Chapter 1

My name is Madison LeClair. After graduating from college, I’ve struggled through various challenges over the years, but I remain a proud single lady. My best friend Evelyn Roche, on the other hand, has had several boyfriends. Her current boyfriend seems incredibly devoted to her—they’re inseparable.

A few days ago, I went to Evelyn’s house for dinner. There, I caught her and her boyfriend in an intimate moment in the living room. The sight was so shocking that, when I got home, my mind kept playing that scene over and over again. I lay in bed until the middle of the night, unable to sleep at all.

After hitting the headboard for the Nth time while trying to turn over, I yanked the pillow off my face and frantically scratched my hair. Why could Evelyn be so happy, while I had to stay in this empty room all by myself? Driven by some unknown force, I grabbed my phone, opened a shopping app, and began searching for adult products, my fingers acting on their own. Looking at the various items on the page, my face burned with embarrassment. But I gritted my teeth and ordered the most popular product, one with the most discreet reviews.

I regretted placing the order right after I did it. I kept wondering whether to cancel it. But then I thought, I’ve been single for so long anyway. What’s the harm in giving it a try? Thankfully, the delivery company was incredibly efficient. They called me the next afternoon.

The moment I received the call, my heart rate soared to 180 immediately, and my palms were covered in sweat. I knew full well that the delivery note was securely packaged and contained no sensitive information. Still, I took every precaution possible: I wore a mask, a beret, and even a loose jacket that I rarely wore. I wrapped myself in layers like a zongzi before going out.

At the entrance of the residential complex, the delivery guy held a square cardboard box in his hands. Seeing my appearance, his eyes showed a hint of surprise, but he didn’t ask any questions. He simply verified my phone number and handed me the box. I took the box, my fingers trembling so much that I forgot to thank him. I rushed home with the box, afraid that someone I knew might see me.

When I got home, I locked the door behind me, placed the box in the hallway, and checked it three times to ensure there were no extra words on the packaging. Only then did I breathe a sigh of relief. I eagerly opened the box. The items inside were smaller than I had imagined, and they were neatly packaged. The thought of Evelyn and her boyfriend made my heart flutter. Reason struggled against impulse, but in the end, I couldn’t resist and experienced something I had never felt before.

Afterward, I felt ashamed and panicked. I hurriedly stuffed the items back into the cardboard box, wrapping them tightly with tape over and over again. I wished I could turn them into solid blocks of metal. Then I changed my clothes, walked around three blocks, and threw the box into the nearest trash can.

Perhaps I didn’t use the right amount of force during my first attempt. As I walked backward, I felt a dull stinging pain in my abdomen. It was difficult to walk properly. I was annoyed with myself and swore that I wouldn’t act on impulse like that again.

When I got home, my tense nerves finally relaxed. I didn’t even feel like having dinner. I just threw myself on the bed and fell asleep right away, forgetting to set an alarm.

I don’t know how long I slept. In a drowsy state, I felt something heavy pressing down on me, making it hard to breathe. Then, a pair of hands with thick calluses touched my waist. They skillfully unbuttoned my nightgown. The cold touch sent shivers down my body.

Is this a dream? I wondered to myself. Could it be that I did something embarrassing during the day, which is why I’m having such erotic dreams at night? But the sensations seem too real: the cool temperature of the skin, the roughness of the fingertips, and the warm breath against my neck—all of these don’t seem like part of a dream.

I wanted to scream, but it felt like an invisible hand was gripping my throat, preventing me from making any sound. I wanted to open my eyes, but my eyelids were so heavy, as if weighted down with lead. I struggled desperately, but my body was as if nailed to the bed, completely immobile.

My fierce resistance seemed to annoy him. A low snort came from his lips. The next moment, he leaned in close to my ear, his voice cold and domineering: “You’re my woman. No matter how hard you try to escape, you can’t get away.”

I was completely stunned. In my mind, I cursed his entire family. I’m a single woman who maintains a clean reputation. When did I become his woman? This guy must have escaped from a mental hospital. He must be mistaking me for someone else!

But he didn’t give me any chance to defend myself. His actions became increasingly violent. I could clearly feel his strength. That sense of helplessness and despair made my eyes burn with tears, which streamed down uncontrollably. My consciousness grew blurred with pain and fear, until I was completely plunged into darkness.

“Ring, ring, ring”—the harsh sound of the alarm pulled me back from my daze. I snapped my eyes open, gasping for breath. Instinctively, I touched my body. My pajamas were intact, and there were no visible injuries on me.

Could it be that everything from last night was just a dream? But the stinging pain in my stomach was real, along with that feeling of suffocation and his cold body temperature. None of it seemed like a dream at all. I shook my head, not having time to think further. My gaze fell on the clock—it was already 8:30!

“Oh no, I’m going to be late!” I jumped out of bed in a panic, rushed to the bathroom, did a quick wash-up, didn’t even put on any makeup. I grabbed my bag and rushed out the door.

As expected, I was late again. As soon as I entered the company, I ran into our department manager. Our manager is forty years old, single, and quite overweight. She has a nasty personality. She doesn’t like us young girls at all. She would get angry over the smallest things and scold us for hours. In private, we call her “The Destroyer”.

“Madison LeClair! Look at what time it is!” The tyrannical supervisor crossed her arms and spoke in a shrill voice that could pierce eardrums. “You’re lazy and idle all day long. You even dare to be late for work. Do you not want to work anymore? If so, pack your things and get out. There are plenty of people who’d be happy to take your place!”

I was furious, but all I could do was lower my head and act obediently. After all, she was my direct supervisor. Those in higher positions have too much power to ignore. No matter how much I wanted to complain, I had to keep it to myself. While nodding in agreement, I kept my mind wandering. Last night’s dream kept replaying in my mind. The sharp pain in my abdomen grew worse and worse. That feeling of tearing wasn’t something a dream could possibly cause.

Perhaps because my attitude was sincere enough, the Abbotess scolded me for a full two hours before finally, impatiently, telling me to go back to my seat. My legs went numb from standing so long. I was glad I wore flat shoes today; otherwise, I would have had to lean on the wall to get back there.

As soon as I sat down, Evelyn quietly handed me a bottle of water and whispered in my ear, “You’re so unlucky. You happened to be late today, and on top of that, you got caught by that strict teacher. Should we say you’re lucky or unlucky?”

I took the water, smiled helplessly, and didn’t want to say a word. All day long, I was distracted, with last night’s dream and the strange sensations on my body constantly echoing in my mind. I simply had no mind to work.

Finally, it was time to get off work. When I saw “Abbotess of Extinction” walking out of the office, I quickly gathered my things and rushed out of the company behind her. Upon arriving home, as soon as I opened the door, I saw a beautifully wrapped box on the doorstep. It bore my name and address, but no sender’s information.

I frowned, completely puzzled. I hadn’t bought anything recently. But seeing the nicely packaged box, I felt curious. Thinking that it wouldn’t hurt to take it in, since it was essentially free, I bent down and carried the box inside.

I casually placed the box beside the bed and rushed to the bathroom. The pain in my lower abdomen hadn’t stopped all day. It became even more intense when I moved around. It felt like someone was “visiting” my body, but the pain was much sharper than usual. I took off my shirt and was about to wash up when my gaze accidentally fell on the mirror. I froze instantly—there were bruises all over my waist and shoulders!