Meanwhile, Alexander was interrupted from his work by his phone ringing.Checking the caller ID, he answered gently, "Melissa...""Alex, when are you coming to pick me up? You promised to take me to your villa today!" Melissa whined. Alexander had said he would take her to his villa, but it was already late, and he hadn't shown up."..." Alexander fell silent.He was reluctant to have Melissa stay at his place, especially since Phoebe was there. Concerns began to creep in."Don't you want me to go?" Melissa's voice trembled, as if she might cry, and Alexander felt a wave of guilt."Melissa, how could I not want you? I'm in a meeting right now, but I'll come to get you as soon as I'm done, okay?" he reassured her softly, maintaining his usual tenderness."You better not be lying to me...""When have I ever lied to you?" Alexander chuckled, chatting with Melissa for a little longer before hanging up.After ending the call, he pinched the bridge of his nose, then dialed another number."
"Alex... who is she?" Melissa's sharp eyes landed on Phoebe sitting at the dining table, her voice soft and curious.Then she turned to Alexander, smiling sweetly, "Is she your wife?""Melissa, don't pay attention to her; she's just someone insignificant.""Should I take you to the bedroom to rest?" Alexander withdrew his gaze and said gently.Phoebe was taken aback, her mind replaying his words—she let out a bitter smile. So she was considered insignificant?"Actually, I am a bit tired..." Melissa glanced at Phoebe before leaning against Alexander, lazily closing her eyes."I'll take you to rest right away..." Alexander affectionately brushed Melissa's nose and wrapped his arm around her slender waist as they headed upstairs.Watching their perfect silhouettes fade away, Phoebe felt tears streaming down her face uncontrollably.Just last night in the hospital, he had been so passionately asking for her, yet today, he spoke such cold and hurtful words.What did he really think of her?
The next morning, Phoebe woke up to find Alexander already gone. Last night, she had dreamt of him... She shook her head and let out a bitter smile.How could he possibly have held her while sleeping? He was probably with that beautiful girl. The thought made her heart ache even more. She sniffed and forced herself to stop overthinking.Today, she had to go to school. If she skipped again, she might get a warning from the administration. She had already missed many classes this semester, and it was a crucial one. She couldn't let her academics fall apart. In ten minutes, she got ready quickly, grabbed her things, and headed downstairs. It was 8 a.m., and she thought she had woken up early enough, but when she reached the dining area, she saw Alexander and that girl having a cozy breakfast together.Watching their intimate interaction made her heart feel heavy. Not wanting them to notice her, Phoebe quietly moved toward the door, her footsteps light and almost soundless. Just
Inside the cramped car, the atmosphere was so tense it felt suffocating. "SHUT UP! STOP CRYING!" Alexander yelled in frustration. Ever since he had dragged her into the car, Phoebe hadn't stopped crying. He had planned to scold her thoroughly, but the moment he saw her tears, his anger dissipated. Her endless sobbing was driving him crazy. He couldn't stand women's tears—except for Melissa and Hermosa. Any other woman's tears were unbearable to him. Phoebe covered her face, crying sorrowfully. She didn't want to cry in front of him, but the more he yelled at her, the more uncontrollable her tears became. "Damn it, how many times do I have to tell you to stop crying?" Alexander's brow furrowed deeply, veins bulging on his hands as he gripped the steering wheel tightly. Phoebe, exhausted from crying, bit her lip and wiped away her tears, her pale fingers trembling. She had been so overwhelmed just now, but after releasing her emotions, she felt a little better. She rarely cr
Alexander's black suit was perfectly tailored, fitting him impeccably."Get away from me, YOU BASTARD! You can't treat me like this!" Phoebe screamed, her face suddenly pale with disbelief. How could he be so cruel to her? Even as his mistress, she still had her dignity.She struggled against him, but his strength was overwhelming."You better learn to obey me, or you'll only be making things worse for yourself!" Alexander growled, ripping her clothes and yanking her hair with brutal force. He had indulged her defiance once or twice, but he wouldn't let her act out every time."You have no right to do this to me!" Phoebe shrieked, fighting to free herself."I have every right—because I bought you!" Without any foreplay, he thrust into her roughly, determined to show her that anyone, man or woman, who opposed him would meet a terrible fate."Ah! I'm not your whore! You can't treat me this way! I hate you—I hate you!"He wasn't human. He was a monster. A beast.Alexander's eyes narrowed.
