Owned By Mistake

Gilbert was Cherry's only hope.

Even though she knew he hated her, she stood her ground, trembling, eyes brimming with tears, and bravely said, "Please... I really need money."

Gilbert stared at her like she had lost her mind. Just moments ago, she was flinching from his anger, and now she dared to ask him for help?

He scoffed, bitterly amused. "You must be joking."

Cherry shook her head quickly. "I'm not. I just, Luke's in the hospital. He's in a coma. I don't know where my mom is, and I... I have no one else."

Her voice cracked, but she didn't look away. Not this time.

Gilbert stepped toward her, jaw tight. "You bled my grandmother dry with your sweetness. And now you're coming to me like I owe you something?"

Cherry's knees almost buckled under the weight of his words, but she held on to the only thing keeping her upright, hope. "I promise I'll return it. I'll work, do anything. Just think of Grandma Mathilde. Y-You don't want her to know about the annulment, right?"

For a second, silence hung between them like a blade.

His expression darkened. "Did you just try to blackmail me?"

"No! That's not what I meant," Cherry gasped, but Gilbert's face was already shadowed with fury.

He leaned in, his voice low and cold. "Don't ever try to corner me, Cherry. You won't like the outcome."

Cherry swallowed hard. Her tears were falling freely now, but she nodded anyway, unable to speak.

Gilbert lingered for a moment, jaw clenched, before turning away. "You'll have the money tonight. Don't make me regret it."

Then he walked off, leaving Cherry shaking against the stone wall, both relieved and shattered at the same time.

Cherry was shaking, her knees nearly buckling as she stared at the man in front of her. Gilbert's entire presence felt different, like she was standing in front of a storm, not a man. Her breath caught as he stepped closer, and when she saw his face mere inches from hers, she instinctively shut her eyes.

His minty breath brushed against her cheek, and the heat of it made her flinch.

"You think you know me, Cherry?" he whispered, his voice low and chilling. "You have no idea what I'm capable of."

The words made her tremble. She wanted to run, but her body wouldn't move.

Gilbert hovered there, staring at her, when suddenly, just for a flicker of a moment, he saw her. Not Cherry, the manipulative girl he believed she was, but the woman from that night. The woman who haunted his mind more than he cared to admit. His jaw tightened.

What the hell is wrong with me?

His lips had nearly brushed her ear, and for some reason, that single detail made something strange curl in his chest. Something he didn't like.

Gilbert pulled away abruptly, as if he'd touched fire. He took two steps back, shaking his head, irritated by his own reaction. His eyes, however, remained hard and furious.

Cherry slowly opened her eyes, only to meet the full force of Gilbert's glare. Her voice trembled, but she spoke anyway, "Y-You know Grandma Mathilde... you know she'd be devastated if something bad happened to me."

Gilbert laughed coldly. She was playing the only card she had, and he hated that it was working.

She was bold. Too bold. But she wasn't wrong. If anything happened to her now, Grandma Mathilde might cancel the surgery out of grief, and he couldn't afford that.

So he stepped back and shoved a hand through his hair.

"Fine," he muttered, voice gravelly. "You'll get the money. But after the surgery, you and I... we're going to settle everything."

Cherry exhaled sharply, nearly stumbling in relief. She didn't know if she'd made a deal with the devil or saved her brother's life, but she'd take any victory she could.

"How much do you need?" Gilbert asked coldly, his voice sharp like a blade.

Cherry didn't respond right away. She wasn't sure she'd heard him correctly. Her heart skipped.

"I said, how much do you need?! Answer!" His voice rose, full of irritation.

Cherry flinched. "T-Thirty thousand pesos, Mister Ace Carter."

Gilbert stared at her like she had gone mad. Thirty thousand? That was pocket change. And she looked like she was ready to throw her life away for it. His jaw clenched as dark thoughts flooded his mind. Was she playing a long con? Faking desperation? Or was she really this reckless?

He didn't know which answer pissed him off more.

Still silent, he pulled out his phone and dialed. "Bring thirty thousand pesos in cash. Now."

A few moments later, Liam arrived, handed him the envelope, and stepped back without a word. He knew better than to ask questions at times like this.

