Chapter 1

"Anna!" The loud call of her stepmother, Bianca woke the sleeping twenty three years old up. She jerked out of the bed, but soon staggered on her wobbling feet.

She glanced at her small clock on the old desk beside her mattress, and as usual, it was only a few minutes past 4 am. 

"Coming ma'am!" She responded as loud as she could. She hurriedly packed her long black hair into a messy bun before running out of her room.

It's a huge house, more like a mansion. It took Anna a few minutes to make it to her stepmother's bedroom.

Getting to the entrance of the room, she knocked on the door twice before standing properly.

"Come in." The woman sounded pissed, making Anna tremble in fear.

"Good morning ma'am." Anna greeted the moment she entered the room, but she got a slap on her left cheek in return with a glare from the woman.

Anna flinched at the sudden pain and her body began to react immediately. She slowly moved away from her stepmother and wrapped her shaking hands around her body. That's the only way she could protect herself, although she was already having a panic attack. The rate of her heartbeat was rapid, leading to heavy and painful pants.

Seeing the terrible situation Anna was in, Bianca smirked. That was exactly what she wanted and she has no plan of relenting. She stepped closer to Anna and raised her hand to hit her again, but the helpless girl was quick to fall to her knees.

"I'm sorry ma'am, please don't hit me." She pleaded. Hearing Anna pleads in pain was Bianca's favorite thing. The woman stopped, she glared at Anna for a while before stepping away from her.

"Let today be the first and the last time you wake up late. Now get lost and prepare my breakfast."

"Yes ma'am." Anna got up with great difficulty and made her way out of the room. She had tears in her eyes, but she wiped them off. It wasn't her first time getting hurt. She wasn't sad or crying because her stepmother had slapped her, no, that's not it.

What made her sad was the fact that she was helpless and weak because of her phobia. She has no say whatsoever, all she could do was to obey and keep leaving like a maid in her father's house for the rest of her life because she can't even live on her own or face the outside world.

She quickly brought out the necessary items needed to prepare the breakfast and she began her day.

Life hasn't been fair to Anna after the passing of her parents. Her mother passed away when she was still in high school due to cancer. Unable to bear the loneliness, her father got married to a widow who had a daughter from her previous marriage.

Things were going just fine until her father fell sick and also passed on. Anna was left with her stepmother and elder sister, but they suddenly changed. The love they once showed her while her father was still alive turned into hatred.

Bianca was indeed a devilish woman with high ambitions. She only got married to Anna's father because of the wealth he owned. She had pretended to love Anna like her very own, but when the man of the house became a victim to the cold hands of death, she let out her true self.

Every single day Bianca witnessed the pure love Anna had received from her father. He would always shower her with love, cherishing her like a diamond. He would always begin his day with his daughter and his actions greatly provoked Bianca and her daughter.

She hated Anna with every blood in her veins and when the man eventually passed on, she took out all her anger and vengeance on the poor innocent girl.

Anna was made a maid right after her father was put to rest. So much pain and suffering were inflicted on her physically, emotionally, and mentally. When she turned eighteen, she developed a phobia called haphephobia due to the intense suffering. She was always physically assaulted by her stepmother, stepsister, and uncle which had a terrible effect on her mental health.

After it was confirmed that she was suffering from haphephobia, Anna knew that her life was over. Her dreams of going to the university were cut short. She couldn't associate with people so she embraced her fate and carried on living as a maid in her father's house. The same place where she was once loved and cherished.

Her life went on like that for many years, and her phobia grew worse. She was left to take care of herself despite knowing that it was impossible due to the turn of events in her life.

However, Bianca didn't relent in her wicked behavior towards Anna, and neither did Tina, her elder step-sister nor her uncle.

They kept on maltreating her till she forgot how to speak for herself. She forgot what being loved entailed and she slowly shut out the world and built a world of sorrow around herself.

Anna was done preparing breakfast, she set the table on time before informing her stepmother. She carried on with her daily activities gladly as she has grown to accept her new life.

The house was huge and often messy due to Bianca's habit of throwing a party at home almost every night with her friends. Anna never complained. She would always clean up the house days before returning to the storeroom given to her as her bedroom or getting the groceries from the mall nearby.

When she was finally done with everything, she took a quick shower and went back to her stepmother in the living room. She needed to get some food items and also get her sanitary pad as the last one just got finished.

"Ma'am I need to get the food items you listed yesterday from the mall." Her head was bowed the whole time while talking to the older woman.

Bianca glared at Anna for a while before looking away. She reached for her purse and gave Anna the exact amount needed to get the items.

"Now get lost, your sight irritates me." 

Anna collected the money but remained there. She needed the pad, but she couldn't ask for the money so she just stood there and it made Bianca mad.

"What is it? Can't you just get lost?" She sounded pissed and Anna quickly fell to her knees.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but I need a sanitary pad. Please I need money for that." She was almost in tears as she spoke. However, Bianca wasn't touched a single bit.

"Well, I don't have any money for that. My precious daughter is coming home in three days from the UK. I've spent all the money to host a welcome back party for her. Now get lost, I have no money for you and your nonsense!" The older woman yelled and Anna quickly walked away in fear.

She sighed heavily as she made her way out of the mansion. The sun was already up in the sky, it was a bright and lovely day and Anna decided to just enjoy the sun since she was walking down the mall anyways.

The street was calm in the morning as everyone had already gone about their daily business or activities. She sighed yet again and lowered her eyes to her shadow on the ground as she thought about everything happening to her.

Throughout the previous years, a close friend from high school who also works at the mall has been the one giving her pads from her salary. However, Anna wasn't too happy about it. She was grateful, but she felt like she was depriving her friend of access to a full salary at month-end. That was why she asked for the money, but it ended up just like old times.

