As the workday was ending in the late afternoon, Avery suddenly approached Calla with a smile. "Calla, Jessica just got some new casual wear at her store. Want to check it out after work?"Calla looked up and smiled. "Sure, I was actually thinking of buying an outfit for my cousin."Calla had promised Pierre a set of casual wear, so she was happy to accept. She mentioned buying clothes for her cousin to avoid any misunderstandings with Avery.Avery couldn't resist teasing her a bit. "A 'cousin'? Is he one of those distant ones?""It's a legitimate cousin I have blood ties with," Calla clarified."Whatever you say, Calla." Avery chuckled and shook her head, clearly not fully believing Calla's explanation.Calla didn't bother explaining further. She finished up her work, and when the day ended, accompanied Avery to their colleague, Jessica Wern's store.At the store, Calla picked out a pair of pants, a short-sleeve T-shirt, and a pair of sneakers, spending about a couple hundred d
Before Calla could react, the Bentley sped up, skidding to a halt right in front of her, leaving black tire marks on the road. The sudden stop startled Calla, causing her heart to race.The back door of the car then swung open, and a shadow dressed in a white shirt stepped out. It was Mercer, of course. When Calla saw him, her first instinct was to turn and run. But Mercer quickly grabbed her arm. "What are you doing? Let me go!" Calla struggled desperately.Mercer wasn't about to give her a chance to escape. He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her into the car."Help!" Calla's scream was swallowed up by the noise of the bustling city.Someone nearby saw what was happening and pointed at Mercer. "Hey, what are you doing? You can't just kidnap someone!"Mercer cast a cold glance at the person and calmly replied, "It's a couple's dispute. Is that any of your business?"Upon hearing this, the person laughed. "Well, women need to be taught a lesson. Good luck, man!"
Seeing that it was futile for her to try and call the police, Calla was extremely frustrated. She moved forward and began throwing punches at Mercer."Mercer, you bastard! I'll kill you!" Calla vented all her grievances and anger from the past few days with blows to Mercer's chest.He remained unmoving, letting her punch him. Calla also kicked his legs with her high heels. Despite being exhausted, she continued to attack him.Eventually, Mercer, unable to endure it any longer, grabbed her wrists with both hands."Are you done?" Mercer growled, his brows furrowed.Feeling the tightened grip on her wrists, Calla glared at him and demanded, "Let me go! Stop the car and let me out! Do you hear me?"Mercer looked at Calla, his expression darkening. He then lowered his head and sealed her lips with his own.Calla's curses and cries were swallowed back. Mercer's arms wrapped tightly around her waist as he closed his eyes. The kiss was long, gentle, and slightly domineering.Feeling hi
Mercer's narrowed eyes filled with a fierce intensity as he stared at Calla, who was clutching two high heels. The predatory look in his eyes made Calla's hands tremble.Suddenly, Mercer pressed a button, and a partition slowly descended behind the driver's seat. This partition divided the car into two separate spaces: the front was one area, while the spacious rear seat became a separate, enclosed space.Calla was shocked to discover the car had such a function. As she realized that only she and Mercer were present in this isolated space, and anything that happened wouldn't be seen by Simon in the front, she was overwhelmed by fear."Mercer, don't do anything reckless…" Despite her fierce tone, she instinctively tried to back away.In the next moment, a scream echoed through the car. The high heels fell to the ground as Mercer pulled Calla into his embrace. This time, he kissed her deeply and tugged at her clothes. Although less forceful than previous encounters, it still terrif
Calla sat there with her face buried in her hands, tears streaming down her cheeks. Mercer's forehead creased in worry as his eyes softened with pity. Calla's phone, which had been thrown to the ground earlier, rang at that moment. Mercer reached down and picked it up from the floor. He saw a WhatsApp message, and the sender's profile picture showed Pierre.When Mercer saw the picture, the tenderness in his eyes vanished instantly. It was replaced by a dark, brooding expression.Lowering her hands from her face, Calla noticed Mercer scrolling through her phone. She quickly reached out to snatch it back. But Mercer raised his hand, holding it out of her reach."Give me back my phone!" Calla shouted.She had caught a glimpse of the WhatsApp notification. She was scared Mercer would go ballistic if he knew she was talking to Pierre.Sure enough, Mercer scrolled through all her messages with Pierre from today. Then, holding up the phone, he glared at Calla and demanded, "So you were
Being held by the throat, Calla was struggling to breathe. In the end, she gave up fighting, realizing it was futile. With no more tears left to shed, she bit down hard and held on. All the while a festering resentment toward Mercer was taking root in her heart. No matter how Mercer tortured her, Calla never gave in. She only bit her lip until it bled, refusing to utter another word.The car drove smoothly and quickly as the night grew darker. In the dim car interior, only the man's heavy breathing could be heard.Over an hour later, the black car pulled to a stop by the roadside. A tall, burly figure stood a few feet away under a large tree. Mercer held a cigarette between his fingers, wisps of smoke slowly rising under the starlight. His dark eyes were fixed on the car door, frowning. His expression was a tangled web of dejection, remorse, and a simmering rage.Soon after, the car door opened, and a woman dressed in men's casual clothing ran out. She cast a resentful glance at
That night, Calla tossed and turned, unable to sleep. When she finally dozed off, she had a series of nightmares, waking up drenched in cold sweat."Calla! Calla!" She felt someone grab her arm. With a groan, she quickly sat up and opened her eyes wide."Calla, did you have a nightmare?" someone asked with concern.Turning her head, she was met with Avery. Calla couldn't help but wipe the cold sweat from her forehead as she managed a smile. "Yes, I just had a nightmare.""I'll get you a glass of water." Avery poured a glass of water and handed it to Calla.Calla took the glass and drank a few sips. "Thank you," she said.Avery took the glass back, and Calla looked up at her. "Avery, I'm not feeling well. I want to see a doctor tomorrow. Could you please ask Ms. Johanson for time off on my behalf?""Alright, don't worry about it." Avery nodded.Calla knew that resigning would take several days to process. She feared that during this time, Mercer might harass her. Thus, she neede
The world outside was cloaked in darkness, while the hospital was aglow with bright lights.A towering figure stood staring intently through the large glass window, frowning. Behind the glass was a sterile isolation ward.On the bed with white sheets lay a small child, barely over a year old. He had an adorable mushroom haircut and was in a deep sleep. His chubby little hand rested beside the pillow, with a bit of drool at the corner of his mouth. He looked innocent and cute, but his face was alarmingly pale, devoid of any color. It was as if he were a blank sheet of paper—a frightening sight as he seemed so fragile.Mercer placed one hand on the glass in front of him, his dark eyes fixed on the boy's frame. His gaze was filled with pain and sorrow, his brows tightly knitted together as if bearing the weight of the world's grief."Mr. Garland, you've been standing here for two hours. Why don't you rest for a while?" Simon approached from behind, frowning as he tried to persuade t