You're Mine Until the Contract Burns

Chapter 2 Failed Escape

The chaotic, humiliating scene made Ella's temples throb painfully, her mind on the edge of snapping.

Maybe it was the feeling that someone had walked in, but Jack, his movements frozen, glanced towards the door. His expression shifted to panic as he hastily grabbed a piece of clothing to cover himself, quickly scrambling to his feet. "Ella! What are you doing here?" he shouted.

Only then did she take in the full, ugly picture. Behind Jack stood a tall, muscular man, and in front of him, looking smug and unbothered, was Ella's older sister, Flora Field.

Jack stumbled over several naked bodies on the floor as he rushed towards Ella. Flora, however, gave her a cold, mocking smile, before wrapping herself around Jack like nothing was wrong and starting up again.

The sight was revolting. It was filthy.

Without thinking, Ella slapped Jack across the face, fury flooding through her. "We're done!" she hissed, her teeth clenched in disgust.

Jack, desperate, grabbed her hand, trying to stop her. But Ella, with a surge of anger, lifted her knee and slammed it into his stomach. He gasped, doubling over in pain. Ella towered over him, pointing her finger at his pathetic form. "How dare you touch me with those filthy hands! You disgust me!" she spat.

Her heart was pounding painfully as she fought back the tears. With a final look at Jack, she turned and stumbled out of the room. Her steps faltered as she collided with Carlos' chest.

She looked up at him, her face tear-streaked and wide-eyed. His gaze softened slightly when he saw the tears in her eyes, and his brows furrowed in quiet concern.

Ella pushed him away, her humiliation boiling over, and rushed down the stairs.

"Anthony." Carlos' voice was firm.

"Understood, sir," Anthony responded immediately, following Ella down the stairs.

Jack, still half-dressed, didn't dare to follow. Instead, he leaned against the doorframe, uselessly calling after her. "Ella, just let me explain..."

Carlos, standing in the shadows, sneered in disgust. "What a 'gentleman'."

It was almost too ironic. A young woman, full of hope and dreams of love, had stumbled straight into such filth.

Ella trudged barefoot down the road, dragging her wedding gown behind her. Her face was a mess of tears, and the reality of how her three years with Jack had ended felt almost unbearable.

Exhausted, she sank down onto the side of the road. And that was when she noticed the black Rolls-Royce still trailing her.

She turned, hiccupping through her sobs, to see Carlos stepping out of the car.

He walked towards her, each step deliberate, his tall form silhouetted against the dying light. When he reached her, he simply stood, saying nothing.

"You think I'll cry my eyes out, huh?" Ella's voice wavered, frustration and anger bubbling up.

Carlos didn't answer, so Ella, wiping away her tears, added, "Well, you'll be disappointed. Ella Field doesn't..." She tried to finish, but her defiance broke down as the tears started again, and she collapsed into sobs.

Carlos glanced around. People were starting to take notice, and to avoid any more attention, he bent down and scooped her up in his arms.

"What... what are you doing? Let me go!" Ella kicked her feet in protest, but it was no use.

She was quickly placed into the car, and it sped off into the night.

In the now-empty bar, a drunken Ella clutched a bottle, rambling incoherently about her love story with Jack. It turned out Jack wasn't the gentleman she thought he was—he just wasn't interested in her.

And with a b***h like Flora always lurking around, ready to seduce him...

Neither of them was worth anything. They were nothing but a pair of scumbags.

Carlos stood quietly nearby, listening intently, occasionally clinking glasses with her, indulging her as she let go of all her frustration.

"Thanks for listening," Ella mumbled, her words slurring as she leaned against him. "I don't even know your name. I'm Ella, Ella Field. What about you?"

Carlos took the bottle from her hand and calmly replied, "Carlos. That's my name."

"Carlos... Carlos..." Ella whispered his name softly, eyes half-closed.

Then, she felt herself being gently lifted off the ground. As her heavy eyelids fluttered open just a crack, she saw his perfect profile, bathed in a soft golden light, glowing with an almost hypnotic charm.

The next thing Ella knew, she was waking up in a large, luxurious bed the next morning. A dull headache pulsed through her skull, a reminder of the night before.

The sheets were pristine, and she felt no discomfort, so it seemed nothing had happened.

But where was the man who had been with her all night?

Before she could process the thought, the door opened, and her father, Benjamin, appeared, clearly furious.

Under the watchful eyes of bodyguards, Ella was forcibly escorted back home. A family doctor was already waiting in the living room.

Ella's unease grew.

"Father, what is going on here?" she asked, her voice trembling with confusion.

Benjamin's face twisted with anger. "What's going on? You still have the audacity to ask? I'm having your body checked, of course! I don't want you ruining the family's reputation with your loose behavior! The Harrison family wants a pure, untouched bride, and if you mess this up, don't blame me for kicking you out! Now, bind her!"

"Father, you can't do this!" Ella screamed, struggling as they bound her hands and feet and forced her onto the couch.

She had never been treated like this, never been so humiliated. No matter how much she fought, it was futile.

The doctor quickly returned with the results. "Sir, she is still a virgin."

Benjamin's expression, which had been filled with rage just moments before, immediately softened.

"Good girl," he said, his tone shifting to something almost affectionate. "You're the pride and hope of this family. If you just marry into the Harrison family as planned, I'll give you whatever you want. We'll go together to apologize to Mr. Harrison today and beg for his forgiveness, and then you'll marry him. The Field family will be forever grateful."

Ella's rage boiled over. "What if I say no? Why are you doing this to me? If you force me any further, I'll kill myself. You can wait for a 'clean corpse' to send to the Harrison family!"

"Ella!" her mother, Sophia, cried, her voice shaking. The sight of her mother's distress made Ella's anger waver, but it didn't fully extinguish it. "Mom, why are you doing this to me?" Ella's voice cracked, the pain of betrayal raw in her chest.

Sophia's voice broke, barely above a whisper. "Ella, our family... we're going bankrupt. Your father has accumulated millions in debt, and if we don't pay it off, he'll go to prison. Can you really stand to watch our family fall apart?"

The words hit Ella like a thunderbolt.

She turned towards Benjamin, who sighed deeply, nodding gravely.

Ella collapsed to the floor, her world crumbling around her. Benjamin, seeing her break down, tried to soften his tone. "Please, think of everything we've done for you. Save our family."

Ella could only stare at him in silence. This twisted sense of familial duty, mixed with love and manipulation, made her sick. Yet, she couldn't ignore the tears in her mother's eyes.

The following day, the Field family drove to Rosewood Manor—her so-called fiancé's home.

It was massive. Unbelievably grand. Granwy Mansion had been luxurious, but it looked small in comparison to the overwhelming splendor of Rosewood Manor.

A middle-aged butler, dressed in black, greeted them with a distant politeness.

"Please wait in the foyer. Mr. Harrison will be down shortly."

They stood in awkward silence as the butler left.

The enormous lobby, the gleaming gold accents—it all felt surreal.

Ella clutched her mother's hand, her gaze wandering over the grandeur. Then, a steady footstep echoed from upstairs. All three of them turned their eyes to the staircase.

A tall, imposing figure appeared at the top, and Ella's heart stopped.

'It's him.'