My Haughty Masked Husband

"Help!"

Evelyn's scream pierced the silence.

She'd just slipped to the restroom, only to be whisked into a car by strangers.

"Shut up!" The car lurched to a halt. The driver, a chic young woman, hauled Evelyn into an elevator with a brusque tug.

"The package has arrived!" The woman barked into her phone, her eyes never leaving Evelyn, as if daring her to make a run for it.

Danger tingled in Evelyn's veins, and she lunged, her fingers closing around the woman's neck in a desperate move!

The woman hadn't anticipated resistance, and with a gasp, she stumbled backward, an earring torn free in the scuffle.

As the elevator doors slid open, Evelyn made a break for it.

But an accomplice burst in, his muscled arms dragging Evelyn back, straight into the presidential suite.

Thud—the door locked behind them!

Darkness enveloped everything. What place was this?

The light switch eluded her; sabotaged, no doubt.

Evelyn's eyes strained, adjusting to the gloom, but a strange scent filled her nostrils, and suddenly she felt weightless, her body betraying her with a clumsy collapse.

As consciousness slipped away, a figure approached, a silhouette in the encroaching darkness.

The lights blazed to life.

Under the warm orange glow, Evelyn lay still on the bed, her raven hair a smooth cascade, a strand teasing her smooth forehead. Her eyes were sealed shut, her lush lashes casting a faint shadow on her face, radiating an irresistible allure.

A towering figure stood sentinel by the bed. The man, with eyes as deep and cold as the night, fixed his gaze on her, captivated by her fair features.

"Having second thoughts?" The doctor, Kai Carter, in his white coat, shot the man a playful glance.

The man's lips curled into an amused smirk as he poured himself a glass of red wine with a languid grace, "The result?"

"A perfect match, she's the one you've been searching for," Kai observed, a smirk playing on his lips as he gauged the man's reaction, "She's healthy and young, which means high chances of conception. Natural or artificial? Your choice."

The man's voice was as cold as his gaze, "You may leave us."

"Natural means... intimate relations. You planning on getting hands-on with her?" Kai mused, his chin propped on his hand, showing no signs of departure.

The thought of this innocent, pristine woman stirred something in any man, didn't it? And here he was, choosing the natural route!

Yet, the rumors painted him as a man who shunned women. Was he about to make an exception for her?

"Still here?" The man's wine pour paused, his expression as unchanging as stone.

Kai shook his head, hoping this wouldn't backfire, "Fallen for her, have you?"

"Am I some lovestruck fool?" The man retorted, romance was the last thing on his mind, and as for love... his veins ran cold.

Kai's mouth twisted wryly, concern seeping in, "What if she finds out? After all... she's untouched."

"She'll learn the truth in time," the man replied with an indifferent sneer.

A glint of mischief in his eyes, Kai pressed, "Do you want her pregnant for your ends, or are you relishing the process?"

"Are you quite done with your prattle?" The man's brow furrowed with impatience, a warning lacing his tone.

"Fine, I'm out. Enjoy your baby-making!"

Kai shrugged, abandoning his teasing, and left with a knowing grin, making sure to double-lock the door behind him, sealing their privacy.

Evelyn tossed and turned, her sleep restless.

Suddenly, a weight pressed down on her shoulder. She fought to open her eyes, but they were leaden, unresponsive. A young voice echoed in her ear, "You, give me a child..."

"Who are you?" Evelyn's whisper was fraught with unease, her body instinctively struggling, limbs flailing with feeble strength.

Was this a dream? Yet the feeling of powerlessness was painfully vivid.

A tall figure loomed before her...

His features were a blur, obscured by a silver mask.

His cold fingers tipped her chin, and the room seemed to chill several degrees.

"Don't... come any closer!" Evelyn's cry was forceful, desperate.

"Rejecting me?" He was taken aback for a moment, but upon realizing Evelyn was still unconscious, he cradled her face in his hands, examining her closely.

Like mother, like daughter. She was the spitting image of that unscrupulous woman, just as stunningly beautiful and equally adept at captivating men.

A sinister smile played at the corners of his lips, his eyes gleamed with a mischievous spark...

He lounged at the edge of the bed, head ducked, a teasing smirk tugging at his lips as he undid the buttons of her blouse.

Then, with a jolt, he noticed blood seeping through her clothes, staining the sheets.

Of all the times...

"I'll let you slide this time!" he declared, grabbing his tailored suit and making his exit.

Sunlight bathed the living room in a warm glow.

Evelyn woke with a throbbing headache, and as she lifted her gaze, she locked eyes with a stern-looking woman in her twenties.