Gilbert shoved the envelope at Cherry. "Here. Take it and get out of my sight."

Cherry froze. Her eyes locked on the envelope, then up at him. Her lip trembled. Slowly, with trembling hands, she accepted the money, tears running down her cheeks. "T-Thank you, Mister Ace Carter. Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means."

Gilbert turned his back to her, jaw tight, trying to shake off the strange feeling curling in his chest. Why did her tears look real?

"Listen carefully," he said without looking at her. "If I ever find out you're still seeing Grandma Mathilde, behind my back, don't expect me to be this generous again."

It wasn't a threat this time. It was a warning laced with something colder, hurt.

Cherry nodded quickly, clutching the envelope to her chest. "I won't. I promise."

"Good." He didn't turn back. "Leave."

Cherry watched him walk away, her tears falling silently. This wasn't kindness, it was survival. But still, it saved her brother.

"Thank you," she whispered. "You saved us."

Cherry's heart dropped. She hadn't heard that voice in days, but she could never forget it.

Benjamin.

Her grip on the cart tightened, her pulse racing. She looked around the room, hoping she was mistaken. But no, there he was, standing just feet away with a smug grin on his face, arms folded across his chest.

Behind her, another man she didn't recognize, likely one of Benjamin's friends, had quietly locked the door.

"What... What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice trembling as she stepped back, bumping against the cart.

Benjamin chuckled darkly. "Didn't expect to see me, huh? You're getting really good at disappearing after messing things up."

"I have nothing to say to you. Please move aside." Cherry tried to keep her voice firm even though her knees were already weak. "I have a job to do."

Benjamin stepped closer. "A job, huh? Still pretending to be the poor, innocent girl?"

"I said move." Her voice cracked as she shoved the cart toward him, but he sidestepped it easily.

"No one's going to interrupt us here," he said, eyes narrowing. "That rich husband of yours isn't around to save you now."

"I told you before, we're not together," she snapped, though her hands were shaking. "And if you don't let me out of this room, I swear I'll scream."

Benjamin raised his hands mockingly. "Relax, Cherry. I just want to talk. After all, you still owe me."

"I don't owe you anything," she spat.

He took another step forward. "Oh, but you do. You and your lovely mother."

Cherry's breath caught in her throat. Her eyes darted to the door, still blocked. Then back to Benjamin. She couldn't let herself panic. Not now. She had to think.

"I've already paid enough," she said quietly. "You've done enough. So please, let me go."

Just then, there was a knock on the door. A hard, loud knock.

Everyone in the room froze.

"Room service follow-up," a man's voice called from outside, calm but firm.

Benjamin's brow furrowed.

"Sir, your extra utensils?" the voice repeated.

Cherry's heart leapt. She recognized it, it was Liam. Gilbert's secretary.

Benjamin hesitated, but before he could react, the lock clicked from the outside. The door opened with force.

And there he was, Gilbert Ace Carter, flanked by two men in black.

His eyes zeroed in on Benjamin with a sharp, deadly glare.

Cherry nearly collapsed from the mix of relief and shock.

Benjamin stepped back instinctively. "B-Brother Gilbert, this isn't what it looks like,"

Gilbert didn't even blink. "Touch her again and I'll destroy everything you have," he said in a low voice, calm but terrifying.

Benjamin froze.

Gilbert turned to Cherry. "Come here."

Cherry didn't hesitate. She brushed past Benjamin without another word and walked straight to Gilbert's side, holding in the sob clawing its way up her throat.

He didn't say anything, but the moment she reached him, Gilbert placed a firm hand on her back, shielding her as they exited the room.

And for the first time in days, Cherry felt safe.

"B-Benjamin, what are you doing here?" Cherry asked, her voice trembling as she instinctively stepped back.

She hadn't seen him at the university in nearly a week. With everything happening, her brother in the hospital, working overtime, she'd allowed herself to believe he was gone for good. But here he was again, like a nightmare she couldn't wake up from.

Benjamin smirked, taking a step closer.

"I missed you, baby. Didn't you miss me, too?"

Before Cherry could turn, his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, twisting it hard.

