dressed in a sleek black dress that screamed sophistication. At first she thought she must be his normal friend but Adrian leaned forward, his eyes glinting, his hand resting over the woman’s as he whispered something that made her laugh. Elena’s stomach twisted. Her grip on the roses tightened until thorns pricked her skin. No… this can’t be real. She took a step closer, her heels clicking against the wooden floor, but Adrian didn’t notice. He was too busy gazing at the woman as if she were his entire world. “Elena?” The café owner, a kind elderly man who adored her, touched her arm gently. “Are you alright, dear?” Elena forced a trembling smile. “I… I’m fine.” But she wasn’t. Her heart shattered into pieces as she turned and walked out of the café, the bouquet slipping from her hands, scattering crimson petals across the floor. That night, Elena returned home in silence. She locked herself in her bedroom, staring blankly at her reflection in the mirror. The girl staring back at her looked fragile, broken. She remembered every sweet word Adrian had ever spoken, every promise of forever, and realized it had all been a lie. Tears blurred her vision. Her hands shook as she pulled open the drawer of her vanity, searching for something—anything—to ease the ache – she throw all the things from the drawer but she didn’t know what she was searching and what could ease her ache .Her eyes landed on a small silver flask, a gift from a cousin, still unopened. She opened the gift box, there was photos of Adrian with the women which Elena saw in the café . She never believe what her friends said to her about Adrian so her cousin give her photos about Adrian but she never open it . Today she opened it but her heart was already broken. She had never drunk before. She wasn’t reckless. She was always the good daughter, the perfect heiress. But tonight… tonight she wanted to forget. Elena went to bar in her mansion there are lots of different types of wine collected by her father and brother she never enter in this room but today her leg unconscious enter the room. Uncapping the flask, she took her first burning sip. The bitterness seared her throat, but she welcomed the pain. One sip became another, till bottle is empty and soon the world tilted. Her sobs turned into laughter, broken and hollow. She stumbled to her feet, her silk gown swaying as she made her way out of the mansion, ignoring the startled voices of the servants asking her where she was going and stopping her . For once, Elena didn’t want to be Elena Sterling. She just wanted to be a girl who didn’t feel anything. The city lights blurred as she wandered aimlessly, clutching the flask. She passed clubs, bars, and busy streets, her mind foggy with drink and despair. Finally, her legs gave way, and she leaned against a sleek black car parked on the side of the road. Without thinking, she pulled the door open and slipped inside. The leather seat was cool against her burning skin. A deep voice cut through the haze. “What the hell are you doing in my car?” Elena’s head snapped up, her vision swimming until it settled on a man seated beside her. He was tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in an immaculate black suit. His face was carved from stone, with sharp gray eyes that pinned her in place. Damian Blackwood. She had heard of him, of course. Everyone had. The ruthless CEO, the man who built an empire with nothing but sheer will and cruelty. He was feared in boardrooms, respected in society, and untouchable to everyone else. But right now, Elena didn’t see a tycoon. She saw someone who wasn’t Adrian. Someone who wasn’t her betrayal. “Please…” her voice cracked as she leaned against the seat, tears spilling freely. “Don’t make me go home. I don’t want to be alone.” Damian’s brows furrowed. Women often threw themselves at him, but never like this. Never broken. Never trembling with such raw vulnerability. “You’re drunk,” he muttered, but when she swayed, he instinctively reached out to steady her. “I don’t care,” she whispered, her fingers clutching his shirt as if it were her lifeline. “Just… don’t leave me tonight.” For the first time in years, Damian Blackwood felt his control slip. And with it, the beginning of a story neither of them could escape.