"You're just that cheap." His rage was uncontrollable.Every word from him was like a stab to her heart, causing a sharp ache deep within."Let go of me!" She struggled to free herself, but his grip on her shoulders only tightened, his fingers digging into her skin.Tears spilled over, unable to be contained any longer. "You can't treat me like this. Let go of me! It doesn't matter what I do with other men; it's none of your business, and I don't want to explain myself to you."His eyes narrowed, his face dangerously menacing. "Do you even know what you're saying?"She let out a small, bitter laugh. Of course she knew—and she knew the consequences of provoking him. His punishment would only become more severe...She took a deep breath, suppressing the sourness welling up inside. "We have nothing to do with each other anymore. That's what you said. Or do you plan to go back on your word?""FUCK!" He looked like he could strangle her. Did she really want to cut ties with him that badly?
He released her wrist, his arms wrapping tightly around her waist, his sharp nose lowering to touch the tip of hers.With one hand free, he traced her lips with his fingers, caressing them softly. The color was beautiful, like a flower, but how many men had stained it? He had seen it twice with his own eyes.How many more times had it happened without his knowledge?His expression darkened like a grim reaper, every bloodthirsty instinct within him flaring to life. His fingers slowly began to wander."You've gained weight," he said, his tone shifting, light but laced with a strange, unsettling edge."Please... don't do this to me." Her eyes filled with tears, her voice fragile, full of vulnerability. His sudden change in demeanor felt like the calm before the storm."Are you scared of me?"She whimpered softly. His wicked voice echoed in her ears.She wasn't just scared of him."What should I do? Your body... I've missed it so much. Even in my dreams, I'm with you in bed." His voice wa
Alexander never imagined he could become so obsessed with this body.He, who prided himself on his self-control, found himself losing it time and again in her presence.He had once thought he could discard her whenever he wanted, but he had clearly overestimated himself.He had unknowingly fallen into her spell, like a drug slowly eating away at him, addicting him to her.But how could he tolerate other men tasting the sweetness of her body?The thought of that man kissing her in the car made his teeth grind with rage. The feeling of having something he cherished stolen from him stirred every bloodthirsty instinct within.He wanted to pull out a gun and shoot that man without hesitation if only he hadn't been so distracted by the scene.If just a kiss could provoke such fury, what would it feel like if another man touched her?Had he ever done those things to her too? Just the thought of her alluring body surrendering to another man filled his eyes with bloodshot rage, his face freezi
"Sir, the doctor has arrived," came the respectful voice of the subordinate outside the door."Mm, let him in," Alexander responded coldly. Clad in a black robe, his commanding presence was powerful and intimidating.Several doctors entered, carrying a collection of clinical instruments."Examine her," he ordered, his eyes dark and unreadable."Wait.""Sir, do you have any further instructions?" one doctor asked, hesitantly."Cover their eyes.""Uh..." the subordinate hesitated. Blocking their vision would make the examination impossible."Sir, if we can't see, we can't perform the examination properly," one of the doctors pointed out."Fine, proceed." After a long pause, Alexander replied in an icy tone.The doctors followed his orders without delay, quickly starting their examination. Alexander watched each instrument in use, his expression becoming increasingly complex. Emotions he rarely showed flashed in his eyes.After half an hour, his hard expression grew even darker. Looking
The Next MorningAlexander had lingered on her for a long time, finally releasing her after what felt like hours. He hadn't actually done anything overly intimate, merely kept her close, peppering her with kisses.His lips rested gently on her lower abdomen, his hand softly caressing her, seemingly captivated by the life forming there. There was no way he felt nothing, though he was firm in his decision: he wouldn't keep the child.He cared for Phoebe, that much he could admit, but she wasn't fit, in his mind, to bear his child.With his decision made, he planned to keep Phoebe by his side, while Melissa would receive his name, a title, and the warmth of companionship.His movements startled Phoebe, and she instinctively tensed. She kept her eyes closed, afraid to see his expression, sensing only the danger in his touch.She worried—what if he suspected something? What if, while dreaming, she inadvertently gave herself away?"Phoebe, if you don't open your eyes..." he laughed softly,
Phoebe was eager to know his answer.If he would end up marrying Melissa, Phoebe thought she would eventually have to sever this connection.Loving someone unrequitedly was truly exhausting. She wasn't alone anymore—she now had a tiny life growing inside her, someone who needed her care.She didn't want to put herself through such heartache, nor did she want to become a scorned mistress.Besides, this ongoing entanglement between them wasn't fair to Melissa either.But still, Phoebe wanted to know… did he love Melissa?If he did, why couldn't he just let her go? She could never understand that. If he didn't love Melissa, then why marry her? He didn't seem like the kind of person who would be pressured into anything."..." Alexander froze at her question, parting his lips to answer, but no sound came out. Looking into her clear, beautiful eyes, he hesitated.For once, he found himself speechless.A strange frustration rose in his chest. Would he still marry Melissa? He should have answ