When she got to the mall, she was welcomed with a warm smile by her friend, Rita, and other workers who know her phobia.

They always try their possible best to make sure she's comfortable whenever she visits the mall. 

Anna bought what she came for and just like in old times, Rita gave her two pads and paid with her own money. Anna knew that it would surely end up that way and wasn't happy with the idea, but she was very grateful. 

Once Anna came out from the mall, she sighted an old friend, Frank. He was her senior back in high school, three classes ahead of her.

She stood like a rock staring at the smiling man approaching her. Her heartbeat became rapid, she knew him to be a jovial guy who fancies embracing close ones a lot. Of course, she also wanted to hug him and tell him how much she has suffered, but with her current situation, she can't.

She stepped away from him before he could attempt to embrace her and the smiling man made a halt in front of her.

"It's okay Anna, I won't touch you." Frank sounded too calm, and she nodded slowly.

"Thank you, Frank. It seems you already know about my phobia?" She felt embarrassed asking such questions, but the young man didn't seem to notice it.

"Of course, it's not a secret you know." His smile vanished for a while before he regained his cheerful charisma again.

He has always been the cheerful kind of guy right from their high school days. He never let anyone bully Anna or made her feel sad. Even after the death of her parents, he was always looking out for her until he traveled out of the country to further his studies.

"How have you been? Any improvement on your health issues?" He sounded concerned, but his facial expression dropped when she sighed.

"I'm afraid not. But don't worry, am fine as long as no one touches or hits me." She lowered her eyes and Frank felt bad seeing her that way. 

He had always known her to be a brave and smart person, but seeing her now, he can't even tell if she is still as brave as before. He felt bad, he felt hurt. He wished he could pull her into his embrace and assure her that everything would be fine, but that would be a terrible thing to attempt.

"I'm so sorry for all you had to go through. I wish I could help you out, but I can't." Frank hated the fact that he couldn't help her in any way.

"I understand. You don't have to feel bad, I've already embraced my fate, so please don't feel sorry for me." She moved further away from him and smiled.

"I have to go now. If fate permits, then we shall surely meet again some other time." She waved at him and walked away. 

                              ***

"Dammit!" Grayson cursed loudly before throwing a glass of wine in his hand away. He bit his bottom lip angrily and ran his hand through his hair.

He was just having a nice time in his living room, enjoying a chilled glass of wine when he suddenly felt an extreme wave of sadness taking over his whole being just like every other day.

For many years, Grayson has been experiencing a series of sadness, suffocation, and physical pains even when he's perfectly fine. At first, he thought it was caused by stress, and when he visited the doctor, he was told that his health is perfectly fine.

It went on for many years, and with each added year, the pain, suffocation, sadness, and loss of breath became more severe. There was a certain night Grayson had thought he was going to die due to the intense body pain. He was feeling as if his body was being hit with a rod time after time and it lasted for minutes.

The whole situation was strange to the billionaire, it was driving him insane that he had to share his experience with his childhood friend, Tyler. They both search for answers, but all effort yields no result, leaving Grayson with a troubled mind.

"What's wrong?" Tyler asked the moment he entered the living room. He quickly held Grayson by the hand to keep him sanding properly. before looking at the broken glass on the floor. "Are you alright?"

"I'm not! Why do I always feel this way? What the hell is wrong with me?" Grayson folded his fist in anger as he tried to suck in the unbearable pain he was feeling in his chest.

"I'm sorry my friend. The truth is that I don't know what is wrong with you, but a friend of mine has directed me to someone that can help me. That's what brought me here." Tyler said while helping Grayson to sit on the couch.

"It's no use, I will be returning to America tomorrow, so I see no reason for that. Besides, it will be the same old story as always. Forget about it, I won't go." 

"I get it, Grayson, but you have to give it a try. I heard that she's always helping people with any kind of problem. Please let's get going now." Tyler tried to persuade the billionaire, but Grayson simply shook his head.

"Forget it. I think no one can help me. Maybe this is my fate, or as my parents said, I might be cursed. Let it rest, the pain will surely fade away." 

"But it will still return. Why not come with me, at least let's find out what's wrong with you. You have so much awaiting you back in America, it will be shameful if something like this keeps reoccurring in the presence of your employee. Please let's get going, please."

Tyler's words did make sense to Grayson. He's Indeed a man who controls wealth, fame, and power. He's a well-known businessman who has earned a lot of respect from people around the world due to his generosity. 

After giving it some thought, he agreed to what Tyler suggested, besides, he's returning to America since his vacation in the UK was over.

"Alright, let's go." He agreed.

                               ***

They arrived at the strange-looking shop. Seeing the way it was decorated, Grayson could tell that the activities performed there were fetish. He gave Tyler a weird look, but his best friend urged him to relax and they both made their way into the shop.

As Grayson stepped into the shop, the lady lifted her eyes from what she was doing and looked at Grayson intensely. She didn't blink for a few seconds before she lowered her gaze back to what she was doing.

"I know what brought you here, young man." The woman said and Grayson sighed before voicing his thoughts.

"And what do you assume you know?"

"Your sleepless nights, the sadness, the physical pain, the suffocation, the loss of breath. I know why all that is happening to you." She sounded serious and Grayson was shocked to his bones hearing the lady confirming all he has been going through.

"And what could that be, please? I need it to stop because the whole thing is becoming unbearable and it's driving me insane. Please what is the reason for all that's happening to me and how do I put an end to it?"

"The reason behind your mystery is that you have a soulmate, and you're already bonded to that person."

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Let me know what you think about this chapter.