"Good morning, Young Master!"
A middle-aged man in a black uniform bowed deeply, his face lit with a pleasant smile. "It is a pleasure to see you again."
It took us nearly half an hour to reach a beautiful, lavish farmhouse by the beach. The monotonous roar of the sea, the cold and pleasant breeze of early morning, and the sparkling water gradually began to calm me down.
As soon as we stepped out of the car, a few men hurried forward to receive and welcome their Young Master. Alex, the man who had driven us there, walked briskly ahead to inform the others of our arrival.
"Morning, Domino. Where is Grandpa?" the Young Master asked in a grave voice.
He had looked serious and slightly distracted from the moment we arrived at the farmhouse. I stood silently in a corner near the entrance, fidgeting with my fingers nervously. The wild breeze was tangling my hair, and my feet were sore and bleeding, aching with every step. I was still wearing his black coat, feeling kinda uncomfortable and exposed under the scrutinising gazes of so many strangers around me.
Passing him another black coat, Domino replied promptly, "Old Master is in the training hall, waiting for you."
Putting it on, the Young Master addressed me, "Come with me, Mrs. Richard."
He started walking down a pebbled path lined neatly with rows of cultivated vegetables and colourful flowers. I could even see a beautiful gazebo and a small lake shimmering in the middle of an orchard. The smell of ripe peaches was lingering in the air.
It was such a soothing place, so close to nature, filled with the chirping of birds. Perhaps I would have been mesmerised by its beauty if I weren't here as a captive of the notorious loansharks.
He led me to a wooden corridor and stopped before a closed door. Before entering the hall, the Young Master whispered in a low tone, "Don't panic. None would dare to lay a finger on you here."
I only nodded my head obediently, biting my lips. My heart was pounding crazily while waiting for him outside. The heavy silence around me was unbearable. Icy fear twisted inside me, thinking about all the possible misfortune awaiting for me.
After about ten minutes, a guard in black appeared and ordered me to enter rudely. But his voice didn't reach me until he repeated himself a few times.
I was too nervous to move right away.
My silence seemed to irritate him so much that he shoved me roughly toward the entrance.
"What the hell are you doing, woman? Are you deaf?"
"Ouch!"
A little groan escaped my lips as I twisted my ankle.
At that exact moment, the door swung open again, and the Young Master stepped out. His strong hand caught my arm swiftly, stopping my inevitable fall. His fierce blue eyes shifted onto the guard, freezing him in place.
The man immediately lowered his head, trembling under that cold, commanding gaze.
The guard fumbled while trying to explain himself, "Forgive me, Young Master. She was stubbornly standing and I–-"
"Get out of my sight before I kill you," he shut him up coldly and sharply.
The guard stumbled back, bowing quickly before hurrying down the corridor.
The Young Master's fierce eyes softened the moment he looked down at me,"I told you not to panic," he said comfortingly, "Come inside. He's waiting."
"Mmm! I don't-" I couldn't finish the sentence or step forward, as if a volcano were about to erupt inside me. I was so anxious.
His lips curved into a small, warm grin. In a low whisper, he asked, "Scared?"
I nodded quickly, looking up at him pitifully. He helped me to stand properly and assured me in his velvety voice, "Ayy… My old man is just curious to meet you. There's nothing to worry about. He never touches women."
I mumbled, "L-Let me at least talk with Oliver."
"As you wish, Madam."
His tone was unexpectedly patient. "I've already requested Old Master for that. Would you like to come in now?"
I nodded like a wooden doll.
My throat tightened as I followed him inside. The hall was so silent that I could hear the sound of my own gentle footsteps on the wooden floor along with my rapid heartbeat and heavy breathing. The young man beside me looked so calm and expressionless that his perfectly chiseled face could have been mistaken for a stone sculpture radiating strength and magnificent beauty.
He led me through a vast hall, neatly decorated with an array of antique weapons like swords, daggers, spears, vintage guns, and more. After walking through it, we reached a balcony sitting area with a white marble tea table and a heavenly view of a lotus lake, filled with pink and white bloomed lotuses.
Facing the lotus lake, an old man sat sipping herbal tea, dressed in a black silk karategi. When he looked up at me, his face lit up with a cynical smile. His dark eyes scanned me from head to toe like a hawk studying its prey.