Chapter 1 The Bad Man

• The night was as dark as ink, with the ocean roaring like distant thunder. The grand bonfire party blazed in full swing, its glow flickering against the shore. As Summer stepped into the tent, a pair of strong arms suddenly wrapped around her from behind.
• "Help me."
• The voice was sharp and cold, cutting through the air like a wintry gust, sending a chill down her spine. Summer didn't need to look to know the man behind her was trouble.
• Tonight, the school had organized a beachside bonfire party to celebrate the seniors' graduation. The event had drawn a massive crowd, not just students but people from all walks of life—a true mix of every kind. Summer had no idea which category this man fell into; she only knew that anyone bold enough to act like this couldn't be up to any good.
• "Sir, please calm down," she murmured, keeping her voice steady in an attempt to ease him.
• But in an instant, he twisted her around and pressed her onto the makeshift cot. Her pulse hammered as panic seized her. "Let go of me, you scoundrel!"
• "Don't make a sound."
• One hand covered her mouth as he leaned close, his breath warm against her cheek. "I'll take responsibility."
• In the dimness, he wore a silver mask that obscured most of his face. All she could see were his deep-set eyes, intense and unreadable, a dangerous blend of allure and something darker.
• Being no stranger to adult situations, Summer understood his intentions immediately. His overwhelming body heat pulsed against her, a steady reminder of her predicament. She shook her head, her voice a barely audible plea. "No... please, no..."
• Her boyfriend was outside at the bonfire. They'd been together for four years, and tonight was his birthday. She had planned everything to make tonight special, to offer him a gift of herself, but now—no. She couldn't let this stranger destroy everything.
• Just then, the sound of shouts and hurried footsteps cut through the night outside the tent.
• "Search every tent! I saw him run this way."
• "He's been drugged and can't have gone far. He's hiding in one of these."
• The voices gave Summer a flicker of hope.
• Were they after this man?
• Maybe they would save her.
• She opened her mouth to shout, "He's in here—" But his lips crashed onto hers, silencing her in an instant, her mind suddenly blank and still.
• "Just listen to me," he murmured against her ear, his voice coaxing.
• The next moment, a sharp wave of pain tore through her, crashing into her like the relentless ocean outside.
• At that instant, a group burst through the tent flaps, only to be halted in shock. The scene before them froze them in place, wide-eyed and stunned.
• Fortunately, Summer was shielded by the man's towering figure. He angled his bare back toward them, standing over her in a stance that exuded authority.
• Dropping his voice, he growled at the intruders, "Can't you see I'm busy? Get lost!"
• His tone was cold and unyielding, enough to send a shiver through the group.
• The leader stammered an apology. "S-sorry, sir. We'll leave immediately."
• A moment later, he signaled to his group to exit, retreating from the tent, faces flushed with awkwardness.
• As they left, Summer's last thread of hope slipped away.
• "Such confidence, playing out here without a lookout," one of the voices scoffed.
• "Yeah, but you've got to admit, that guy's got an impressive build, and the woman's legs are stunning!" another chuckled.
• "Quit the chatter! If we don't find him tonight, you'll regret it!" snapped the leader.
• Their voices drifted off, swallowed by the night, and with them, Summer's last flicker of hope vanished, leaving her in utter despair. Her only thought was that this scoundrel had ruined her, crushing the life she had wanted to give to someone else. Desperate tears traced down her cheeks as she whimpered, "Please, let me go. I'm begging you, just let me go."
• She struggled, but his strength was unyielding, rendering her helpless.
• "Someone, please! Help me!" she cried out. "Grace, Lawrence, someone… please save me…"
• Her voice, however, was lost amidst the sounds of revelry outside. Her pleas faded into silent sobs as she felt hope slip further away.
• The sight of her tears seemed to soften something within him. He brushed them away with his lips, murmuring, "Don't cry. I promise I'll take care of you."
• But his words brought her no comfort; instead, a wave of disgust churned within her. She was powerless against him, exhausted and weak, barely able to resist his advances. As her strength waned and she felt herself slipping into oblivion, she vaguely sensed the cold touch of a ring sliding onto her finger.
• "Wear this. It's my promise to you."
• A promise?
• She found his words hollow and mocking, devoid of sincerity. All she longed for was the love and loyalty of Lawrence, her boyfriend, not the false promises of a stranger.
• …
• Summer was roused from her slumber by her best friend, Grace.
• When she opened her eyes, she saw that the man had already vanished without a trace.
• Her clothes were still perfectly in place, an unsettling contrast to the turmoil swirling within her. Were it not for the aching reminder somewhere deep inside her, she might have convinced herself it had all been a terrible nightmare.
• "Summer, you didn't come back just to change clothes and run off after Lawrence—how did you end up falling asleep?" Grace looked at Summer's sleep-dazed face with a hint of dismay.
• "The party's already over. If you don't move forward with your grand plan now, then when will you?"
• In that next breath, Grace's gaze landed on the faint bruises tracing Summer's neck. She gasped, her hand flying up to cover her mouth in shock.
• "Summer, don't tell me that you two already…"
• As she spoke, she leaned closer, tugging gently at the collar of Summer's shirt.
• Taking in the mottled marks across her fair skin, Grace teased, "Look at these battle scars! They're quite something. Just looking at this, I can tell things must have gotten… intense. So, tell me—how was Lawrence? Was he good? Gentle?"
• Grace genuinely felt happy for her friend; after all, Summer and Lawrence had been together for four long years, and now it seemed they had finally moved forward.
• But rather than responding to Grace's eager questions, Summer's eyes filled with tears, and she broke down crying.
• "Grace, what am I supposed to do?"
• Confused, Grace tried to reassure her with a gentle smile. "Come on, what's there to worry about? You should just marry Lawrence! You've always had feelings for each other, and now you can simply make it official. Besides, he comes from a good family, so you wouldn't be missing out!"
• "No, it wasn't him. It was a stranger—a thug. I was… violated."
• The shock of Summer's confession struck Grace like a thunderclap. Her voice trembled as she struggled to grasp the reality of it. "How could there have been a thug? Summer, don't scare me like this. This is too…"
• "Unbelievable. I know. But it's true—I'm not lying to you."
• No woman would ever want to drag herself through such humiliation, especially when she had proof. Summer showed Grace the ring the man had slipped onto her finger.
• "Look, he left me this."
• The ring's dull ruby held an aged, eerie quality that hinted at its past.
• Grace, who had an eye for jewelry, took it in with a discerning gaze. "This ring… it looks valuable. It must be some kind of family heirloom. I don't think he was a thug after all. He's probably the son of some wealthy family."
• But Summer shook her head. "No, it has to be stolen. I saw people chasing after him."
• Why else would they have pursued him? Why would he have been drugged?
• "What a lowlife, using a stolen ring as some sort of payment. That's revolting."
• Summer's heart surged with indignation; just thinking about the ordeal sent a tremor down her spine.
• "What will you do now?" Grace's voice was filled with concern.
• Summer felt a deep sorrow weighing down on her. How could she possibly face Lawrence after all this?
• Yet, this was a disaster that had fallen out of nowhere. She hadn't done anything wrong. She was the one who had been hurt.
• After a few moments of silent contemplation, Summer spoke with quiet resolve. "I'm going to tell Lawrence everything."