Chapter 1
1.
“Girlie, don’t move.”A muscular arm slipped around her delicate neck.“I don’t want to damage a beautiful creature like you.”She felt a solid object pressing into her back.“If you raise your voice or try to escape, I will have no choice but to shoot.”
Meg tried to turn around to see who was behind her, but a growling voice cut in at once. “I told you not to move.”
She felt a cloth being shoved into her mouth and a gag pulled tight into place. “Just bear with it for a moment. Stay quiet, and I won’t hurt you.”
On her way home from high school, she was suddenly attacked from behind in a dimly lit alley.
“Sorry, missy. If you just stay quiet, I won't hurt you," the man said as he forcibly spun her around to face him.
Her assailant was a tall man in his mid-twenties; the dark gray eyes behind his glasses were fixed intently on her beautiful figure.
The kidnapper dragged her to a car parked on the street.
“Get in," he ordered.
A young blond man was sitting in the driver's seat.
“Kelly, let's go," he instructed, then declared, "This is the one—Edward Harris's only daughter."
He forced her into the back seat.
The young driver steered the station wagon smoothly.
“Girl,we'll be home soon. Just stay still for a moment."
Her pale blue eyes stared up at him in fear.
A hint of regret flickered in his own eyes, and then he covered hers with his large hand.
He loosened her gag so she could breathe and gently eased her head back against the seat to make her more comfortable.
Adam, the kidnapper, gazed at the girl’s doll-like face with a look of quiet admiration.
Megan Harris was the only daughter of Edward Harris—a figure in the Irish mafia—and a strikingly beautiful girl who had just turned eighteen.
The moment the client showed him her photograph, he was captivated by her.
"Hey, can you check if everything's really okay?" asked the young, blond driver.
He was Kelly, Adam's younger partner by three years.
They all knew about Mr. Harris’s blood‑stained past. He seemed like a respectable businessman, but in reality he had committed murder time and again.
“I’ve got her secured for now. We’re safe,”Adam spoke. After driving for a few tens of minutes, the car finally came to a stop.
“Get out." Adam tapped her lightly on the shoulder, then removed the gag from her mouth.
Meg breathed a sigh of relief. It was a house abandoned deep in the woods. Before long, Adam helped her out of the car.
Meg looked into Adam's eyes.
She was truly beautiful, with long, smooth blonde hair cascading down her back. "This is your hideout," Adam explained. "Don't even think about trying to escape." He gestured to the surroundings. "The nearest road is kilometers away."
The house had an imposing air, yet it was decaying in places.
Adam led the girl to the entrance and brought her inside.
Observing her, he saw that she was pale and looked utterly exhausted.
He seated her on the sofa and immediately fetched a bottle of water, handing it to her. "Thank you," she said quietly. She took a sip.
“Let me show you to your room."
She pressed her lovely lips firmly together. "Don't worry. Once I get the money, I'll let you go safe and sound."
Just then, Kelly walked in to the sound of the door opening.
Seeing Meg sitting on the sofa, he said, "Hi."
Meg was frozen with fear.
"Which of us is going to undress this lovely hostage?"
Adam shrugged. "I will. Hold her down." Meg tried to break free, but Kelly grabbed her from behind. Adam stepped in front of her.
Adam grabbed the collar of her school uniform and tried to undo the buttons.
She resisted, pleading, "Stop, stop," but he ignored her and undid the buttons, revealing her smooth, white skin.
As he parted the blouse, her smooth shoulder came into view, revealing a small birth mark on the left side. "It's her," Adam murmured, and took a photo of the mark.Then, he buttoned her blouse back up. When he looked at her, her blue eyes were glistening with tears. He gently wiped the tears.
“At the client's request, it was necessary to take a photograph of your birthmark.
He claimed you must have a birthmark on your shoulder.”
"Let her go," Adam ordered.
He then helped her to her feet and led her upstairs.
Taking her to the end of the hallway, he opened a door.
"This is your room. I'll bring you something to eat later."
Meg gazed at the older young man before her, her eyes red from weeping.
