Craving The Forbidden - The Billionaire's Secret Obsession - Ongoing

A commotion nearby made Liana stir. She could hear someone talking around her, but the exhaustion from overworking herself daily for the last two years seemed to take a toll on her body. She couldn’t open her eyes even if she wanted to. 

The faint whispers got louder and louder as they approached her. 

“She’s pretty!” said a childish voice. 

“Is she dead? Who sleeps so late?” said another identical voice. 

A shuffle and low growls made her more conscious of her surroundings. Where was she? 

The last thing she remembered was almost losing consciousness in a stranger’s arms. She could faintly remember him blasting Zed, his friends, and the guard before carrying her away with him. After that, she had completely backed out. How could she trust a stranger so easily after the man she loved betrayed her? 

Remembering Zed’s betrayal, her mind went numb with pain. Tears sprang into her eyes. She had dreamed of a life with him! How could she not see through him? 

What would have happened if the stranger hadn’t arrived on time last night? The man could have been a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Yet her heart had trusted him blindly last night. A sigh of hopelessness escaped her.

She could feel the soft, cozy, comfortable bed she was lying on. In fact, she had the best sleep of her life last night! 

Where had the man brought her? 

“Let’s check. I have this! Let’s tickle her nose!” Roguish chuckles echoed, followed by footsteps of not two but more. Liana was instantly brought out of her reverie. She opened her eyes wide only to find five pairs of eyes hovering over her! 

What the heck?

Startled out of her mind, Liana sat up with a start, staring at two five-year-old boys with hair standing in all directions. Their blue eyes glittered with mischief, as one of them held up a blade of grass to tickle her nose with! 

She screamed with horror at the sight of three Huskies glaring at her alongside them with their teeth bared as if ready to devour her! They sniffed her, making her scoot to the middle of the bed. 

“Just get them off me!” 

“Shh! Why are you yelling? They’re harmless,” said one, pushing the dogs away from her and out of the room. 

“Girls yell when they see dogs!” said another wisely, placing the grass carefully back into his soiled trouser pockets. 

“Really? How do you know that?” They forgot her in their excitement, busy talking about the girls they knew. Liana rolled her eyes and checked out the place she was in.

It was a cozy room with sunshine playing in all corners! It didn’t look like the mansion she was in last night. Then where was she and who were these mischievous chipmunks in her room? 

“Ever since Aimee agreed to be my girlfriend, she screams every time she sees Dash, Fang, or Thor.”

Liana focused her attention on the two kids busy in girlfriend talk at such a tender age! What type of parents did they have?   

“Umm, please, can you tell me where I am? How did I actually get here?” They all looked at her as if she had lost her mind. 

“Were you drunk last night?” One of them asked her. Liana rolled her eyes at the two brats. 

“No, I was unconscious. So?” They flashed her wide grins in disbelief. 

“Oh? Where did dad find you then?” Liana frowned at them, remembering her savior last night. Was he their dad? 

“Who’s your dad?”

They exchanged bored looks with one another. “He brought you home last night. Don’t tell me you don’t know him?” said one.

“He’s the most edible bachelor in the city!”

Liana stifled a grin and gave him a stupefied look. “Don’t you mean eligible?” she prompted, and he shrugged, his cheeks coloring a little. 

“Yeah, same.”

Liana was confused. How could their dad be a bachelor? These two would surely drive her crazy. 

Just then, the door opened, and a middle-aged housekeeper came rushing into the room. “Alex, Archer, what are you doing here? Why didn’t you go to school today?” Then she massaged her temples, realizing the gravity of the situation. “Oh, my goodness! What will I tell Mr. Bancroft when he asks me? He’ll be so mad. One day I was away, and the house was totally ransacked! What do I do now?” 

Liana instantly caught the name. Mr. Bancroft? That was Zed’s surname, too. Her mind was now in a state of confusion. Were they related? Did Zed live here too?

