Trouble?

The slow crawling of his warm hands across her cold, pale skin ignited a spine-tingling and pleasant feeling all over her.

Her body shook as a sensual heatwave coursed over her body as she subconsciously yearned for more. More of his warm hands on her and more of his hot breath caressing her skin, stirring up that feeling she felt whenever he looked at her or grazed his skin against her.

She felt her head spin when those heated hands slowly and torturously trailed down her cold cheek. The soft touch of his fingers ignited a fire in her. It was revolting yet appealing, so much she felt herself subconsciously succumb to him. No! she couldn't do that! She shouldn't let a stranger touch her. But why was she motionless?

Her lashes drooped when he teasingly brushed his lips on that sensitive part of her neck while his hand kept caressing her cheeks. A low moan escaped her slightly parted lips as she tilted her face into his large warm palms.

"Look at me," She heard his magnetic voice say, and like a hypnotised baby, her eyes slowly fluttered open to the hot and overwhelming gaze of his divinely looking eyes.

"What do you want, Elleanor?" His sensuously hooded voice asked, causing ripples to blaze through her skin.

Her mouth hung open as she tried to stop herself, but the more she watched him stare at her, the more something stirred inside of her, "I- I want you to touch me," She whispered.

Neveah gasped when she jerked up from that horrifying dream. 'What was that?' She asked herself in horror.

Did..did she just dream of him? Of him touching her and what was that she said?!

She nervously swallowed, her hand gently patting on her heaving chest. That was a nightmare. What had that man done to her?

Her eyes flew to the other side of the bed, but she was surprised to find it empty. She scanned every corner of the room, but his presence was nowhere to be found.

She looked at the bed again, noticing how smooth and untouched it looked like no one had slept there. 'Did she sleep alone?'

Neveah didn't know if she should feel relieved or worried.

Worried? Why should she be worried?

Last night he had boldly declared she would crave for his touch, and now she had dreamt about him touching her? And she had asked him to touch her?! What sort of spell had his words cast on her?

Neveah cringed as she thought about the dream once more. This man was indeed dangerous. She wasn't safe here.

Her mind drifted to the person who had always made her feel safest. She had tried calling him last night after Dale had left her alone in the room to take her bath, but she had not been able to reach him.

'How worried he must be by now.' She thought. He must have searched for her, and knowing her mother, she knew she would never tell him about this deceitful plan she had lured her into.

'Poor Francis', She sighed.

She reached for her phone on the bedside table and once again she tried to call him, but to utmost dismay, she couldn't reach him. Was something wrong? She tried again, but she got the same result.

Her brows creased. His phone had never been unreachable; what was wrong now? Had something happened to him? Did he, by chance, find out about what had happened? Her heart skipped at that thought.

Immediately she dialled her mother's number, and after two rings, she picked up.

"Hello, mother," She greeted, but what she heard from the other side of the phone got her heart frozen.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Neveah?!" She heard him roar.

"Fa... father." She stuttered.

"What madness is this? How dare you do this? How dare the both of you do something as crazy as this?" He asked lividly. Neveah could visualize his vein pop.

"I'm sorry, father. Mother had–"

"No right to make such a decision and you had all the right to say no." He snapped, making Neveah tremble. She had never heard her father this angry.

"Jacob." She heard her mother call his name, but from how quiet her voice turned, she could imagine her father had sent his signatory glare at her.

"Come back home this instant." He ordered.

"She won't!" Her mother boldly refuted.

"Have you gone mad? Are you going to play such a dirty game to save our family?"

'Save their family?' Neveah was perplexed about what they were talking about.

"Yes." Her mother answered.

"This deceit would only ruin us. Mr Stuart will be infuriated if he finds out about this. That man is no ordinary man, and Neveah would be in trouble if he finds out he has been tricked."

"He won't hurt her." Mrs Steele declared while her husband chuckled derisively.

"And how do you that? How are you sure our daughter, your daughter, will be safe when the truth about this comes to light?!" He roared.

"He promised to care for Elle."

"Elle, and not Neveah! And do you really believe his words? Do you read the articles at all? Dale Stuart is a monster."

"Who offered to help us." Mrs Steele stated.

"Yes, he might have offered to help us, but I had only agreed because Elle said yes to his proposal! Only God knows what she was thinking at the time, and now she dare runs away?!" He couldn't believe the tenacity of that child. Didn't she agree to this marriage? How dare she put Neveah in such a position. No, how dare his wife endanger their innocent daughter like this?

Neveah wasn't like Elle; she was a sweet young girl who had her own untainted world painted in her head. She hated trouble and had always tried to stay away from it. She made upbringing easy for him as a father, and even his wife could attest to that.

Not once had she ever made a request as a child till that one time she requested to school in another country. It had been a difficult decision for him as she was still a teenager, but having complete faith in her, he had agreed because she was one child he was completely proud of. He was sure she'd never do anything that'll make him regret his decision. Not that he wasn't proud of his eldest child, but Neveah was a child every parent would wish for.

So how dare his wife do something like this to that innocent child?!

Returning his attention to the phone, he said, "Neveah, my child, please come home. I would speak to Mr Dale, and I'm sure he would understand. Don't worry; I'll come to get you –."

"No, father." She suddenly interjected him, surprising both herself and her father. Neveah wasn't sure of what she was doing, she shouldn't be doing anything at all, but she further heard herself say, "I'll stay till Elle is found."

"Neveah–"

"No, father, let me do this." She said, cutting him short again. She drew a short breath and continued, "I don't know what's going on, but whatever trouble you guys are in, I want to help." Even if it means staying with a devil.

"Find Elle and bring her back....and help me find Francis." This was her decision.

Neveah was still on the phone when she suddenly felt a presence in the room. Slowly lifting her head, she stiffened when she saw the person standing by the door.