The man in the silver-gray suit stood tall and striking, his perfect features and deep eyes drawing gasps of admiration from passersby.Phoebe snapped back to reality, lowered her gaze, and turned to walk away, pretending she hadn't noticed him.She quickened her steps, eager to leave."Phoebe," a deep voice called from behind her.Hearing his voice, her hurried steps stopped involuntarily. She wanted to keep walking, but her legs felt as heavy as lead. She could hear each step he took as he approached her."Why do you try to run every time you see me?" he asked with a hint of mischief. "Is it because you don't want to see me?"She felt awkward. Her obvious reaction must have shown him how much she wished to avoid him."What a coincidence, running into you here," she said with a forced smile, her gaze dropping."It's not a coincidence. I came here specifically to find you." His intent was clear."What?" She looked at him, shocked.Why was he here? And how did he even know where to fin
The Café.The café exuded elegance, with a soothing ambiance and soft background music enhancing the atmosphere.But Phoebe couldn't enjoy it; she sat uneasily, her emotions a tangled mess. She had no idea why Melissa had asked to meet her here.From the car ride to the café, Melissa had been silent, simply staring at her with an unrelenting gaze that made Phoebe feel uncomfortable—even a bit creeped out. She felt like she couldn't sit still and wanted to break the awkward silence.Honestly, she wanted to leave.She was painfully aware of her awkward position: Melissa was the woman Alexander intended to marry, while she was his hidden lover, a kept woman in the shadows.Melissa's eyes swept over her with disdain as she elegantly sipped her coffee. Finally, she broke the silence with a deliberately slow and even voice, "Phoebe, you look well lately."It seemed Melissa had noticed Alexander's recent attentions toward her.Melissa had assumed that night with Alexander would draw him clos
In the bathroom, Leroy felt completely cut off from the outside world. He had spent a full hour inside before finally stepping out through the tightly closed door.But the scene before him made him gasp sharply, his eyes widening in shock.Laura had fallen back into a deep sleep on the bed, as if nothing had happened. What made his blood rush even more was her completely unguarded sleeping posture.She was sprawled out in a starfish position, her clothes in disarray. And the most provocative part? The way her neckline had slipped, half-revealing the delicate curves beneath. The sight was completely unobstructed from his angle.Leroy suddenly felt an itch on his philtrum. Reflexively, he wiped it, only to find his fingers smeared with fresh, red blood.He was having a nosebleed!Damn it. It wasn't as if he'd never seen a woman before! How could he be so easily thrown off balance?His gaze roamed over her, unrestrained. Right now, Laura was like a perfectly ripe peach—tempting, luscious
At the break of dawn, on the other side of the city.Leroy slowly woke from his slumber, his chest feeling as if a heavy boulder was pressing down on it. Instinctively, he reached out, his fingers brushing against something soft and fuzzy. As his eyes fluttered open, they widened in shock.Laura was sprawled across him, completely unrestrained. Her arms clung to his like a vice, her leg hooked around his waist, making her look like a stubborn little koala refusing to let go.Her soft, delicate body was pressed snugly against his firm chest, and the blanket that was supposed to be covering her had long since slipped to the floor, lying abandoned beside the bed.Leroy furrowed his brows in deep regret.That day, he had gritted his teeth and forced himself to send her away. Yet, somehow, as if under some inexplicable spell, he had ended up bringing her back. Not only that, but he had let her stay by his side, fed her three meals a day, and even given up his own bed for her.He must have
Phoebe panicked and quickly tugged at her collar, trying to cover the incriminating marks. At the same time, she lowered her head, not daring to meet Gavin's gaze.Her mind was completely blank—she had no idea what to say.Should she explain? She couldn't bring herself to, knowing she had wronged Gavin. But if she remained silent, he might start suspecting something. Caught in this agonizing dilemma, she chose silence. She knew that at this moment, any explanation would only make her seem more guilty."Go rest," Gavin finally said. He seemed to sense her unease and embarrassment. His voice was still gentle, but there was an undercurrent of complexity that was hard to decipher.With that, he turned and walked away, his departing figure exuding a quiet sense of loss and helplessness. Phoebe stood motionless, staring after him as tears blurred her vision once again. A crushing wave of guilt consumed her, drowning her completely."Gavin, I miss the kids," Phoebe murmured, lifting her gaze