"Argh!" she gasped, her knees buckling slightly from the pain. "L-Let go of me, Benjamin!" she cried, her voice breaking as tears filled her eyes.

Why her? Why couldn't he just leave her alone? Among all the girls at school, why was she the one he kept tormenting?

Benjamin leaned closer, grinning wickedly. "You look even prettier when you cry," he murmured, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear like they were lovers.

Cherry flinched.

"I would've come to see you sooner, but Daddy had to drag me to the States with Olivia," he said bitterly, eyes darkening at the mention of his fiancée. "That spoiled brat is worse than ever. Always picking fights, yelling at me for no reason. Guess who gets to suffer when she's mad?" His eyes narrowed. "You do."

Cherry tried to pull away again, but it only worsened the pain. Her wrist throbbed.

"I said, let me go!" she shouted, louder this time, but panic was rising fast.

Benjamin leaned even closer, his breath warm against her skin.

"Don't act all innocent, Cherry. You've slept with a bunch of guys, haven't you?" His voice dripped with venom. "So what's one more night, huh? Come with me. We'll have fun."

Cherry's blood ran cold.

She glanced toward the door. No one was around. Her eyes darted to her phone on the nearby table, too far to reach.

Benjamin's grip tightened. He was dragging her now, toward the corner, away from the main hallway.

She screamed.

"Get your hands off her!"

The voice was deep, furious, and unmistakable.

Benjamin froze.

From the shadows of the hallway, Gilbert Ace Carter emerged, his gaze murderous. He didn't waste time. He strode across the room and, without a word, grabbed Benjamin by the collar and slammed him against the wall.

"You want to die today?" Gilbert growled, his voice low and dangerous.

Benjamin stuttered, struggling in the older man's grip. "B-Brother Gilbert! This isn't what it looks like."

Gilbert didn't even blink. "You laid a hand on her. That's all I need to know."

He shoved Benjamin hard enough to make him stumble backward. "Get out. Now. And if I ever see you near her again, you won't walk away."

Benjamin opened his mouth to speak, but the look in Gilbert's eyes silenced him. He turned and hurried out like a coward, glancing back only once.

Gilbert turned to Cherry, who was standing frozen, one hand on her injured wrist, her eyes still wide in shock.

He walked toward her slowly. "Are you hurt?" he asked, voice softer now.

Cherry tried to answer, but her throat was tight. She nodded slightly.

Without a word, Gilbert stepped closer, gently taking her wrist and examining the bruise forming around it. His jaw tightened again.

"Come with me," he said. "You're not staying here."

"I, I won't go with you!" Cherry cried out, her voice cracking as she backed into the wall.

Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her hands were trembling, but she stood her ground. "Why are you doing this to me? What did I ever do to deserve this?"

Benjamin laughed cruelly. "You don't get to ask questions. You're nothing but a liar, just like your mother."

Cherry's eyes widened in horror. She clenched her fists, then, with all her strength, punched him in the chest. "You're sick! Don't you dare talk about my mom like that!"

He grabbed his chest, momentarily stunned, before stepping closer again, his tone low and threatening.

"You think you're brave? You think someone like Gilbert will protect you forever?" he hissed. "This is my turf. You can scream all you want, but no one's coming for you."

"I don't need anyone," Cherry said fiercely, even though her voice trembled. "I'd rather fight than be used by a monster like you."

Just as Benjamin reached for her arm again,

The door burst open.

Gilbert Ace Carter stormed in, his face like thunder. One second later, he grabbed Benjamin by the collar and slammed him hard against the wall.

"You just sealed your fate."

Benjamin froze. "B-Brother Gilbert,I was just,"

"Save it." Gilbert's voice was like a blade. "You put your hands on her. You made threats. You're done."

Gilbert didn't even glance back at Cherry, not until Benjamin was thrown out the door by two men in black suits. Only then did he turn to her.

She was on the floor, hugging her knees, still shaking.

Gilbert stepped forward, gently crouching in front of her. "Are you hurt?" he asked quietly.

Cherry finally looked up, lips trembling. "Y-You came," she whispered.

"I always do," he said. "Even if you hate me, I'll always come when you're in danger."