Chapter 3

MAGNUS’S POV

I was scrolling through my phone after a long, exhausting day at the wedding. After ensuring my sister and her husband were settled in their new home, I was finally heading back to mine. Suddenly, the car jerked violently to a halt, throwing me off balance.

“Robert! What kind of terrible driving is this?” I barked, glancing ahead.

“Sir… a lady almost ran into the car,” he said.

I raised my head and froze. A figure stood like a statue in front of us, completely unmoving. I gritted my teeth, irritated beyond belief.

“Are you blind or something?” I shouted, stepping out of the car. And then I saw her—the same girl from the wedding hall. Stiff, still, and… scared.

“You again?” I muttered, scanning the street as if the universe had cursed me twice in one day.

“Give her to us!” some men shouted from the pavement.

“Please, Mr Magnus! They’re thugs! They want to hurt me… Please, help me!” she cried. This time, there was no pride, no arrogance—only pure fear.

I ran a hand over my forehead, exhaling sharply. “I don’t know what deal you have with them, and I’m not part of your shenanigans. Step out of my way. I’ve had a long day.” I turned to return to the car—but before I could, she grabbed my hand. Tight. Firm. Unexpectedly.

My chest tightened, my pulse spiking in ways I didn’t expect. Her fingers were warm around mine, and for a moment, I couldn’t move.

“Please, Mr Magnus… my first time shouldn’t be with thugs. Please,” she whispered, voice trembling. I looked into her eyes—ocean-like pools streaked with tears—and felt something strange twist inside me.

“Please…” she murmured again. I swallowed hard, struggling to suppress the feeling building in my chest. Against my instincts, I let go of her hand and turned to leave.

One of the thugs lunged toward her. “Come to us, baby girl. We’ll treat you right.”

Without thinking, I grabbed his wrist. I felt his bones crack under my grip as he screamed, pleading for mercy. The other two ran off, disappearing into the night.

Satisfied, I released him. He crumpled to the ground, clutching his hand, wailing in pain.

I turned back to her. She held herself, shivering slightly, with a small, almost amused smile. “You always know how to find trouble,” I muttered, eyes flicking to her torn shirt, this one different from the one she'd worn at the wedding hall. Most of the buttons were gone too, and she struggled to cover herself... again.

I sighed, removing my suit jacket and offering it to her. “Cover yourself.”

“T-thank you,” she said, taking it gently, humbly.

“Now we’re humble, right?” I teased, recalling that morning when she had been too proud even to accept the money I had offered.

I walked to the back of my car and opened the door. “Get in,” I said. She hesitated for a moment, then slid inside.

“Robert, put her suitcase in the boot,” I instructed. The driver bowed and obeyed.

I joined her in the car. She pressed herself to the other side of the car, far away from me, eyes avoiding mine. But the way her fingers fidgeted betrayed her awareness that I was watching.

I studied her. Pretty. Lush hair, flawless skin, plum lips. Not my class, not my world—and yet my heart raced, and my body betrayed me in ways I couldn’t explain.

She tucked her hair behind her ears, biting her lips, and her hands were nervously fidgeting.

“Fuck this,” I muttered under my breath, grabbing her face and kissing her hard. I didn’t care that Robert was only a few feet away, watching.

I pulled her onto my lap, pressing my lips against hers with everything I had—frustration, desire, confusion. I held her tight, trying to make her kiss me back, but she didn’t.

I pressed against her again. She moaned softly, but still didn’t reciprocate. Frustration surged through me. “Kiss me back, stranger,” I demanded, staring into her eyes.

Finally, she leaned in slightly, lips trembling. “I’ve… I’ve never done it before,” she whispered. My blood ran hot.

Fuck, Magnus… what the hell are you doing with a stranger?

I pushed her gently off my lap. She swallowed hard, fighting back tears as the car continued on.

“Earlier, you refused the thugs because it was your first time,” I said, turning to her. “And now, you would've let me, a stranger fuck you in a car, what changed all of a sudden " smirking

She remained silent, fidgeting with her fingers.

“After all, you wanted the money,” I muttered through gritted teeth.

“Robert, stop the car,” I instructed. “Unlock her side of the door.”

We had reached a safe part of town, surrounded by security she could trust. “This is as far as we go. You’re safe in this part of town. You can leave the car,” I told her, keeping my gaze forward.

“T…thank you,” she whispered, opening the door and stepping out.

I watched her go, reminding myself: Magnus, don’t let women like her deceive you. She’s not only a gold digger—she’s something else entirely.

“Mr Magnus, are you sure we should leave her here, all by herself?” Robert asked from the rearview mirror with unease written on his face.

“Of course, Robert. Unless you want to be her Knight in shining armour and stay with her while I drive home,” I replied casually but with an underlying threat. He nodded quickly, as he kicked the car and drove off.

I kept my eyes on the road, straight ahead. I didn’t look back—not for anything and definitely not for a wretched stranger.