Enticed Deeply: Mr. Foster's Palm Pet

The winter night in New York was bone-chillingly cold.

Seraphina Vance stood outside a private room at "Golden Paradise," wearing only a thin dress, her fingers turning blue from the cold. The Vance family had gone bankrupt, and the once high-and-mighty eldest daughter of the Vance family was now a social pariah that everyone could step on.

"Oh, isn't this Seraphina?" The door to the private room opened, and a bloated rich kid looked at her with a smirk. "I heard your father went to jail. You short on cash now? Come, have a few drinks with me. This glass is worth a hundred thousand."

Seraphina bit her lower lip hard. Just as she was about to take the glass, a long, powerful hand suddenly appeared out of nowhere and firmly grasped her wrist.

"A hundred thousand?"

A low, cold voice rang out, and the temperature in the entire hallway seemed to drop to freezing point instantly.

Seraphina's whole body froze. This voice—she could never forget it in her life.

Julian Foster.

The Foster family's prince, whom she had once publicly rejected and even humiliated. He was now the powerful "Mr. Foster" of New York, a man who could command the wind and rain with a wave of his hand.

"Mr... Mr. Foster." The rich kid was so scared the glass in his hand almost fell to the floor.

Julian ignored the others and just looked down at the trembling woman in front of him. He held a cigarette between his fingers, the smoke swirling around his cold, handsome face, making him look even more like a dangerous beast.

"Seraphina Vance, a hundred thousand is all it takes to make you sell a smile?" Julian laughed mockingly, his voice laced with thorns. "I thought your backbone was much stiffer than that, Miss Vance."

"Julian Foster, let me go." Seraphina tried to break free.

"Let go?" Julian suddenly exerted force, pulling her directly into his arms. He leaned down close to her ear, his words slow and manic. "Seraphina, you've probably forgotten that ten years ago I said you would eventually fall into my hands."

He took a check from his pocket, casually slapped it onto the rich kid's face, then picked Seraphina up horizontally and strode out.

"Julian Foster, where are you taking me!"

"To where I should take you." He closed the car door, pinning her against the back seat, his gaze both ruthless and deeply affectionate. "Seraphina, this game has only just begun. Since you've entered, don't even think about getting out."

The Foster mansion was brightly lit.

Seraphina Vance was roughly thrown onto a leather sofa that was absurdly large.

"Julian Foster, let me go!" Seraphina tried to get up in a panic, but the man leaned over her, pinning her hands firmly above her head.

Julian stared at her, his eyes looking as if he wanted to tear her apart and devour her. "Go? Seraphina, where can you go now? Back to your bankrupt Vance family home that's already been sealed? Or to accompany that fat Mr. Zhang from earlier?"

Seraphina bit her lip, her eyes filling with tears. "Even that would be better than staying by your side!"

"Is that so?" Julian sneered, his long fingers undoing a button at her collar. "It seems that in these ten years, you haven't learned how to beg, but instead have become better and better at provoking me."

He didn't make any further moves but instead stood up and walked to the bar to pour two glasses of red wine.

"Drink it."

"I won't."

"Seraphina, don't force me to add another entry to the Vance family's debt list." Julian turned his head, the moonlight illuminating half of his face—wicked and dangerous. "Finish this glass, and we'll talk about the Vance family's debts."

Seraphina tremblingly took the glass and downed it in one go.

But before long, she felt an abnormal heat rising within her body. She looked at Julian in disbelief. "You... what did you put in the wine?"

Julian slowly walked over to her, his lips curling into a cruel arc. "Seraphina, I've waited ten years, and it wasn't to hear you reason with me. Since you want to save the Vance family so badly, then show some real sincerity."

He leaned down, and under the ambiguous lighting, he completely tore through her final line of defense.

When she woke up the next day, Seraphina Vance found herself lying in Julian Foster's arms.

The sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, making everything seem so real and cruel.

"Awake?" Julian's voice carried the hoarseness of morning.

Seraphina pushed him away abruptly, wanting to get out of bed, but was pulled back into his arms by the man.

"Seraphina, you haven't forgotten what happened last night, have you?"

"Julian Foster, you're a madman!" Seraphina cried out.

"A madman?" Julian pinched her chin, his gaze dark. "If by 'madman' you mean the person who waited ten years for you and was the first to rush out when you were in trouble, then yes, I am indeed mad."

He took an agreement from the nightstand and threw it in front of her. "Sign it. I'll pay off the Vance family's debts, but you have to stay by my side. Three years. During these three years, you must be available whenever I call and not leave the Foster mansion without permission."

Seraphina looked at the agreement, her hands trembling slightly.

"What if I don't sign?"

"Then the Vance family's remaining assets that haven't been liquidated will be forcibly auctioned this afternoon." Julian lit a cigarette, the smoke swirling around his cold face. "Seraphina, you have a choice, but I suggest you be smart."

For her father, for the Vance family, Seraphina closed her eyes and signed her name on the agreement.