The housekeeper’s gaze then fell upon Liana, and she gaped at her. “Now, where did you come from?” 

Alex and Archer burst into chuckles at her reaction. “Fanny, dad brought her home last night!”

The woman’s eyes widened as she misunderstood the situation! “Alex, Archer, go to your room and wash up.” The boys bundled out of her room and the housekeeper closed the door. 

“It’s not what you’re thinking. I was in a fix and someone saved me and brought me here last night. That’s all I can remember!”

Liana wrung her hands together with nervousness. At that moment, she wanted to flee from her interrogation. She knew it sounded lame to the housekeeper, but it was the hard truth. Obviously, she couldn’t divulge further details to her. 

“I see! I’m Fanny Fischer, the housekeeper here. Do you need anything, miss umm?” She bustled around the place, opening the windows and arranging the bed. 

“Liana. I’m Liana Ashford.” 

“Please ask if you need something, Ms. Ashford. You’re Mr. Bancroft’s guest, and I shall be happy to help you.”

Liana gave her a warm smile, although she was bursting with curiosity. “Thank you. So, who’s Mr. Bancroft?” said Liana, getting down from the bed. She had to escape this place before Zed arrived here for his revenge. After all, this was his relative’s place. The housekeeper’s eyes widened, and she gaped at her. 

“He’s my employer, the owner of this house.”

Liana wanted to tear her hair off in frustration. Why couldn’t they give her straight answers? So many questions flitted across her mind right now. She wanted to know how Mr. Bancroft was related to Zed! Why did he save her if he was Zed’s relative? How was he an eligible bachelor if he had twins already?

“Can I meet him, please? I need to thank him before leaving.”

The housekeeper hesitated before walking away towards the door. “I’ll have to ask him first. He’s leaving for work.” 

“Wait! I can meet his wife instead!” said Liana, rushing after her.

The housekeeper gave her a look of confusion. “Mr. Bancroft isn’t married.” 

Liana was even more baffled than before. Did the man adopt the two boys? Before she could ask further questions, the housekeeper went out and Liana rushed to the washroom to freshen up. Maybe she would sneak out without meeting the man. Wouldn’t that look ungrateful after he saved her life? At least he deserved more. Maybe she would write a note of appreciation and leave it here in the room. Surely Mr. Bancroft would find it later. 

After freshening up, she fixed her appearance and looked around for her sling bag. It was with her when she had lost consciousness. 

Liana searched the room for her bag. She was about to give up and seek the housekeeper’s help when she found it in the closet. Releasing a sigh of relief, she picked it up and looked around for a piece of paper and pen. There was a notebook and a pen lying on the study table in the room, and she quickly scribbled the words. 

Thank you for saving me.

I’m indebted to you. 

Leaving it on the desk, she rushed towards the door. Carefully, she opened it and peered out. There was no one around. She glanced at the corridor leading to the enormous living room. Maybe she would figure out the main door from there. 

Liana tiptoed out of the room and inched towards the living room with her heart pounding inside her ribcage. 

The house was grand, yet there was a coziness to it despite the opulent décor. There was a lived in look with children’s toys, photographs, books and other belongings strewn all over. However, she dreaded meeting anyone else. What if she met Zed, of all people on earth? No, she couldn’t face him after this. 

She had to forget him and move on. 

She had to forget her dreams and face the harsh reality. 

There was nothing called true love. All men were egoistic and selfish! She could never trust again in this life! A low growl and an angry bark made her look up and freeze. 

To her immense horror, the three Huskies stood in front of her with their fangs bared, ready to eat her up! 

Liana panicked, stopping dead in her tracks. Seeing the petrified look on her face, one of them sprang at her. 

“Dash! Down boy!”

Liana came out of her trance and whirled around, running toward the voice. Of course, she knew who it was. Her savior! He stood at the doorway of a room and she ran up to him with the Huskies chasing her. 

For the second time, she wrapped her arms around his torso and clung to him for dear life!