Adam glanced around the cozy, well-kept room. "It has its own bathroom, too."
She tried to appear calm, but deep down, she was filled with fear.
"Why are you doing this?" Adam paused, choosing his words carefully before speaking.
“I was hired by your real family,” he said.
“…”
Meg fell silent in surprise.
“But my real family is my dad,” she protested in a small voice.
“You were adopted by the Harris family, weren’t you?”Meg’s thoughts drifted back to her past.
She had been taken in by the Harris family as soon as she was born.“Your real siblings are coming to see you.
You’re going to leave with your real family. And we’re going to get the reward”
“Can’t I go home?” she asked him sadly.
“You have real siblings. That’s why you’ve come back to the place where you truly belong.”
Meg lowered her head.
After a moment, she looked up at the tall, bespectacled man.
“I’m Megan.”
“I’m Adam,” he said, introducing himself.
Meg smiled instinctively, a warm, lovely smile.
Adam felt his heart ease. But before long, his expression hardened. He left her alone in the locked room and walked away.
2.
Night fell, and Meg went to the bathroom to get ready for a bath.
After a quick shower, she stepped into the tub.
As she soaked in the warm water, her tension melted away and drowsiness gradually overtook her.
…Adam watched her sleeping face from a short distance away. She’s lovely, he thought.
He quietly approached the tub and knelt beside her. "Hey," he said, gently patting her cheek. "Wake up."
Meg murmured softly in her sleep. Adam tried to lift her upper body from behind to keep her from sinking into the water, but in doing so, he inadvertently brushed against her firm breasts. He carefully wrapped her naked body in a towel, carried her to the bed, and laid her down. When she woke up, someone was gently stroking her hair.
She opened her eyes and gasped in surprise. Adam was sitting beside her, bare‑chested.
“You fell asleep in the bathtub, so I picked you up and carried you here,” he said.
“Thank you,” Meg said. She looked around and realized she was wearing a robe.
"I did it for you—since you were naked." Meg blushed. "I'm sorry."
Adam approached her. He was shirtless. Terrified, Meg tried to pull away, but he showed her a photograph.
"This is your real older brother. He’s the one who hired us.
Eighteen years ago, your real family happened to stop by a grocery store and saw Mr. Edward brutally murder one of his enemies. Then he took you away from them so they couldn’t tell anyone about his crime.”
Meg blinked in surprise at his words; after all, Edward had always been a perfectly ordinary, kind father to her.
Seeing her astonished expression, Adam regretted having revealed something she did not yet need to know.
"Adam, please tell me—my real parents are still alive, aren't they?"
Adam licked his lips.
"That is something... Terrence, your real older brother, ought to explain to you."
Meg felt a sense of sorrow and anxiety, for Edward was irreplaceable to her, and she truly loved him as a father.
"Dr. Terence Ford is sixteen years your senior and runs a fine practice; I’m sure you’ll be pleased with him," Adam explained.
As Meg cast a tentative glance his way, her eyes were drawn to his powerfully built upper body, which was covered in a variety of tattoos—ranging from lettering to intricate designs.
"You have quite a lot of tattoos,"
she remarked softly. Adam looked down at his chest and nodded. "I got them to cover up some bad burn scars."
Meg furrowed her brows and gently touched his chest.
"You suffered a terrible injury... I’m so sorry."
Adam shrugged, though his heart was racing at the touch of this lovely girl's hand against his chest.
“That’s in the past. Don’t worry about it. Anyway, the deal is to get you back to your family and collect the money. So I promise I’ll never do anything to hurt you.”Meg nodded in relief. Their eyes met. Adam found himself drawn to her beautiful, captivating blue eyes.
Adam picked up the shirt and put it on. "Mr. Ford is coming to pick you up tomorrow. You should go with him."
Meg looked anxious.
"Adam... won't I see my dad again? He must be worried about me. He always looks out for me."
Adam paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully.
Edward Harris was a notorious criminal, and Adam, a bounty hunter, knew his history well.
He placed his hand against her smooth, fair cheek. "Meeting your siblings might change how you feel."