Julian smiled with satisfaction. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead—a kiss full of possessiveness.

"Good girl. Seraphina, since you provoked me, don't even think about running in this life."

In the days that followed, Seraphina Vance became the most exquisite "canary" in the Foster mansion.

Julian Foster prepared the most expensive dresses and the most dazzling jewelry for her, but denied her only one thing: freedom.

"Julian, I want to go out and work."

"Work?" Julian sat at the dining table, elegantly cutting a steak. "Miss Vance, who in New York today do you think would dare to hire the daughter of the Vance family?"

"I..."

"Stay here and be a good Mrs. Foster." Julian put down his knife and fork, his eyes full of heavy warning. "Seraphina, don't let me find you trying to contact any of your 'old flames'."

Seraphina trembled with anger.

That night, she tried to sneak out the back door while Julian was working in his study.

But before she could even leave the garden, several bodyguards in black blocked her path.

"Miss Vance, Mr. Foster requests that you return."

Seraphina was forcibly taken back to the bedroom.

Julian pushed the door open and entered, his face terrifyingly dark. Without a word, he threw her onto the bed and unbuckled his belt.

"Seraphina, it seems I've still been too gentle with you."

He gritted his teeth and whispered in her ear, "Since you want to escape so badly, I'll make sure you won't have the strength to step foot out of this room for the rest of your life."

That night, Seraphina truly witnessed just how paranoid this man known as "Mr. Foster" could be.

The rain in New York always carried an oppressive atmosphere.

Lightning flashed and thunder roared outside. Seraphina Vance curled up under the covers; this was the kind of weather she feared most.

"Bang!"

The bedroom door was pushed open, and Julian Foster walked in, carrying a chill and a heavy scent of alcohol.

"Julian, have you been drinking?"

Julian didn't answer. He just strode to the bed and pulled her out from under the covers.

"Seraphina, why are you avoiding me?" He buried his head in the crook of her neck, his voice terrifyingly hoarse. "Why is it that in these ten years, you've never truly looked at me?"

"Julian, let go first..."

"I won't!" Julian suddenly looked up, his eyes slightly red—a loss of composure Seraphina had never seen before. "For you, I fought with my life abroad to become stronger; for you, I spent three whole years after returning to eliminate those obstacles. But what about you? You were going to marry that useless second son of the Lin family!"

Seraphina was stunned. She hadn't known any of this.

Julian's kiss followed, carrying an unprecedented despair and madness.

That night, against the backdrop of the stormy rain, Seraphina felt for the first time what kind of scalding and humble love was hidden beneath Julian's iron-hard heart.

Every word he spoke was an accusation against her, but also a confession.

When everything settled, Julian held her tightly, his voice echoing in the silent room:

"Seraphina, don't leave me again. If you leave again, I'll really go mad."

As time passed, Seraphina Vance found herself increasingly unable to leave Julian Foster.

This man's paranoia was like a fatal poison, making her feel a hint of sweetness amidst the pain.

He would buy an entire garden for her just because she took an extra look at a flower by the road. He would search all of New York to find the Vance family's former chef and bring him back just because she casually mentioned missing his cooking.

"Seraphina, do you like it?" Julian embraced her from behind, his fingertips carelessly playing with her long hair.

"Julian, you're going to spoil me to the point of uselessness."

"Spoiled to uselessness is good." Julian pressed a kiss to the side of her neck. "If you're useless, you'll never be able to leave me."

However, the Vance family's creditors were still persistent.

This afternoon, Seraphina went out to pick up some things for her father, but was surrounded by several thugs in an alley.

"Miss Vance, your father owes us money. Shouldn't you pay it back with your body?"

Seraphina was terrified.

At the critical moment, a black car suddenly charged over, directly knocking down the thug in the front.

Julian walked out of the car with a dark face, holding a black umbrella. He walked up to Seraphina, shielded her behind him, and his eyes were full of overwhelming killing intent.

"My woman—you dare to touch her?"

In just half an hour, those thugs completely vanished into the New York night.

Julian held Seraphina tightly, his hands trembling. "Seraphina, I'm sorry, I'm late."

Hearing his rapid heartbeat, Seraphina for the first time took the initiative to wrap her arms around his waist.

In New York's elite circles, everyone knew that Julian Foster was a jealous man.

Ever since he made his relationship with Seraphina Vance public, almost no one dared to look her in the eye again.

But today, at a charity auction.

Seraphina's former childhood sweetheart, the second son of the Lin family, Ethan Lin, appeared.

"Seraphina, come with me. I'll find a way to deal with the Vance family's debts. Julian Foster is a madman; he'll ruin you!" Ethan grabbed Seraphina's hand, his voice urgent.

Just as Seraphina was about to push him away, a cold voice rang out from behind.

"Mr. Lin, where exactly do you plan to take my fiancée?"

Julian, dressed in a well-tailored black suit, walked over step by step, each step feeling like it was treading on someone's heart. He directly reached out and pulled Seraphina back into his arms, his eyes staring darkly at Ethan.

