Chapter 1 You're mine from this moment henceforth

"Hi, I'm Ethan Moore. You're mine from this moment, henceforth."

"What?-"

"Get in the car." He held the car door open for her.

"What-I don't even know who you are-you think having a baritone voice can make you stand in front of me and spout rubbish from that god forsaken thing you call a mouth?!" Elizabeth was beginning to get irked.

Ethan smirked at her. Nice, she's got a sharp tongue-he liked sharp tongues.

He turned to the nearest bodyguard, "get her in the car."

Staring directly into her emerald green eyes, he added, "if she resists, throw her in the trunk."

Elizabeth almost lost it. Did the guy just say to throw her in the trunk? Her? Elizabeth Claire? Was she some piece of garbage?

Having said his piece, Ethan stepped into the car and sat calmly like he wasn't about to kidnap a stranger.

Having a family that's hellbent on him bringing a wife home to them was super tiring. They didn't even care about his wellbeing, all they wanted him to do was bring home a wife from nowhere.

Did they expect him to get one from the streets? Well, he just did get one from the streets.

Just like almost every billionaire bachelor, he hardly has time for himself. It's either from one business trip to another, or from a business outing to another.

Since he took over his father's company, it's been hectic.

And so, his parents wanted him to provide them a wife. Sincerely, all that they wanted were children.

About five of them, like his mother had put it. But, the children would need a mother figure, which is why they insisted on him getting a wife.

His parents had married each other willingly, so they didn't want to force any of their family friends' daughters on their son.

But when they noticed he wasn't ready to dance to their tune, they threatened to hook him up with Anna Campbell.

The one and only.

Ethan didn't like her. At all. She's pompous and all over the place. She's an only child, and the successor of Bell Magazines, so she was really spoiled.

She was always trying to get his attention whenever they were together in a gathering, batting her stupid long artificial eyelashes at him as she threw continuous glances at him… Bullshit. His mother wasn't like that.

He wanted what his parents had. What they shared…

Their love, their bond…

Ethan knew what Anna was after was becoming the first lady of ENQ Company. She wanted the title attached to being his wife, not being his wife.

Anna irritated shit out of him, and he'd never be with her. And that was why he was kidnapping this woman.

He'd rather be with a total stranger than be with Anna Campbell.

Elizabeth stood defiantly by the car, ignoring the bodyguards nudging her to step in. "I will not enter this damn car!"

She considered attempting to run but she knew it was of no use. They'd catch up with her before she'd taken up to five steps.

But who in God's name were these people anyway.

Why was today being such an ill-fated day? She'd just finished beating up the men who'd harassed her best friend, and now, this?

She couldn't possibly go against the bodyguards, they were too many for her. Plus, she was exhausted from having fought those vagabonds.

Arthur, Ethan's personal and most trusted bodyguard closed up the space between him and Elizabeth.

Within a twinkle of an eye, she was swung onto his shoulder.

"Goddammit! Leave me alone! Put me down!" She yelled hysterically, hitting his back with her fists.

But the man didn't bulge. It seemed like he was a piece of concrete brick, and she soon knew she was only wasting her strength.

Elizabeth shut her mouth at once.

"Okay, wait. Please, put me down." Her voice was meek and sweet.

Arthur's eyes twinkled and he did as she told him, thinking she would step into the car willingly.

She cleared her throat awkwardly when her feet hit the ground. She eyed Arthur through the corner of her eyes, and stepped closer to him.

She stood on the tip of her toes, whispering in his ear.

"How much did he pay you?-See, I can pay you even more. Just please, let me go. Name your price."

Arthur scoffed silently, murmuring a curse word.

Didn't the woman know who his boss was? Funny.

Without saying a word, he flung her over his shoulder again and dropped her in the trunk. He'd intended to let her sit beside his boss initially, but since she was unwilling, the trunk was perfect for her. At least, she'd be alone, free, and comfortable.

He banged the trunk close and locked it before stepping into the driver's seat.

His subordinates also entered their convoy and began to drive out of the rural street.

Throughout the drive to Ethan's mansion, Elizabeth didn't stop hitting against the inner top of the car trunk, cursing and yelling at the top of her lungs.

For an unknown reason, Ethan didn't find her annoying at all. He found it amusing.

It was what got him attracted to her in the first place.

***

Earlier on that evening, after he was done discussing the transfer of the land ownership he wanted to acquire for a new project, with the land sellers, he went in search of a secluded place to ease himself of a pressing wee. Since they were in the slum, he had no other choice.

As he approached a narrow alleyway, he sighted a gang of men surrounding a small woman. The woman had emerald green eyes, with a fair and clear skin.

All Ethan wanted to do was sign the transfer papers and leave the slum as fast as possible. So, he went ahead to pee and completely ignored them.