"Phoebe." Gavin called out urgently, his voice filled with concern.The sight before him made his heart jolt. Phoebe stood there in a thick white bathrobe, her long, damp hair clinging to her pale face and shoulders. Droplets of water trailed down her strands, soaking into the fabric of her robe, leaving dark, damp patches. Even her usually rosy lips had lost all color.Without thinking, Gavin stepped forward and gently pulled her into his arms. His voice carried an unmistakable tension as he asked, "What happened? I called you so many times last night, but you never answered."Hearing his familiar, caring voice, Phoebe felt a sharp pang in her chest. She had thought she had run out of tears on the way home, but now, her eyes welled up once again, completely beyond her control."I… I wasn't feeling well last night, so I went to bed early," she lied, forcing herself to suppress the agony within. Her voice was hoarse, roughened by exhaustion and the tears she had shed.She lowered her g
After she left, the maid tiptoed to the study door, raised her hand, and gently knocked before respectfully announcing, "Sir, the lady has left. The arranged taxi is waiting outside."Inside the study, Alexander reclined in his large chair, eyes closed, seemingly lost in deep thought.Hearing the maid's report, his eyes snapped open, a flicker of complex emotions flashing within his deep gaze. He pushed the wheels of his chair forward and slowly made his way to the floor-to-ceiling window.His tall, muscular frame was bare, his sculpted physique exuding an almost suffocating allure.He had told himself not to look at Phoebe again, not to let her every move dictate the rhythm of his heart.Yet, the moment that door opened and he saw her panicked yet resolute figure, his chest tightened involuntarily, and he found himself unable to tear his gaze away.He loathed the idea of her leaving. Even just watching her retreating silhouette felt like a precious moment slipping through his fingers
After rushing into the bathroom, Phoebe collapsed onto the cold floor, feeling as though all the strength had been drained from her body.She hugged herself tightly, burying her head between her knees as if doing so could shield her from the nightmare that had become her reality.From deep within her throat, suppressed sobs finally broke free, carrying with them an unbearable weight of grievance, anger, and pain. The sorrowful cries echoed in the small bathroom, filling the space with her despair.She cried for what felt like an eternity. Tears streamed down her cheeks like a flood breaking through a dam, pooling onto the floor beneath her.By the time her sobs subsided, her eyes were swollen and red, the skin around them bruised with exhaustion and anguish.Throughout it all, only one name dominated her thoughts—Alexander.Bastard! Monster! Scum!She cursed him over and over again in her mind, hurling every vile insult she could think of at him, as if that were the only way to ease t
In the early morning, Phoebe slowly regained consciousness. Her mind cleared, but she couldn't immediately tell how much time had passed.The dim wall lamp still emitted a faint glow, and the heavy curtains remained tightly drawn, blocking out every trace of light.She instinctively shifted, only to freeze at the firm pressure wrapped around her waist.A strong arm was holding her tightly. She was curled up in a warm yet unfamiliar embrace. A violent shudder ran through her, every muscle in her body tensing in an instant.Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision. Fear and despair consumed her. What had happened?"You bastard! Let me go! Let me go!" Phoebe's voice trembled with anguish as she screamed, her words choked with sobs. She thrashed desperately, her hands clawing at the arm encircling her waist, trying to break free from the stranger's hold.But the moment she turned her head and saw the man's face, all movement ceased. Her breath hitched. Her expression went from pan
Phoebe's mind felt as if it were wrapped in a thick, impenetrable fog. Her usual clarity had vanished without a trace, leaving her in a dazed and sluggish state.She struggled to lift her heavy eyelids, desperate to see who was in front of her. But the man's head was buried against her chest, completely obscuring her vision.What was happening? Who was this man pressing against her? What was he doing to her?A whirlwind of questions surged through her muddled mind, fueling her growing sense of unease. Everything around her became a blur, her consciousness flickering like a candle in the wind. Darkness crept in, swallowing her whole, leaving her with nothing but emptiness."Oh, Phoebe...you are mine. Mine."Alexander's voice was thick with longing as he pressed soft kisses against her through the sheer fabric of her dress. In his world, perhaps only in this dreamlike state could he truly possess her without restraint.His long fingers trembled slightly as he painstakingly undid the but
Phoebe's pale fingers unconsciously scratched at her own skin, as if doing so could ease the burning fire raging within her body."Oh god, what's happening to me?" The heat inside her felt like it was consuming her whole.She desperately needed cold water to extinguish the flames coursing through her veins. Fighting through the discomfort, she fumbled her way toward the bathroom door.Her vision blurred, her steps unsteady, as if she were lost in a dark labyrinth. She didn't know how long it took, but at last, she found the door—the one thing that could save her.Without hesitation, she turned on the cold water and submerged herself in the bathtub.The icy water enveloped her burning body.She had no idea how long she stayed there, but gradually, the searing heat began to fade, and the sensation of being consumed by fire slowly dissipated.When she finally rose from the bathtub, her mind was still clouded, as though she had been drugged. Her consciousness wavered—one moment clear, the