New beginning: Billionaire love story

The bag was yanked off Cindy's head, and the sudden burst of light made her squint and blink rapidly. As her eyes adjusted, her first instinct was pure irritation.

"What the hell?" she snapped, rubbing her wrists where the ropes had left red marks. The room was dingy, and old, and smelled like mildew. Definitely not the glamorous photoshoot she'd been expecting.

She shifted in her chair, trying to get a better sense of her surroundings, and that's when she noticed a shadowy figure standing by the window. His face was hidden in the dark, just a silhouette against the fading sunlight. Definitely a man, but who? And why did he drag her here? "Hey! Who are you? Why am I here?" Cindy demanded, her voice echoing in the empty room. "I was promised a shoot with the biggest magazine in the city, and instead, I'm stuck in some abandoned dump with-what, some creepy stranger?"

The figure didn't move, just stood there quietly, his posture unnervingly calm. Finally, a voice, deep and smooth, filled the room. "Cindy Marshal."

Cindy froze. The way he said her name sent a chill down her spine. "You're here because of Claire Peterson."

The mention of Claire's name immediately soured Cindy's mood further. She clenched her fists, her lip curling in frustration. "Don't mention her name," she spat. "That woman ruined my life."

The figure in the shadows-Eligos, though Cindy didn't know it yet-chuckled darkly. "Claire Peterson didn't ruin your life. You did. No brand wants to touch you now. No magazine. No photoshoots. You're untouchable. Damaged goods." Cindy's patience snapped. "That's enough!" she shouted, but his words hit a little too close to home. Ever since Claire came into the picture, her career had taken a nosedive. But hearing it from this mystery man? That was too much.

Eligos shifted his weight, still staying in the shadows, leaning casually against the wall now. "But I can change that. I can give you back everything you've lost. Your career. The spotlight. The fame. Everything."

Cindy's eyes narrowed, glaring at his silhouette. "Impossible. Alexander Harrus ruined me for Claire. No one can fix that not my father, not anyone."

Eligos' voice was calm but carried a sharp edge. "You don't know who you're dealing with, Cindy. I can give you your career back, but on one condition."

Cindy's annoyance reached new heights, and she scoffed. "Oh, this is a joke, right? This whole setup, it's some kind of prank. Where's the hidden camera?" She leaned forward, scanning the room, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "What is this? Some reality show where you kidnap washed-up models for fun?"

Eligos shook his head slowly, his patience seemingly endless. "You're more stubborn than I thought. No wonder your career fell apart."

The comment stung, and Cindy opened her mouth to snap back, but Eligos cut her off smoothly. "Do you want your old life back or not? You need to make a decision, Cindy."

She paused, thrown off by the question. Part of her didn't believe this guy could deliver on any of his promises. Who was he, anyway? Some nobody hiding in the dark, claiming he had the power to fix everything? It was too good to be true, and Cindy had learned the hard way that nothing in life came that easily.

She stared at the shadowy figure, her brow furrowed in disbelief. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice quieter now, more uncertain. "Do I know you? Does the world know who you are?"

Eligos chuckled softly again, but there was something chilling in the sound. "You don't need to know me, Cindy. And the world doesn't need to know either. All you need to know is that I can give you what you want."

Cindy leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms defensively. "If you're nobody, how are you supposed to restore my career?" she asked, her voice sharp with mockery. "Because I'm not seeing any 'power' around here."

Eligos smiled, though Cindy couldn't see it. "Power isn't always visible. But it's there. I have the connections, the influence. The power."

Cindy rolled her eyes, glancing around the rundown room. "Well, I'm not impressed. If you want me to work with you, you're gonna have to prove it. Like... I don't know, arrange a meeting with a fashion brand for a real photoshoot. Show me you can actually deliver." Eligos didn't move for a moment, but then his tone shifted, becoming darker, more serious. "Sit back and watch, Cindy. But remember this once you accept my offer, there's no going back. This isn't a game."

The finality in his voice sent a shiver

down Cindy's spine. For the first time since she'd been dragged into this weird situation, she felt truly

unnerved. There was something.

about the way he spoke like henet

wasn't just offering her a deal but something... more dangerous. Still, Cindy wasn't one to show fear easily. She tried to brush off the chill creeping up her arms, keeping her expression as calm as possible.noveldrama

"I'll believe it when I see it," she muttered, leaning back in her chair and trying to look as unbothered as she could manage.

Eligos tilted his head, watching her

in silence for a moment as if he could read her doubts. "You'll get

your proof soon enough," he said et

his voice soft but full of confidence.

"But understand this, Cindy-when

you take my hand, you

just get

back what you lost. You become

something more."

"More?" Cindy raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Like what, exactly? A pawn in some twisted game of yours?"

Eligos chuckled again, and Cindy felt her stomach twist. "No. You'll be a queen. But queens must play by the rules. My rules."

Cindy felt like she was at a

crossroads. The idea of getting everything back was too sweet to ignore, but this guy-he gave her a weird feeling. She didn't like the idea of being someone else's puppet, especially not some mysterious man lurking in the shadows. But what choice did she have? Claire had taken everything from her, and no one, not even her powerful father, had been able to help. Could this man really be the answer?

She frowned, weighing her options. "So, let's say I'm interested. What's your catch?"

Eligos shifted again, the outline of his figure barely visible as he moved in the dim light. "Do as I say. That's all."

Cindy scoffed. "You mean, become your little errand girl? No thanks."

Eligos' voice turned cold. "No. Not errands. You'll be doing things that matter. Things that will change everything. For both of us."

She bit her lip, her mind racing. It felt like a ridiculous offer, too good to be true. But what if he wasn't lying? What if he could really give her back her old life, the fame, the attention, the magazine covers? It was tempting, more tempting than she'd like to admit. Finally, she leaned forward, staring at his shadowed form. "Alright. Prove it. Set up the shoot. Then maybe we'll talk."

Eligos didn't hesitate. "Consider it done."

The room fell silent, and Cindy felt her heart pounding in her chest. Had she just made a deal with the devil? Time would tell, but one thing was clear-things were about to get very interesting.