Meg gazed at the handsome young man in the photograph. "Is this my brother?" "Yes, that’s what he said himself." Meg turned her beautiful face toward him. "Adam, I suppose I should do as you say?" Adam hesitated for a moment. "There is no other choice. Edward Harris is a criminal. If you keep living with him and his associates, your life will be ruined." Feeling uneasy, Adam licked his lips. "You're a good person, aren't you?" Meg said. "I'll meet him."
3.
The next morning, Adam brought a meal to the girl.When he entered the room, Meg was sitting quietly on the bed.Noticing him come in with the food, she greeted him politely. “Good morning.”Adam set the meal down on the side table.
"Thank you," she said. Adam sat down on the chair beside the bed; he was wearing a dark-colored shirt and slacks.
At twenty-five, he was tall and solidly built; his silver-rimmed glasses and neat appearance gave him an intellectual air.
Meg picked up a slice of pizza and took a small bite.
"Terence is coming in an hour."
At those words, a shadow fell over Meg's face. “Adam, I’m scared…”
Meg glanced at the photo again, a dark look crossing her face.
Noticing her reaction, Adam said,
“You don’t want to see Terence, do you?”
Meg nodded uneasily and pleaded,
“Adam, please—let me go back to my dad."
"What?"
As Adam stood there in stunned silence, Meg grasped his hand firmly with both of hers.
"Please. If I go home, I'm sure my dad will forgive you."
Adam fell silent.
"I don't like the person in that photo. I can't explain it well, but I have a feeling something bad is going to happen."
Adam was taken aback. He usually just carried out the work exactly as requested, never making exceptions.
"Please, Adam. I'm worried about my dad."
Instinctively, he clasped her white hand in return.
Suddenly, Meg threw her arms around him and pressed her lovely face against his chest.
“Please.”
“No—that’s not right.”
Someone shouted and stepped between them.
Kelly grabbed Meg by the wrist, pulled her away from Adam, and led her to the corner of the room.
"We just need to do our jobs."
Kelly firmly handcuffed her to the window frame.
"Hey," Adam called out.
"But if I don't do this, you'll end up doing whatever she says."
He pulled her slender body against his from behind and gagged her. Meg struggled violently.
"She's a cutie."
Meg writhed within Kelly's iron grip.
"Take it easy, Adam. I'll keep an eye on her."
His large hands traced her young, frail body in an obscene manner.
"I just wish we had plenty of time."
Adam watched the scene for a moment, then walked over to Kelly and pressed his gun against him.
"Let her go."
Kelly was stunned for an instant, but then nodded.
"That's not like you. She's nothing more than a bounty."
Adam removed her handcuffs, rubbed her wrists, and then took out the gag.
He looked into her face; she was terrified. "Adam, I don't want to see him."
"Everyone, he's coming,"
Kelly called out, looking at the window. A black car could be seen gliding smoothly toward the house.
The black Mercedes exuded an unsettling aura. Adam felt a sense of impending danger. Terence Ford’s background was said to be spotless, but that was questionable; there was no verifiable, "living" record of his existence.
Watching the car approach their building, Adam raised his voice.
"Everyone, get out of here—now!"
"What?"
Kelly cried out.
"Why?"
"It’s dangerous. We could all be taken out."
Adam grabbed her hand. "Come with me." Meg stared at him in surprise, then quickly nodded a few times. Adam wrapped his arm around her slender back.
"Hey, what about our money?"
Kelly shouted.
"Lives come first. Luckily, we haven't unloaded the cargo yet. So, we're leaving."
Adam glanced around the girl's room, then scooped her up in his arms. A flush rose to Meg's pale cheeks.
"I can walk on my own," she said, but Adam hurried downstairs carrying her slight frame and got into the station wagon parked in the backyard.
Just as the three of them settled in and were about to pull away, someone suddenly slid into the passenger seat. "Mind if I catch a ride?" the man said calmly.
"..."
Kelly was struck speechless as the man pressed the muzzle of a gun against his head.
"I'm Edward Harris. Drive."