"Mr. Lin, it seems the lesson I gave you last time wasn't enough."

"Julian, Seraphina doesn't love you. She's only staying by your side for the sake of the Vance family!" Ethan shouted.

Julian's body stiffened for a moment, then he sneered. In front of everyone, he leaned down and directly kissed Seraphina's lips.

The kiss was rough and passionate.

"Doesn't love me?" Julian released Seraphina, his eyes full of manic possessiveness. "Regardless of whether she loves me or not, she can only stay by my side in this life. Ethan Lin, if you dare to come near her again, I'll make the Lin family completely disappear from New York."

Ethan fled in terror.

Julian turned his head and looked at Seraphina, his gaze becoming complex and dangerous. "Seraphina, tell me, was your heart moved just now?"

Seraphina Vance fell ill with a persistent high fever.

Julian Foster canceled meetings worth billions and stayed by her bedside for three days and nights.

"Seraphina, have some porridge." He carefully blew on the hot porridge in the spoon to cool it before bringing it to her lips.

"Julian, go to work, I'm fine..."

"You are my work." Julian looked at her stubbornly, his eyes full of deep heartache. "Seraphina, if something happens to you, what use is all this power in New York to me?"

Seraphina looked at this man who was decisive and ruthless outside, but now blamed himself like a child over her minor cold. The final line of defense in her heart completely collapsed.

"Julian, actually... three years ago, I didn't want to marry Ethan Lin."

Julian's hand paused.

"The Vance family was already failing back then, and the Lin family used that to blackmail me. I was waiting for you to come back the whole time." Seraphina's voice was very soft. "But I thought you hated me, so I didn't dare to look for you."

Julian abruptly put down the bowl and held her tightly in his arms, his grip so strong it felt like he wanted to rub her into his very blood and soul.

"Seraphina, I'm sorry. It was my self-righteousness, I was too stupid."

The truth was out.

The ten years of missing each other weren't just his obsession, but also her helplessness.

"From now on, I'll never let you suffer any more grievances." Julian leaned down and gently kissed away the tears at the corners of her eyes.

At this moment, he was her antidote, and she was his only salvation in this life.

In Julian Foster's study, Seraphina Vance accidentally discovered a safe.

The password to the safe was her birthday.

After opening it, she found it filled with photos of her.

From her youthful exuberance at sixteen to her charming beauty at twenty, there were even candid photos of her while she was studying abroad.

On the back of every photo, a sentence was written: [Seraphina, wait for me to take you home.]

Seraphina's hand trembled slightly.

It turned out that in these ten years, he had never truly left. He had always been in a corner she couldn't see, silently watching over her and protecting her.

The so-called despair after the "bankruptcy," the moments of being "taken away" by him—they were all part of his long-planned strategy.

What he wanted wasn't just her body, but her entire being, her entire heart.

"You saw it?"

Julian's voice came from behind. He had walked in at some point, his eyes showing no embarrassment at having his secret discovered, only a deep affection that had finally found its place.

"Julian, were you calculating against me from the very beginning?"

"Yes." Julian walked over and embraced her from behind, his chin resting on her shoulder. "Seraphina, if I hadn't done this, you would never have taken the initiative to return to my side in this life. I spent ten years weaving this web just to make sure you couldn't go anywhere except by my side."

He turned her body around, his gaze fervent and focused. "Now, do you still want to leave?"

Seraphina looked at this man who loved her as much as his own life, almost to the point of being pathological, and finally shook her head slowly.

"No."

She leaned in and took the initiative to kiss his lips.

One year later.

New York welcomed a grand wedding.

Julian Foster used almost half the power of New York's elite circles to create a dreamlike wedding of the century for Seraphina Vance.

"Seraphina, you look beautiful today." Julian, dressed in a custom suit, looked obsessively at the bride in her pure white wedding dress.

Seraphina smiled and hooked her arms around his neck. "Mr. Foster, you look very handsome today too."

"Call me husband," Julian corrected her, his tone carrying a domineering quality that left no room for argument.

"Husband."

Julian smiled with satisfaction. He suddenly picked her up, and amidst the cheers of the guests, he strode toward the end of the red carpet.

The Vance family had restored its former glory, and Seraphina was no longer that destitute eldest daughter.

But she was still Julian Foster's most cherished "palm pet."

Julian would still fly into a rage because she drank a sip of cold water, and would still buy an entire talent agency overnight because she was rumored to be involved with a male artist.

His paranoia had never changed, but now it was infused with an extreme tenderness.

"Seraphina, if our future child looks like you, I'll definitely spoil them to the heavens."

"And what if they look like you?"

"Then I'll personally teach them how to be like their father—to only dote on a woman named Seraphina Vance for their entire life."

The sunlight shone on the two of them. The rest of their lives would be long, and this long-planned love had finally bloomed into the most brilliant flower.

(The End)