Chapter 1 Conception And Birth

• "It hurts…" Allacia Clayton's lips quivered.
• She lay on the cold operating table, her legs spread wide open, as waves of pain surged through her. She resigned herself to the doctor's actions while he inserted a glass tube into her body.
• The sight of her pallid complexion elicited nothing but disdain from the doctor. "Just endure this pain once, and you'll be walking away with 60 million. Miss Clayton, you've hit the jackpot!" His words hung heavy in the air, dripping with the weight of the unspeakable bargain before her.
• With a heavy heart, she closed her eyes with tears of shame trickling silently down her cheeks.
• If only I could turn away from the lure of the 60 million… She sighed inwardly.
• …
• A mere month ago, her fiancé, Daniel Kleffton, had been consumed by despair over the financial crumbling of his family, leading him to recklessly speed through the streets. In a tragic twist of fate, he collided with a prominent figure from Tralis, leaving the latter in a coma.
• This figure, the sole heir of a prestigious family, held significant sway in Tralis' social circles.
• With their sole grandson now being crippled, the grandfather of the influential figure, Calvin Lloyd, was determined to take revenge on Daniel by condemning him to a life behind bars. After Allacia's tearful pleas, Calvin reluctantly offered her a solution: she must conceive and bear a child for his comatose grandson.
• Having been orphaned at a tender age, Allacia was taken in and raised by the Kleffton Family. She and Daniel had shared a close bond, strengthened by her debt of gratitude for his having saved her life.
• Despite her inner turmoil and reluctance, she understood that she had no choice but to offer herself up for sacrifice.
• Once the doctor confirmed that the embryo had been safely put into her uterus, he left the room with his tools.
• A profound silence enveloped the operating room, and Allacia could only hear the chaotic rhythm of her own heartbeat echoing in the stillness.
• She slowly sat up, and a wave of warmth surged through her body, accompanied by a sensation of release. The pristine white sterile sheet beneath her began to blur as a pool of blood spread.
• This was her first time...
• ...
• Ten months later, the cries of two infants echoed through the delivery room, filling the space with their wails.
• "Sir, they're twins. Two little boys," announced the doctor excitedly.
• An elderly man with silver hair gently received the babies from the doctor, his eyes brimming with tender affection.
• Allacia's vision blurred as she gazed upon the two babies. Their tiny bodies exuded an undeniable charm, their features delicate and refined. She couldn't help but allow a soft smile to grace her lips. Yet, the bittersweet reality that these two precious babies did not belong to her flooded her heart with a pang of sorrow.
• "My children... Let me see them, just for a moment... Just one glance," she pleaded, her voice tinged with longing and regret.
• The elderly man's gaze bore into her like a dagger, his eyes piercing through her resolve. "Miss Clayton, the sum of 60 million and the agreement regarding the accident are placed right beside your pillow. I shall be leaving with the infants, and you can pretend this transaction never happened," he declared with an air of finality before briskly leaving with his entourage.
• "No, please don't take my children." Her anguished cry sounded through the room as her heart wrenched with unbearable pain.
• For ten months, she had carried her children within her, so her love for them flowed through her veins like a river of devotion. Hence, how could she possibly bear to be torn apart from her flesh and blood?
• With frantic determination, she raced after them. Each step of hers was a desperate plea to halt the impending separation. Yet, as she pursued, a sudden, sharp pain surged through her body, causing her to falter in her pursuit. And then, amidst the chaos, another sound pierced the air. It was a newborn's cry.
• Allacia cradled her newborn daughter tightly with trembling arms. She cried tears of joy as she held her precious baby. Unbeknownst to her, she was not just blessed with two babies, but three. This was a divine gift bestowed upon her by the heavens, and she vowed to cherish and protect with every ounce of her strength.
• …
• Six years later, at Saint Court Hotel, Allacia staggered into her room, her steps unsteady and her senses clouded. She was compelled to consume an excessive amount of alcohol at tonight's banquet. Now, she felt her body was very hot, as if it was burning up like a furnace.
• "I feel thirsty..." she murmured.
• Allacia made her way toward the bar. As she drank a few glasses of red wine, the warmth washed over her, and it eased the heat in her belly slightly. Yet, paradoxically, it also served to further blur the already hazy landscape of her thoughts.
• Bang!
• The sound echoed through the room as Zishan threw open the bathroom door, his senses tingling with the presence of an unexpected visitor.
• He wrapped himself in a towel and strode into the bedroom.