A man in his mid-forties leveled his gun, fixing his gaze on Adam, who was sitting in the back seat. He then looked at Meg. "Dad," she cried out; he nodded
reassuringly and said,
"She's my daughter."
Tears welled up in Meg's eyes. Adam, who was holding her, noticed Edward’s pale green eyes—visible behind his glasses—staring intently at him.
"You two are bounty hunters, right?" Edward Harris asked. Adam looked him straight in the eye and replied,
"Yeah."
"Then I’ll pay you three times what your client—probably Terrence Howard—is ''
4.
Following Edward’s instructions, they switched cars three times and even swapped the license plates once. Eventually, they arrived at a hideout owned by Edward.
"The man named Terence doesn't actually exist," Edward explained as he led them inside. He settled Meg onto one of the sofas; she was exhausted, yet she looked relieved to be with him.
"So, you’re Adam, then? You were preparing to run because you suspected him. You were right—he probably isn't human."
Kelly gasped in surprise at those words.
"Don't you think you've been reading too many Marvel comics?"
Kelly said with a chuckle, but seeing the look on Edward's face, he realized it was the truth.
Edward turned and looked at Meg. He hesitated for a moment.
"Dad, I'm okay. Go on."
Edward nodded.
"You see, Meg doesn't belong to this world. They asked you to show them her birthmark, didn't they? That was the mark of their world. Since there are so few women in their world, they wanted Meg as a bride."
Adam stared at her, shocked, and instinctively took her hand to comfort her. Then he asked, "So, what is your relationship to her?"
Edward steadied his breathing and looked into her eyes.
"I fell in love with her mother... and she is my child."
"So, Mr. Edward, you said you would pay three times the amount Terence paid," Kelly said.
"That's right. The two of you keep her hidden until they leave."
"When do they leave?" Adam asked.
"July 4th. Independence Day."
In the dead of night, Adam sat by the bedside, keeping watch over her. Her sleeping face was pale, but her condition seemed stable.
Adam gently stroked her hair.
"So, you're in love with her, aren't you?" Adam looked up to find Edward standing there.
He nodded.
Edward cast an amused glance at him. "That other young fellow is a completely different type from you."
Adam shrugged.
"Kelly is just too young to realize what matters most to him yet. But he's not a bad guy."
Edward sat down beside him.
"So, who exactly is Terence? What is his relationship to her?"
Edward glanced at Meg’s sleeping face. "He is Meg’s 'uncle'—assuming such a word exists in their world,"
Adam said, clearing his throat.
"Mr. Edward, as promised, if she wishes to live here, I intend to ensure her livelihood." Edward studied the young man—tall, well-built, and wearing glasses.
"You’re an unusual young man."
5.
Meg woke up in bed and instantly blushed; Adam was sleeping beside her, bare-chested.
She tried to slip quietly out of bed but realized his large hand was wrapped around her waist. Just as she gazed at his sleeping face, Adam woke up and let go of her.
"Sorry, I was just looking at you while you slept," he murmured sheepishly.
As he sat up—saying,
"I'll step out so you can get dressed"—Meg caught sight of his tattooed torso and gasped.
"You've got to be kidding..."
Her eyes wide with a mix of fear and astonishment, she stared at his abdomen. "Why?"
There, tattooed on his skin, was an image of her own face.
"Calm down,"
Adam soothed her hesitantly.
"I love your face so much, I wanted to have it etched onto myself."
"But..."
Adam gently cupped the face of the bewildered Meg.
"The moment I saw you, I knew I wanted to preserve that image forever."
Meg started to pull away from his embrace, but then suddenly threw herself against him and kissed him on the lips.
Adam was surprised by her intimate behavior but accepted it; however, he decided to draw a line immediately.
"Meg, I love you, but considering your age, I have to act responsibly."
Meg was saddened and bewildered.
Adam instantly regretted his reaction and embraced her.
When the two failed to appear, Edward came into the room.
"..."
Adam and Meg were still holding each other.
"So, have you two become lovers?" Edward asked casually.
Adam turned to look at him and shook his head.