After thinking for a moment, Phoebe glanced up at Alexander, but quickly lowered her head again.She tried to reassure herself—after all, they had already been intimate many times, and he had seen her body, even done more than just look.There was no reason to feel shy anymore.With this in mind, she stopped hesitating and picked up her underwear.Turning her back to him, she quickly put on her bra and panties.However, she struggled to fasten the clasp on her bra. After several attempts, she furrowed her brows in frustration. Normally, she didn't have such trouble—why were her fingers slipping today?Suddenly, she felt a wave of warmth near her back, causing her to tremble slightly. He had approached without her noticing.Her focus had been on the bra, and she hadn't heard his footsteps. But then again, she remembered clearly that he had carried her out of the bathroom barefoot.She had even glanced at his bare feet while in his arms. It made sense that she hadn't heard him approachi
They had barely taken a few steps when Alva suddenly remembered it was her birthday today. She turned to Phoebe and invited her."Phoebe, it's my birthday today. Remember to come to my party tonight...""Huh? Your birthday? Oh no, I... I completely forgot…""It's alright, but don't be late tonight, okay? And remember, you have to dress up!"After Alva left, Phoebe hurriedly packed her things and headed to the city center.It was all Alexander's fault. If it weren't for him, she would have already bought Alva's gift yesterday. Now it was nearly the afternoon, and she still had to rush to find something for her.She rarely went shopping and wasn't sure what to get Alva. She wandered around the mall for two hours but still hadn't found anything. She even went into a few boutique stores, but nothing seemed good enough. After thinking it over, she decided to buy Alva a long dress.Alva had a great figure and was naturally beautiful—she'd look amazing in a long dress.Phoebe checked out sev
But as a friend, Phoebe could not just stand by and watch Alva being taken away by a group of men. She was about to go up and stop them, but before she could, the other men took action."Who do you think you are, trying to take the girl we had our eyes on?" one of the men angrily stepped forward to block Noah's way, their fists clenched, ready for a fight.The group had planned to take her to bed and have their way with her, and they weren't about to let Noah simply walk off with her, especially after he kicked one of them.They wouldn't let this go."I'm her boyfriend. HOW DARE YOU even think about touching my girl?" Noah was initially too focused on being angry at Alva for not protecting herself to deal with these men, but since they were now asking for trouble, he had no intention of letting them off.Who would dare touch his woman? Even thinking about it was out of the question!"Noah, why are you wasting time with them? Let's show them what we can do!" Werner, standing behind Noa
"Damn it! What the hell are you grabbing me for?!" the man bellowed in pain, his features contorted as he struggled against the crushing grip on his arm. He thrashed desperately, trying to break free, but the strength of the man in the wheelchair was astonishing. His bones felt like they were on the verge of dislocating. "Apologize." Alexander's voice was cold, his presence radiating an intimidating chill. The undeniable authority in his tone made it clear—this was not a request. "What the hell are you talking about?!" the man shouted, his voice tinged with both anger and confusion. He had no idea who this person was and hadn't done anything to provoke him, so why should he apologize? Alexander's grip tightened. The man broke out in a cold sweat as fear crept up his spine. His bravado crumbled in an instant, and his tone softened to one of pleading desperation. "Wait—stop! Please! I don't even know what I did wrong. Could you at least tell me?" "Apologize to the person you j
For the past few days, everything had been calm—life was uneventful, until today, when Phoebe's phone rang. It was Gavin. He was calling to tell her that he would be taking her to France this Friday to visit the children. The news instantly ignited Phoebe's joy, and she spent the entire morning immersed in uncontrollable excitement. She carefully selected her outfit, grabbed her bag, and hurried out, heading straight to the shopping mall. From noon until the afternoon, she wandered through various stores, buying several adorable outfits for the children and picking out a few delicate little toys. She knew full well that Gavin had already filled an entire room with toys for them—so many that Jeremy and Amy probably couldn't even play with them all. But the moment she laid eyes on these toys, she was completely captivated and couldn't resist buying them. By the time she left the mall, Phoebe was carrying bags upon bags, her arms full. As she walked, images of Jeremy and Amy ap
Gavin seemed to sense Phoebe's confusion. He frowned slightly, his cold gaze sweeping briefly over Laura before softening as he turned to Phoebe. In a calm, measured tone, he said, "Phoebe, she was away during that time because she had some issues with her voice. I sent her abroad for treatment. I didn't tell you beforehand because I didn't want you to worry unnecessarily." Hearing his explanation, Phoebe suddenly understood. The doubt in her heart dissipated, but at the same time, a strong sense of guilt welled up inside her. Her eyes reddened slightly as she spoke with deep remorse, "I'm sorry, Gavin. I misunderstood you. How is Laura now? Has she recovered?" She looked at Laura with genuine concern in her eyes. "Not completely. Her condition is quite complicated and will take some time to heal," Gavin explained patiently. "Is it difficult to treat?" Phoebe frowned. "It can be cured, so don't worry too much. She just can't speak for now." Gavin reached out and patted Phoebe'