No discomfort plagued her body...

Was last night just a figment of her imagination?

"Miss Rose, I'm Susan, the housekeeper here," the woman introduced herself, her tone as neutral as could be, "Breakfast is served. Please freshen up and come downstairs when you're ready."

"Where am I? Why am I here?" Evelyn questioned, her voice laced with suspicion.

Susan acted as if she hadn't heard, her face an emotionless mask, "Mr. Sullivan is waiting for you downstairs."

"Mr. Sullivan?" Evelyn echoed, bewildered, "I don't know him, I want to go home!"

"Mr. Sullivan instructed that you change into a dress before coming down," Susan warned, "He's not known for his patience, so don't dawdle."

The dress in question was nothing more than a flimsy layer of gauze, offering less coverage than a shadow.

Evelyn rolled her eyes at the man's questionable taste, slipped into her own clothes, and then cautiously peeked over the banister, spying on the scene below.

The dining table was a grand affair, adorned with beautifully painted violet napkins. Three men sat around it, feasting together.

One of them, a silver metal mask concealing his identity, exuded an air of enigmatic mystery.

"Care to share how your night was?" Kai inquired, raising his coffee cup with a cheeky grin.

Scoundrels will be scoundrels; you can't expect them to ask anything profound. But even Rowan Blake was intrigued, "Hmm, how was it?"

"Eat up and then get lost," the man dismissed them, his tone brusque.

Kai's curiosity was palpable, his eyes wide as saucers, "Um... how many rounds did you go?"

Evelyn overheard and blushed furiously. She had no recollection of the night's events. Surely nothing had happened, right? After all, she felt no pain.

But these men were discussing such matters in broad daylight? How crass!

Kai was about to press further when he caught sight of Evelyn and flashed his signature coy smile, "Good morning, gorgeous."

"Nice to meet you," Rowan nodded at Evelyn. He and Kai were friends of the masked man.

Evelyn didn't need a hint to guess that Mr. Sullivan was the man in the mask, the same one from the night before.

As their eyes met, the man commanded in a deep rumble, "Come, sit."

Evelyn wanted to say she wasn't hungry, but her stomach betrayed her with an embarrassing growl. She grabbed a freshly baked loaf and took a hearty bite.

Fill the stomach first, then make plans!

"Aren't you afraid you'll eat into your nostrils?" Evelyn teased, poking the man's silver metal mask.

"I've gotten used to it," he replied with an indifferent shrug.

"Are you so hideous you can't show your face?" Evelyn squinted, her curiosity piqued, her tone laced with a hint of pity.

Perhaps he was too ugly, disfigured in some way, hiding behind the mask to keep his ugliness from the world. But even if he was ugly and pitiful, that wasn't an excuse for kidnapping and tormenting her.

Hideous? The man's coffee cup paused mid-air, but he remained silent.

Kai and Rowan exchanged glances and chuckled. After all these years, even they didn't know what their friend looked like.

"Ugly people often do strange things!" Evelyn declared.

Her words hung in the air, and everyone froze, Kai, Rowan, and Susan all turned to look at the man who was not to be trifled with, collectively holding their breath for Evelyn.

Susan looked at Evelyn with disdain. If Mr. Sullivan hadn't forbidden it, she would have told Evelyn that Mr. Sullivan wore a mask not because of his looks, but because...

The man ignored Evelyn's jibe, treating her as if she wasn't even there, continuing to eat with focused indifference.

If it weren't for the two words he'd spoken earlier, Evelyn would have thought he was mute.

"Can I go home after I eat?" Evelyn asked.

"Once you've given birth, you can go wherever you please," the man finally spoke, his patience clearly wearing thin, a cold glance cast in Evelyn's direction.

She hadn't expected him to be aiming for her to get pregnant. She was still a young lady, and she certainly didn't want to have a child.

"Over my dead body! I absolutely will not give birth!"

"I suggest you give up now." she quickly added.

"It's not your choice to make. Obey my orders, or life here won't be pleasant."

As if she hadn't heard the man's warning, Evelyn waved her hand dismissively and headed for the door, "I'm full, thanks for the meal!"

"Ah!" Before she could take a few steps, Evelyn nearly tripped over something that had suddenly appeared at her feet, looking down to see it was his shoe!

At first, she thought it was a prank, so she took a few cautious steps back, trying to navigate around him.

But no matter where she moved, his foot seemed to follow.

Unbearable!

She cursed, "Good dogs don't get underfoot!"

The man seized her wrist tightly, "You called me a dog?"