"Not yet. But I truly love her. If I have your permission, I’d like to marry her."
Edward shrugged.
''I have no objections—provided she wants it, too."
Edward gazed at Meg’s small hand, which still rested on Adam’s chest.
"Breakfast is ready."
When Edward turned around, he saw Kelly standing in the doorway—his face pale. Edward realized who had arrived; standing behind Kelly was a tall man with silver hair, holding a weapon tipped with a sharp silver point.
"Hello, Edward," the man smiled.
6.
"It’s time to honor your agreement with us. She has turned eighteen. You are to return her to us."
No. She has a lover. She is going to start a new life with him."
He fixed his silver eyes on Adam.
"Edward, did you tell him that a girl from our planet lost her life—not from bearing a child with a human, but...?"
"..."
Adam stared intently at Edward.
"What!?"
Edward’s face went pale, but he spoke up. "That has nothing to do with Meg. She is my daughter, too; she carries my blood." "I don't see it that way. In any case, you took my sister's life, so you must make amends." Edward shook his head.
"Meg belongs here. Her whole life is here. She couldn't survive on your planet." Terrence gazed intently at her as Adam held her in his arms.
"We need her to prevent the destruction of our world."
Meg looked at Edward with concern. Edward gripped the gun he had kept hidden beneath his clothes.
"It’s no use, Edward. That weapon won't work on us."
Overcome with despair, Edward looked up at the sky.
"Dad,"
Meg called out.
"It’s okay. I’m going with him."
Then, she turned to Adam.
"Adam."
She clung to him, sobbing. Adam held her tightly.
"If you're taking her, take me too,"
Adam pleaded.
Terence observed him calmly and ordered, "Stand up."
Adam carefully let go of her and rose from the bed. With his silver eyes, Terence traced the sight of Adam's bare torso.
"Is there a burn beneath that pattern?" he asked.
Adam nodded. "I got a tattoo on my torso to hide the burn. My parents inflicted it on me as punishment when I was five."
"Ah..."
Meg covered her mouth with her small hand and gently stroked his torso.
She planted a soft kiss there and pressed her face against it.
Watching this, Terence said,
"That must be an implanted memory." Then, he suddenly stripped off his own shirt... Adam was struck speechless. Terence’s torso bore the same kind of burn marks.
"These are the mark of our tribe. We all have the same brand on our torsos, Adam. What about your parents?"
"They disappeared when I was a child." Adam recalled that he had no memories of his early childhood.
"Our planet used to send children like you to Earth to bring back women."
Then Terence said, "I'm taking both of you."
Terence turned to Edward and asked, "Can you accept that?"
Edward replied, "I can't decide."
"You can't decide everything for yourself. It's already been decided."
"Hey," Kelly interjected
Kelly had gone pale, but he forced a playful tone as he said,
"That’s an interesting story. If Adam is going, I wouldn't mind tagging along." Terence shook his head.
"I'm afraid an Earth male like you wouldn't survive on our planet. It was the same for Edward; that’s why she tried to live here with him."
"Can she live safely on your planet?" Edward asked Terence.
"She has half my blood in her veins. "
"By nature, our kind needs Earth women; our planet offers an environment well-suited for them."
Edward looked at Meg with a sorrowful expression.
Terence continued.
"In any case, Meg, if you stay on Earth, you likely won't live long. Just like your mother, childbirth would claim your life."
Meg sat up in bed and walked over to Edward.
"Papa."
She threw herself against her father's chest and pressed her face into it. Edward wiped away her tears with his fingers, trying to soothe her.
Terence watched the scene with his silver eyes before shifting his gaze to Adam.
"Do you intend to go with her? Our men are free to choose either path. You seem to have a stable life here on Earth."
Adam nodded firmly.
"I'm going with her."
"I see. Then let us make the preparations."
7.
Once they were alone in the room, Meg fell silent, overcome by sadness and anxiety.
“Meg,” Adam said softly.
“Are you sure you want me?”
Meg nodded and gave him a quick, affectionate hug.
“Of course, Adam.”
Relieved, Adam hugged her back.