At four in the afternoon, Phoebe stepped out of her home, planning to make a quick trip to the supermarket to pick up ingredients for dinner.Her steps were light as she walked along the familiar street, but just as she lifted her gaze, her movements suddenly froze.Not far ahead, Gavin stood elegantly, leaning against his car door like a living masterpiece. The golden sunlight cast a soft glow on him, outlining his sharp features and adding to his naturally distinguished aura. His eyes were fixed solely on her, as if everything else around them had faded into insignificance.Phoebe's heart clenched, and for a few moments, her mind went completely blank. She quickly regained her composure and instinctively lowered her gaze.For the past few weeks, every time Gavin had tried to reach her, she had come up with excuses to avoid meeting him. When her phone rang, she ignored it. When text messages arrived, she never replied.Now, she ducked her head and pretended not to see him, turning sw
In the DA Corporation's conference room, the atmosphere was as tense as the moments before a storm.After months of being elusive, Alexander had finally made an appearance.At this moment, the company's top executives were all gathered. The directors and shareholders sat around the long conference table, their expressions varying. Among them was the representative of the mysterious company that had successfully acquired DA Corporation. He surveyed the room with a smug sense of satisfaction."Sir, the paperwork for the company's handover has been prepared. We kindly ask for your signature here." A staff member stepped forward respectfully, presenting the documents and a pen to Alexander.Alexander's gaze swept over the documents, and without a trace of hesitation, he swiftly signed his name. His expression remained calm.Letting go of DA Corporation was nothing more than a minor step in his grand scheme. To him, this was merely another move on the chessboard. More importantly, there we
Laura shuddered violently as the breath drawing near sent chills down her spine. She instantly lowered her gaze, not daring to meet his eyes. Panic surged through her, and she frantically shook her head, her body twisting desperately as she tried to retreat.But before she could escape, Gavin's hand clamped down on her flailing leg, capturing her like a hunter seizing his prey. Any chance of breaking free vanished in an instant.She turned her gaze away, her eyes darting elsewhere in terror. Even catching a glimpse of him from the corner of her eye made her heart pound with fear—she couldn't bear to look at him directly.Gavin's cold gaze bore down on Laura's pale lips, his eyes as frigid as ice, capable of freezing the entire world."Slut." His voice was hoarse with fury. "You've only been gone a few days, and you're already spreading your legs for another man?"Rage churned inside him. She had really left him. She had really gone to another man's bed. The thought gnawed at his pride
Early the next morning.Leroy slowly awakened, feeling a soft, warm weight pressing against his chest.He lowered his gaze and found Laura clinging to him like a cuddly koala, her arms wrapped tightly around him. One of her legs draped lazily over his, her posture exuding a sense of comfort and intimacy. Her small lips parted slightly with each gentle breath, accompanied by a faint, rhythmic snore—she was sound asleep.Leroy watched her in silence, his eyes brimming with tenderness and affection. As he gazed at her peaceful face, his lips curled into a subtle smile. He realized that with her by his side, life seemed to have taken on a whole new warmth, filling his world with an unexplainable sense of joy.She was never a burden—she was a priceless treasure granted to him by fate.Leroy carefully adjusted his position, trying to move without disturbing her. But the moment he shifted, Laura instinctively snuggled closer, tightening her hold on him as if, even in her sleep, she refused t
It was already late. Laura was probably asleep.But Phoebe couldn't wait any longer. Even if she disturbed Laura, she had to see her with her own eyes. Something about Laura felt off, like a thick fog lingering in her mind, making her uneasy.She still remembered the way Wright had looked at her last time—his face grim, his expression heavy, as if he were hiding countless secrets.Standing before Laura's door, Phoebe hesitated only for a moment before raising her hand and knocking.Knock. Knock.The sound echoed through the silent corridor, clear and distinct. But inside the room, there was nothing—no response, no movement. It was eerily quiet.Phoebe frowned. She knocked again, harder this time, repeating the motion several times. Still, silence.Her unease deepened.Taking a slow breath, she reached for the doorknob. With a slight twist, the door creaked open. A wave of cold air rushed out, brushing against her skin, sending a shiver down her spine.The room was pitch black. Careful
Phoebe collided with Gavin's blazing gaze. At that moment, he gracefully lifted his slender fingers and slowly unbuttoned his suit jacket.A flush crept up Phoebe's cheeks. Her eyes involuntarily followed his movements, watching as he unfastened each button with deliberate ease. Then, the impeccably tailored suit jacket was carelessly tossed onto the plush bed.Her heartbeat stuttered, then rapidly accelerated, pounding as if it might burst from her chest.Nervousness gripped her, and the air was filled with his unique scent, surrounding her completely.He gave her no chance to retreat. His long fingers gently lifted her delicate chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. Embarrassment overwhelmed Phoebe, and the moment her eyes landed on his striking features, a fleeting image of another man surfaced in her mind.Her face stiffened instantly, and a flicker of panic flashed in her eyes.Why? Why would she think of him at a time like this?A surge of complex emotions churned within her, and s