Chasing Vengeance, Falling for Her

After five years of being with the love of her life, Briella Jacquin had tasted the pinnacle of pleasure. Sheldon Gifford was passionate about intimacy, so much so that he had an entire villa decorated extravagantly for indulgence.

In the broad daylight, Briella had just stepped off the swaying waterbed when he grabbed her soft waist and pressed her against the door. His warm breath brushed against her skin as his thin lips trailed down the back of her neck, leaving a trail of crimson love bites. Briella's fingers curled slightly against the doorframe, her voice trembling. "No … enough … That's enough."

Sheldon paused for a moment before lightly biting her earlobe, his voice dripping with seduction. "Already giving in, sweetheart? The night is still young."

That simple endearment made Briella's mind go blank, leaving her unable to refuse. The waterbed swayed again, only coming to a halt when the evening light spilled through the window. Sheldon bit down on her collarbone, a satisfied sigh escaping his lips. Briella, utterly exhausted, nestled into his embrace. The sound of his steady heartbeat filled her with overwhelming happiness.

After a while, Sheldon got up to take a shower. He dressed at a leisurely pace, returning to his usual relaxed demeanor. "I have a meeting at the office. Be good and have your dinner. I'll be back tonight to keep you company, alright?"

Briella's voice was hoarse as she murmured, "Alright."

Sheldon had been gone for some time before Briella finally returned to her senses. As she was about to leave bed, her work group chat suddenly became lively. She picked up her phone and opened the hidden chat system. Her screen instantly flooded with comments filled with excitement and admiration. She typed, [What video has you all this excited?]

As a content moderator, she reviewed countless explicit videos daily, clips that most people could only dream of getting their hands on. Whenever a particularly stunning video surfaced, the group would go wild. After sending her a message, she opened the latest video.

The moment she saw it, she froze in place. A woman was arching her back on the screen, her soft gasps carrying an unmistakable allure. Alas, that woman was her. Although their faces weren't visible, the red mole on her lower back was undeniable and she couldn't mistake her own voice. Still, she had never filmed anything like this!

A mix of shock and disbelief surged through her. She immediately contacted the group admin, traced the video's source and added the uploader using a fake account. Pretending to be a guy, she casually asked if there were more videos. The uploader, without hesitation, added her to a private group.

The chat was buzzing with conversation. [Sheldon is something else. If that waterbed weren't custom-made, it would've collapsed ages ago.]

[Gotta admit, Briella really deserves her title as Jorbridge's former top socialite. That body, that voice ... damn, I'm tingling all over. When Sheldon gets tired of her, maybe he'll pass her to us?]

[Dream on. Don't forget that Briella was the one who got Sheldon's childhood sweetheart killed. He bought her to get revenge. Once he's done, she's as good as dead.]

[Now that you mention it, it's been five years already. Sheldon must have a whole stash of videos. It's about time to destroy her reputation and push her to the brink of suicide, don't you think?]

They chatted excitedly, oblivious to the new account that had joined the group. Briella's ears were ringing, her mind a blank. The voices in the chat felt distant, yet each sentence cut into her like a blade, forcing her to grasp the cruel truth.

[Sheldon, why so quiet? Still busy? Or have you played with her so long that you actually caught feelings and can't stand us trash-talking her?]

Sheldon finally responded, his tone laced with mockery and disdain. [Feelings? For an enemy? I was thinking. Let's release all the videos on the 7th of next month. I bet her reaction will be priceless.]

The 7th of next month was the date of Briella's award ceremony for her winning art submission. The chat exploded with malicious anticipation. Briella felt like she had been struck by lightning. Her fingers clenched tighter and tighter around her phone, almost crushing it. At that moment, the person who had added her to the group finally remembered her presence. They told her that Sheldon had even juicier gossip and that she should go ask him for it.

Briella snapped back to reality. She replied with trembling hands, [I'm busy today. I'll check it out another time.] As soon as she sent the message, she fled from the group chat and deleted the contact. The temperature-controlled mattress beneath her was soft and comforting. Yet, she felt like she had fallen into an icy abyss. Cold seeped through her bones. So, it had all been a lie.

Five years ago, the Jacquins went bankrupt. Briella's parents died and she fell from being a beloved heiress to nothing more than a commodity on an auction block. Inside the iron cage, she was barely clothed. Outside, countless greedy eyes locked onto her, like wolves ready to tear her apart and swallow her whole. That was the darkest moment of her life.

The bidding escalated, one voice topping the next. Briella bit down on her tongue, the taste of blood spreading through her mouth. She closed her eyes in despair, waiting for death to claim her. Then, a clear voice cut through the chaos, "One hundred million. She's mine."

Briella's eyes snapped open. She saw Sheldon standing there, like a god descending from the heavens. For a moment, she thought she was hallucinating in her final moments. After all, she had chased after Sheldon for two years in high school, yet he had never spared her a glance. So why would he be here now? But then, his hand reached through the iron bars. Firm yet gentle, he pried open her tightly clenched jaw, his eyes filled with compassion. "I'm sorry I was late."

Back then, he had just established his company. That hundred million was all of his liquid assets. Yet, without hesitation, he spent every cent to pull Briella out of hell. People mocked him, saying he had lost his mind over a woman. Still, he replied that Briella's father had once been his benefactor. Now that he had made a name for himself, he would never allow his benefactor's daughter to suffer. It all made sense, helping the daughter of the man who had once helped him.

For five whole years, they had been inseparable, the closest of lovers. She loved him with all her heart. She even rejected her grandfather's offer to take her abroad to stay by Sheldon's side. She thought they had long since become soulmates, but in the end, it was just her own delusion.

From the very beginning, Sheldon had never loved her. What Briella saw as salvation was nothing more than a meticulously planned deception. She felt as if her heart had been ripped open, icy winds howling through the cracks. She clutched at her chest, tears streaming down her face until she sobbed herself unconscious. She was woken up by the ringing of her phone. The caller ID read "Grandpa." Suppressing the searing pain in her chest, Briella pressed the answer button.

Her grandfather's voice was as warm and gentle as ever. "Ella, have you prepared your enrollment documents? The dorms aren't great, so I bought you an apartment nearby. The neighbor is the grandson of an old friend of mine. He's a good young man. If you're willing, you can get to know him. I know you don't want to stay abroad permanently, but at least make yourself comfortable while you study."

Every word was filled with love and care. Briella couldn't hold back her tears. She ran to the bathroom, splashed cold water on her face and forced her voice to sound normal. "Grandpa, help me apply for permanent residency."