4

Meanwhile, in the large and magnificent guest room, Amelie felt restless as she remembered her little daughter. What's more, she remembered Eric's words, which did not allow her to go home that night. From today onwards, Amelia and Rossie, her daughter, were required to stay at Aaron Vargas' mansion. It was a quiet night, with only the sound of the wind rustling the leaves outside the window accompanying Amelie in her solitude. After a hard day's work, she was finally able to lie down on the large bed in her new room. However, her mind was still filled with thoughts of Aaron Vargas, the man who was now her employer, as well as the biggest threat in her life. Amelie had been asleep for who knows how long when she was startled by the sound of the door being opened roughly. Her heart was pounding, a bad feeling creeping into her mind. Amelia forced herself to get out of bed, and her eyes widened when she saw Aaron standing in the doorway. The pungent smell of alcohol filled the room. Aaron looked disheveled, his hair messy, his eyes red and swollen. He staggered, as if he had lost his balance. His face was pale, marked with deep sadness. "Laura..." Aaron muttered, his voice hoarse and full of longing. He stepped inside, his gaze fixed on Amelie. Under the dim moonlight that slipped in through the window, Aaron saw Laura's shadow on Amelie's face. The resemblance was so strong that his heart ached. Amelie grew even more frightened. The beautiful woman with long brown hair tried to get up from the bed, moving away from Aaron. "Mr. Vargas? What are you doing here? It's late at night," she said in a trembling voice. Aaron did not answer. The handsome CEO continued to approach, his gaze growing more intense. His hand reached out, about to touch Amelie's cheek. "Laura... don't leave me again... I miss you..." Amelie felt a chill run through her body. She knew Aaron was not conscious. The man only saw the shadow of Laura in her, the beautiful woman who was Aaron's wife and had died two months ago. Amelia had heard the rumor while chatting with her fellow servants in the kitchen earlier. Amelia felt disgusted and afraid, but also sorry for the man standing in front of her. "Mr. Aaron, you're mistaken," said Amelie, trying to keep her distance. "I'm not Laura. I'm Amelie." Aaron didn't listen. He kept getting closer and closer. Amelie could feel his warm breath on her face. She quickly closed her beautiful eyes, preparing for the worst. Suddenly, Aaron stopped. He opened his eyes, as if he had just awakened from a nightmare. He looked at Amelie in confusion, then shook his head. "I'm sorry," Aaron muttered softly. "I... I don't know what I was doing." But suddenly Aaron grabbed Amelie's face very tightly, then kissed her red lips intimately and tenderly. Amelie was forced to accept the pungent taste of alcohol in her mouth. Then Aaron stopped kissing her. Amelie slowly opened her eyes. She saw deep regret in Aaron's eyes. She knew this man was grieving. He missed his wife who had passed away. However, that pity couldn't overcome her fear. She knew she had to get away from Aaron. She couldn't continue living in fear like this. With all her strength, Amelie pushed Aaron's hand away. SMACK! The hard slap broke Aaron's reverie. He was startled, then looked at Amelie in confusion. "I'm sorry, Mr. Vargas," Amelie said firmly, even though her heart was pounding. "You're drunk. You should go back to your room." Aaron was silent for a moment, then rubbed his sore cheek. "You... you're not Laura," he muttered softly. Shame and regret began to haunt him. He knew he had made a big mistake. "I'm Amelie," Amelie replied emphatically. "And I want to leave your house. I can't take all this intimidation anymore. I can't continue to live in fear!" Amelie exclaimed loudly. Anger suddenly flared in Aaron's eyes. The well-built man grabbed Amelie's arm roughly, making her wince in pain. "You can't leave! You're mine now. You've seen what I do, my dark secret. If you dare run away, I'll hurt Rossie. The threat struck Amelie like a bolt of lightning. She fell silent, tears welling up in her eyes. Amelie knew Aaron wasn't joking. The man she considered cruel would not hesitate to hurt her daughter if she tried to escape. "You're evil!" Amelie whispered, her voice trembling. "Why are you doing this to me? Why won't you let me go?" Aaron released his grip, then stared at Amelie with a cold gaze. "Because I need you," he replied flatly. "You are the only person who understands me. You are the only person who reminds me of Laura." Amelie shook her head, unable to believe what she was hearing. "I'm not Laura! I can't replace her! You have to let her go, Mr. Vargas. She's gone." "I can't!" Aaron snapped, his voice rising. "I can't forget her! She was everything to me!" Amelie looked at Aaron with pity. She knew this man was tormented by loss. However, she couldn't continue to sacrifice herself to ease Aaron's pain. Amelie thought hard, looking for a way out of this situation. Aaron sighed deeply, then looked at Amelie with a calmer gaze. "All right," he said flatly. "If you want to go, there is one way. We'll make an agreement. A contract marriage." Amelie frowned, confused. "A contract marriage? What do you mean, Mr. Aaron?" "You will marry me officially. We will live as husband and wife in front of everyone. We will sign a legal agreement on paper. But behind that, we have a secret agreement. You will remain mine, and I will guarantee Rossie's safety. I will give you money, a house, and everything you need. After a few years, we can divorce. How about it? You'll be free, and Rossie will be safe." Amelie was shocked by Aaron's offer. She knew this was a trap. This was Aaron's way of controlling her, of ensuring she would never be able to escape. But on the other hand, this might be the only way to protect Rossie. "Why are you doing this?" Amelie asked, confused. "Why do you want to marry me?" Aaron smiled cynically. "Why?," he replied teasingly. "You're beautiful, hardworking, and the most important part is you remind me of Laura. " Amelie felt disgusted hearing Aaron's words. She knew this man didn't love her. He only wanted her as a replacement for Laura, as a puppet he could control. "I... I need time to think," Amelie replied with a trembling voice. "You don't have much time," Aaron replied with a cynical smile. "Think carefully, Amelie. Your daughter's safety is in your hands. If you refuse my offer, I can't guarantee what will happen to Rossie." Aaron didn't know what was wrong with him. This wasn't his intention. But as soon as he saw Amelie's face, he couldn't control his sanity. No one could replace his Laura, but even if she was just a substitute, looking at her could relieve his current pain. He didn't want to use her daughter as a threat, but he had no better chips... Aaron turned and walked out of Amelie's room, leaving the woman in deep confusion and fear. The door slammed shut with a loud bang, marking a new chapter in Amelie's life full of intrigue and danger. She knew she had to make a difficult decision. A decision that would determine the fate of herself and her daughter. She had to choose between freedom and safety, between love and sacrifice. Amelie sat on her bed, tears streaming down her cheeks. Amelie felt trapped, with no choice. Now, Amelie hated Aaron Vargas, but she also feared him. Amelie knew she had to do whatever it took to protect Rossie, even if it meant sacrificing her own happiness. That night, Amelie couldn't sleep. Her mind kept racing, searching for a way out of this terrifying situation. She knew she had to make a decision quickly. Before Aaron changed his mind and did something even worse.