Nathan had prepared a private section of Hawthorne Estate just for Tessa. She had her own bedroom with a king-sized bed, a luxurious bathroom with both a shower and a bathtub, and a modern kitchen stocked with everything she could possibly need.

It felt like living in a high-end hotel suite. The only difference was that every corner of the space was under surveillance.

“You’ll have limited staff coming in at set hours,” Nathan explained as he walked through the kitchen, with Tessa trailing behind. “They’ll handle cleaning and maintenance. They’re all people I trust. Everyone else has been told this area is off-limits, but they don’t know why. So I suggest you don’t wander around the house. This is the space you can use freely.”

“There’s a dedicated cook for your meals too, so you don’t have to worry about cooking. But if you ever feel like making yourself a snack, the pantry’s stocked.”

Tessa opened a drawer and found fresh, organic ingredients inside. Everything was chosen to suit her fragile condition.

After a year of misery, being thrust back into luxury felt both suffocating and satisfying. She couldn’t deny the relief of not having to worry about rent or whether she’d have enough money to buy groceries until the end of the month.

Yet the sweetness always turned bitter whenever she remembered the truth: her comfort came from living inside Nathan’s gilded cage.

Her thoughts scattered when he suddenly snatched the bag from her hand.

“Hey!” she gasped.

Nathan didn’t bother asking permission. He just started rifling through it. Tessa lunged forward, trying to grab it back, but he held it high above her reach. Her breath caught when she saw him pull out several bras.

Her face flamed. In a burst of reckless energy, she hurled herself at him. They both stumbled and crashed to the floor. Then she froze at the sound she never expected to hear.

Nathan laughed.

The sound was light, warm, and startling. In all their years together, she couldn’t recall ever hearing him laugh like that.

The contents of her bag spilled across the floor, her underwear scattered everywhere.

At least he hadn’t gotten to her wallet, the one holding the cash her old landlord had given her.

Flushed and furious, Tessa scrambled to gather her things. But the weight of his stare made her hands shake. His gaze was too deep, too sharp, and it pierced straight through her.

“So this is what you were in such a hurry to deal with? Your underwear?” His voice dripped with mockery. “Looks like you’re taking this mistress role very seriously. But you don’t have to worry about lingerie. Open the closet and you’ll find plenty I picked out for you.”

Her throat tightened. She had no idea how to defend herself. The truth was, she’d only brought the lingerie so she wouldn’t show up completely empty-handed.

Once she scooped up the last piece, nausea slammed into her. She bolted for the bathroom and threw up. Through the haze, she felt Nathan’s large hand rubbing her back, the other gently holding her hair out of the way.

The humiliation cut deep. She hated that he was seeing her like this, so weak and pathetic.

And yet, this wasn’t the first time.

“Tomorrow you’re starting treatment for gastritis. Stick to it and in two weeks we’ll have it under control. It won’t cure you completely, but at least then we can do a biopsy.” His tone was firm, almost clinical.

Tessa gave a weak nod. She already knew the truth. Controlling it was the best she could hope for right now. Two weeks wasn’t nearly enough to heal it.

When the pain finally eased, she tried to stand. Nathan helped her to the sink and even guided her as she rinsed her mouth. His movements were gentle, but his face stayed hard, unreadable.

“Take a shower. I’ll have someone bring you something light to eat,” he ordered before leaving.

She glanced around the bathroom, making sure there were no hidden cameras. It seemed this was the only room free of surveillance. Relief washed over her, and she did as he said.

Less than twenty minutes later, a middle-aged woman arrived with a bowl of soup. After finishing it, Tessa changed into a set of pajamas she found in the closet. She froze when she saw the row of designer gowns hanging inside. She’d never thought she’d touch such clothes again.

That night, she whispered a soft goodnight to Smokey, her gray cat who now had a little bed in the corner of the room.

“Goodnight, Smokey.” She stroked his neck with the tip of her finger.

The door suddenly opened and she jumped. Nathan walked in without his jacket or vest, only a shirt and slacks.

“What are you doing here?” she whispered, her heart already pounding.

“That’s a naive question, considering the contract you signed.” His steps were steady, his eyes locked on hers, tracking every move she made.

“But… now? Already?” Her gaze darted around the room as if there might be an escape route. There wasn’t. Just walls on every side.

Nathan shoved her onto the bed, pinning her down. His fingers traced the line of her collarbone, his voice dropping low near her ear.

“You mind, princess?” he whispered, brushing a teasing bite against her earlobe. Her body trembled. “Seems like you’re still sensitive here.”

“I…” Her heartbeat was so loud she was sure he could hear it.

She wanted to resist, to push him away, but the contract bound her. She knew what would happen if she defied him.

What unsettled her even more was her own body, betraying her. Her eyes shut tight, her body shivered as his lips pressed against her neck. It wasn’t just physical. It was buried desire clawing its way back, uncontrollable, alive again.

Then a sharp click echoed. Nathan pulled back, leaving her stunned.

She looked down and saw something clasped around her wrist. A digital bracelet, heavy and unfamiliar.

“It’s a monitor,” Nathan explained calmly, settling on the other side of the bed. “It’s not active yet. I’ll turn it on whenever I’m not with you, so I can keep track of you from a distance.”

Tessa’s body went cold.

She had just started to surrender to her fate, ready to give herself to the man she was supposed to hate. But instead of claiming her, Nathan had chained her with something worse.

He had marked her like a pet, fitted with a collar to be watched twenty-four seven.