He was slammed against the wall by the large figure, as fast as the action seemed, a strong arm prevented his head from hitting the wall hard.

Before Sam could speak, wet tongue trailed across his cheeks, licking the swollen area continuously until he reached the corner of his mouth. He gave a small lick before capturing his lips in a breathtaking kiss.

"Ruth…" Sam moaned when a tongue invaded his mouth pushing and pulling his own. His hand grabbed the man's coat in a tight grip as his leg started to weaken.

Seeing him struggling to breathe the man named Ruth stopped kissing after giving him a slight peck on his lips. Sam gasped for breathing,

"Does it hurt?" the man asked him.

"Hmm… a little", Sam whispered.

"Didn't I say not to get hurt"

"That slap was unexpected, but even if I predicted that I wouldn't be able to duck down in that man's presence," Sam replied.

Although Ruth remains dissatisfied with his explanation, he recognizes its inevitability. His eyes darken as he gently strokes his boyfriend's cheek, where a distinct fingerprint is visible.

His eyes shifted from the swelling to meet Sam's eyes. He observed how his silver eyes seemed alive and twinkling, probably from the overwhelming kiss. Not able to control himself, he took his lips for another rough kiss.

Frustrated with Cassie's incessant nagging, whining, and shopping all day, Frederick dropped her off at her destination and sped away, leaving her coughing in the dust kicked up by his tires.

 "You... rich brat!" she yelled after him, but he was already out of sight. 

Cassie was irritated by her failure to seduce him and get him to sleep with her. Though his family wasn't wealthy, they weren't nouveau riche either. 

As a hotel receptionist struggling to make ends meet, she had been eyeing Frederick for a while. He was an easy target, naive and sheltered as the only son of the Hutson family. 

She had envisioned herself becoming pregnant with his child, forcing his family to acknowledge them. But her plan had been thwarted by that inexperienced waiter.

She harrumphed and trudged towards her apartment, consoling herself with the fact that she had at least bought some of her favorite dresses with his money. 

Night had fallen, casting the city into darkness as the sun dipped below the horizon. Walking along the dimly lit street, illuminated only by a faint yellow light at the corner, she couldn't shake the feeling of being followed. 

Glancing behind her, she found no one there and continued on her way. But as she took a few more steps, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed behind her once again. Gripping her bags tightly, she quickened her pace. When the footsteps drew closer, she broke into a run, her heart pounding in her chest. 

Racing as fast as she could, she reached the turn that led to her apartment building. Her apartment, on the second floor at the left corner, was within reach. With trembling hands, she unlocked the door and rushed inside, slamming it shut with a loud thud.

She leaned against the door, her forehead pressed against it as she struggled to calm her breathing. Sweat trickled down from her forehead to her neck, her mind racing with fear and uncertainty. Was it a thief or some pervert following her? She took deep breaths, trying to regain control of her racing heart.

Once her breathing steadied, she turned around, only to be met with a shocking sight. A man stood before her, dressed in a black hoodie with a ghost mask covering his face. Before she could scream, he silenced her by covering her mouth with his gloved hands.

Cassie's eyes widened in terror as she attempted to push the man's hands away, but he was too strong. When she tried to kick him, he grabbed her hair and slammed her head against the nearby wall, causing her to lose consciousness.