What do you want in return?

Celine got into the car and let the butler drive her home. While inside the car, her thoughts lingered back to the man who helped her.

Celine walked inside the castle while holding a souvenir bag that contained her wedding dress but to her dismay, her luggage was already parked in front of the door.

Ashford was already waiting for her at the door, as if he was expecting her already.

"Father," Celine began, bowing her head. She raised it but Ashford didn't return the greetings. 

Instead, Laura, her stepmother stepped in. "Ashford dear, why not pardon her for now? She has nowhere to go. You know she graduated from college not long ago, so why not leave her?

"You should leave Celine before I dispatch the guards to throw you out," Ashford said, but judging by the way the tension grew in the atmosphere, Celine guessed that her father was angry but why get angry at her when she was the victim?

 "I am the victim here, father! You betrayed me on my wedding day and…"

Slap!

It was Ashford who slapped Celine.

"You went ahead and followed him? Did you even know who he is?" Ashford asked coldly but Celine wasn't a bit moved. 

She thought her father would at one point take her side but he never will. He was always hell-bent on taking Amby's side every time.

"I don't know if you know him but he saved me when I thought I was going to die bleeding. Did you even see my head, Father?" Celine tried to explain but her father cut her off.

Slap!

This time, it was stronger. Tears trickled down Celine's face.

"I don't want to see you ever again. Leave and don't bother to come back here." Ashford declared and added. "I wish your mother didn't give birth to you. You this ingrate child"

Celine only stood there, dumbfounded with the bag in her hand.

"Amby took my mate away from me. father!"  Celine yelled.

"What did you do? Did you do anything?" Celine asked her father.

"Are you planning to disgrace your sister? How can you get married to the man who impregnated your sister Celine?" Laura growled, adding more fuel to the burning fire.

Celine chuckled slightly before shaking her head in denial. "Then I wish them a happy married life, Mother," Celine said.

She retracted her gaze from her father and dragged her luggage out of the castle.

Celine brought out the business card given to her by the strange man and read the content. She realized he was the CEO of a big corporation in North America. 

Celine got her phone from the suitcase and dialed a number.

The receiver picked up the call. 

[Hello ma'am]

"Where are you? Can you send a car to come pick me up right now?" Celine asked.

[Yes. Right away ma. Please send your location]

Celine hangs up the call and forwards her location.

She couldn't believe her father cut off all her credit cards and he thought she wouldn't find a way out of this mess.

A bitter smile graced Celine's lips as she looked at the road. The sun is already setting and it will be night soon. This time, she wasn't planning to hide who she was.

Celine stood at the roadside, waiting for the car when a black latest model car stopped in front of her. She tried to look elsewhere, reminiscing about her life but the car horn.

"But I don't remember telling Felix to get this type of car for me. Is he already here?" Celine wondered.

Celine Walked towards the car leaving her bag behind when the window was wind down.

"I thought you were going to ask for my help at some point, Celine. Get into the car and my offer is still valid." It was no one else but Vladimir and even now, he looked more handsome.

"You can still be my wife," Vladimir said with a playful smile on his lips and Celine wondered if he was hell-bent on making her his wife but for what?

Celine could remember vividly well that she was never allowed to have a boyfriend throughout her college years because Amby always took the spotlight.

But now, an offer is here. Right in front of her, a man is asking her to be his wife for a year.

Celine had hoped her father would one day come to love her and everyone would treat her differently. But at a point, she wanted to escape badly from her cruel father and sister but now that they let her go first, she considered paying them back.

Celine can finally live among the people without having to hide herself or stay cooped up in her room.

Celine knew nothing about this man but why is her wolf telling and pushing her to just agree to the strange man's request? 

She is not that poor to not take care of herself but now that she thinks about it. Agreeing to his request will do her no harm.

"This is freedom right in front of you, Celine. Are you going to ignore it?" Celine asked herself, pulling her gaze back to him.

"I will help you," Vladimir said with a faint smile. Celine cleared her throat and asked.

"Why?"

"Because I want to know that I don't pity you. I just need a woman by my side" Vladimir replied.

"And what would you gain by helping me? You can have any woman if you want. Why me?" Celine asked with a heart beating loudly in her chest. She just wanted to ask these questions but the truth is, she is ready to go with him.

"A lot," Vladimir replied, maintaining his composure.

"And what are those?" She asked.

"I can't tell you that but you are safe with me, Celine," Vladimir replied, with his index finger pressed to the crook of his nose.

"Then, what do you want in return?"

"Nothing for now but I will want something in return in the future and I know you will do it" Celine sees no harm in this and she believes she is not going to regret it.

"I will take your offer but don't regret it if I don't later accept what you want," Celine said aloud for Vladimir to hear, not having any ounce of regret in her.

A smirk graced Vladmir's lips when he heard Celine's reply. 

Slowly, Vladimir got out of the car and got Celine's luggage inside. 

"I'm glad you made the right decision," Vladimir said but the man wasn't smiling.

"Get your things ready yourself tomorrow morning, princess. We will be moving on to signing the marriage certificate soon, though there will be no official wedding yet. Welcome to my home, Celine," Vladimir said, stretching out his hand for a handshake.

Celine shook hands and the moment, they did. Her body was electrified to settle at the pit of her stomach. There were butterflies in her stomach and it made her shudder with a strange desire.  It felt as if a fire was ignited inside of her.

Celine's hand involuntarily went to her cheek, trying to soothe the aching cheek. She couldn't mutter anything, as she got into the car with Vladimir while he drove the car towards the tiled road.

This is a new beginning for Celine Brown and this time, she plans to come back stronger. Celine threw her head to the back seat and reminisced alone about what happened that day.

Celine could imagine Amby and Kieran giggling as they made love. And this thought made a lone tear trickle down her face slowly before she quickly wiped it away.