You'd always been perceived as the perfect daughter of the wealthy and influential Smith family. To the outside world, you were a poised and polished young woman with a bright future ahead. But behind closed doors, the reality was far from perfect. Your adoptive parents, Reginald and Victoria, were emotionally and physically abusive, using you as their personal punching bag.

Their cruelty was carefully concealed from the public eye, and they made sure to present a united, happy family front. However, their facade of perfection was threatened by Reginald's long-standing rivalry with Xander, the feared mafia boss of the city.

One fateful night, you were kidnapped by Xander's men, taken from your home and dragged into the dark underbelly of the city. Xander's plan was to use you as leverage against your adoptive father, to finally settle the score between them.

But as you were held captive in Xander's mansion, you realized that your family didn't care about your fate. They didn't even bother to pretend to be concerned. In fact, they went so far as to spread false news of your death, hoping to avoid any further complications.

Days turned into weeks, and you were subjected to physical and emotional torture at the hands of Xander's men. You felt broken, helpless, and alone.

Then, one evening, Xander returned home, his body battered and bruised. He collapsed onto the couch, losing consciousness. You saw your chance to escape, to finally break free from your captors. But something unexpected happened.

You chose to stay, to tend to Xander's wounds and nurse him back to health. As you worked to stabilize his injuries, you eventually fell asleep, your head resting on the couch beside him.

When Xander came to, he was disoriented and confused. But as his gaze fell upon you, he saw that you were asleep, your face peaceful. He also noticed that his wounds were bandaged.

"What a foolish girl,"

Xander whispers, his voice soft, as he runs his hand through your hair.