Who did this to you?!

Emir left his room after a few drinks and he continued drinking. Was he hallucinating things because of that?

Archer leaned back on the headboard and closed his eyes.

But the next moment, he heard it again.

The music… it was pleasant to his ears and suddenly, he heard someone singing. A woman's voice.

Putting on his sliders, Archer walked downstairs. The resort was dimly lit as he made his way out.

He followed the source of the voice. He could hear the song but he could not understand anything. The language… What language was that?

Even if he did not understand anything, he could not help but yearn for more of the voice.

There was agony… Intense pain in that song and it was as if his feet had consciousness of their own.

But when he thought he was getting closer to the source of the voice, it got distant again.

Archer did not realize how far he walked until he spotted someone sitting on the seashore.

Under the pale glow of the moonlight, he saw that familiar face. It was Claire Delaney. His father's VIP guest.

Not finding anyone else nearby, he turned around to leave, But something caught his attention.

There was a mouth organ in Claire's hand. He made his way towards her, ''Miss De…''

''Claire,'' She glanced at him through her bangs, ''I prefer being called Claire.''

''Claire,'' Archer stepped towards her, ''Did you… Did you perhaps hear someone singing? Or was it you?"

''Song?" Claire frowned, her eyes darting around in confusion when he nodded. She flashed the mouth organ in her hand, ''Do you mean this?"

''Was it you?"

''I was playing music but I didn't hear anyone singing though,'' Claire sighed, ''Perhaps, you misheard it.''

Archer frowned, ''Maybe,'' he could not deny how that voice pulled him earlier.

It sucked him inside it like a black hole. It was anything but an illusion.

''Oh, I met your fiancée earlier this day,'' Claire pushed herself to her feet, ''I told her that you are interesting and she looked pretty insecure,'' she stepped towards him.

''Is it?" Archer raised an eyebrow, his fingers raking inside his hair as he looked around.

''Do you think she assumed that I was interested in you?"

''Are you?" Archer stepped towards her, ''Are you interested in me?" he asked, looking straight into her black eyes.

''What if I say I am?"

The corner of his lips tugged up as he flashed his signature dimpled smile at her, ''Then, I'll have to break your heart. I'm not interested in polygamy. I'll end up with a massive headache with a harem full of women,'' His smile widened further when she pursed her lips, ''Have a good night,'' with that said, he turned around and left with one of his hands tucked in the pockets of his trousers.

Claire: "_"

She looked at his retreating back before she turned around to look at the sea. She brought the mouth organ back to her lips, playing it with expertise.

…

In the servant quarters.

''Are you fine?" The woman who was sharing the room with Elvina asked when she came back to the room after a whole day of work, looking exhausted.

''I miss my home,'' Elvina sat on the bed, looking out of the window.

The woman sighed.

''Maybe I need some fresh air.''

As she nodded, Elvina walked out of the room.

Just as she had walked a little distance away from the servant quarters, someone grabbed her hand.

And in the next moment, a palm was tightly placed on her mouth, restraining her from speaking.

As the person dragged her towards the staircase, she struggled but to no avail.

He climbed the stairs and Elvina's eyes widened when she saw the rows of rooms. They were standing in a dark spot and Elvina could not see the man's face. Where was he taking her?

''Uncle?''

Elvina felt the man stiffen when he heard that voice. His grip on her loosened and she backed away from him.

As he walked downstairs in a hurry, she saw his familiar side profile...

He was the same person who had cornered her earlier this day. Andrew Hale.

The person who called him Uncle was none other than...Archer's fiancée, Emily.

Since she was standing in a dark spot, the woman could not see her.

''I almost thought I got the wrong person in the dark. What are you doing here at this hour, Uncle?"

''I didn't have the network in my room..''

Their voices drifted away as Elvina ran from the place without looking back.

Elvina ran till she was out of breath. ''Ah…'' She winced when she bumped into a hard surface.

''Do you keep bumping and crashing into people all the time?"

Elvina opened her eyes when she heard the voice. She rubbed her nose quietly and looked around.

Archer frowned when he noticed the tears in her eyes, ''What happened?" he questioned her.

After talking to Claire, he felt disturbed. She said that she heard no song but he was certain that he was not hallucinating.

So, instead of going back to his room, he ended up coming to the terrace at the end of the hallway.

While he was standing near the railing, looking at Claire who was still sitting on the seashore and playing the mouth organ, someone bumped into him from the back.

And when he turned around, he spotted the same bunny who had hopped out of his room earlier this day.

But he did not expect to see her crying.

''Elvina, I am asking something!" he raised his voice and his expression softened when he saw her shoulders shaking, ''Tell me, what happened?" he whispered.

Elvina stepped back from him.

Archer was about to say something but something caught his attention. While she was rubbing the tip of her nose which had turned red after bumping into his back, he noticed the glaring red fingerprints on her fair skin.

He tilted his head and under the moonlight, he could see the teeth imprints on her slender neck, there was a drop of blood.

He removed his black jacket and draped it over her white dress before holding her shoulders, ''Who did this to you?!'' He looked at her face intently.

Elvina raised her head and glanced at him.

He looked into her blue eyes.

Then, without any warning, she threw herself into his arms before wrapping her arms around his waist.

Archer's heart skipped a beat unconsciously.

It took him a moment to come back to his senses and he stroked her back, ''Don't cry. If you don't want to think of it, don't think. I will make sure you are safe," he said after a few moments.

''Why would you?" Elvina asked as she stepped away from him.

Then without giving him a chance to answer, she turned around and walked away.

Some jewelry on her wrist shone under the moonlight and it reflected in his eyes.

He closed his eyes instinctively.

He was about to follow her but he stopped in his tracks.

In the end, he texted one of his bodyguards to keep an eye on her till she was back in her room, safely.

Archer glanced at her retreating back, repeating the question that she asked him.

Yes, why would he? Why would he protect her?

She was not his responsibility. He barely knew her then on what basis did he claim that he was going to protect her?

He took a seat on the armchair, looking at the night sky.

Emir's words suddenly rang in his mind.

'Brother, are you sure about this marriage?'

While he was lost in his thoughts, he did not realize that the sound of the mouth organ had long stopped and the woman playing it was no longer sitting on the seashore.