• Upon the bed lay a woman, who was dressed in a deep V-neck black. Her skin appeared as smooth and flawless as porcelain, her legs were long and slender, and her waist, cinched by the fabric, drew the eye with its delicate curves.
• Though she was undoubtedly breathtaking, he found himself unmoved by her beauty. His gaze passed over her figure without a flicker of interest.
• His brow furrowed in consternation. "Who gave you the nerve to come in here?" he demanded, his voice laced with a steely edge.
• Allacia's eyelashes fluttered, yet she remained asleep.
• Growing increasingly impatient, he closed the distance between them with precise yet purposeful movements. He lifted her from the bed and cradled her gently in his arms like a fragile bird before picking up a wine glass and splashing it in her face.
• "Get out of my sight! I have absolutely no interest in someone as lowly as you!" he exclaimed with disgust, his words dripping with disdain.
• As the heir of the prestigious Lloyd Family, a century-old household in Tralis, and the president of Lloyd Group, he had been the target of countless women's advances and manipulations. Surely, this woman before him was just another in a long line.
• "Mmm..." A soft murmur escaped Allacia's lips as she blinked open her eyes.
• In front of her stood a man whose features seemed chiseled by the hands of God. He had a high nose bridge, lips pressed into a tight line, and eyes as deep and unforgiving as the ocean.
• His jet-black hair glistened with moisture, droplets tracing paths down his sculpted cheekbones. His waist was slim, and his long legs were covered by a towel. Hence, it accentuated the strong muscles on his tanned stomach, which gave off a tough and cold vibe.
• Allacia hiccupped, unable to contain her admiration, and instinctively exclaimed. "Wow, you're really handsome...Did you stumble into the wrong room, or are you a gigolo who has willingly come to my room?"
• Her cloudy gaze trailed over his abdominal muscles as her fingers caressed them. She found herself reluctant to withdraw her hand as she was captivated by the sensation of his firm physique beneath her touch.
• "You've got an amazing body. How much for a night? I'll even throw in a 10-dollar deal!"
• Zishan's expression darkened, and his eyes gleamed with hostility.
• This woman has the audacity to treat me like a commodity, attempting to purchase me for a measly 10 dollars? Some nerve you have there!
• He tossed her onto the bed with a forceful motion, and his broad body loomed over hers as he pressed down. "You're the first woman who has ever thought of paying for a night with me," he declared, his voice laced with a mix of surprise and amusement.
• A hint of amusement flickered in her eyes as she coyly replied, "And are you open to the offer?"
• Her cheeks flushed a deep crimson, and as her lips parted ever so slightly, a sweet yet intoxicating aroma filled the air and tickled his senses with a tantalizing sweetness. Surprisingly, it stirred within him a peculiar sensation, as if a dormant part of his being had suddenly been awakened by the irresistible allure of her presence.
• Six years earlier, a devastating car accident had left him in a comatose state for months, resulting in various physical impairments, including the loss of basic male functions. Yet, in the presence of this woman, he felt a surge of warmth coursing through his veins and awakening dormant desires…
• The intensity in his gaze deepened as he struggled to find the right words.
• "You…"
• Before he could utter a sound, she suddenly arched her body and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her supple body pressed intimately against his, her sweet and tender lips eagerly meeting his own... Their kiss was passionate as her tongue explored his mouth with a mix of innocence and allure. Hence, leaving him spellbound by its raw, captivating charm.
• Zishan's breaths became shallow, and his chest tightened with anticipation as he felt the heat coursing through his body as if it were on the verge of combustion.
• In that electrifying moment, she lifted her legs and wrapped them around his waist. Consequently, this drew them even closer.
• "Mmm…"
• In the icy glare of Zishan, a tempest of fervent longing danced within...
• "Woman! You shall be held accountable for the inferno you've kindled!"
• With a grandiose sweep, he discarded the bath towel, his imposing physique poised to assert dominance. Yet, the fragile woman shut her eyes tightly, her delicate lashes trembling as tears welled up while she uttered a plea laden with heartache, "Why won't you cherish me… Daniel, you'll never grasp the sacrifices I made for you six years ago..."
• As the weight of her words settled in, Zishan's gaze grew somber, and the tense desire gradually waned.
• Even in her sleep, her lips whisper another man's name.
• As the formidable ruler of a shadowy underworld within his empire, whose power knew no bounds, he disdained entangling himself with a married woman. Even if she alone was capable of stirring a response within him…