Alexander felt something wrapping around him from behind.He squinted his eyes, his gaze sharp and piercing. Reaching out, he grabbed and yanked whatever it was toward him to see who it was."Melissa? Why is it you?" Alexander frowned. No wonder he had sensed something familiar; he almost threw her to the ground just now."Alex," Melissa fell into his arms, her voice sweet and sticky.The cold shower had already washed away half of the heat in his body, but now it was quickly reigniting."Hurry and go back to bed," Alexander said, sensing something was off. His hand brushed against her skin. Quickly, he reached over and turned on the bedside lamp.The room lit up, and what he saw made his eyes narrow.Melissa's hair cascaded over her shoulders, her eyes full of seductive intent as she looked at him. Her lingerie—if it could even be called that—was barely there, a sheer red fabric that left little to the imagination.Damn it. Did she even know what she was doing?"Alex," Melissa purred
In the hospital, Phoebe lay dejectedly on the bed. It was late, and he still hadn't come.She took a deep breath, feeling a pang of self-contempt. Despite his treatment of her, she found herself inexplicably in love with him.Was it love?No—she didn't even know what love truly was.Was it simply liking him? It must be, since he always made her heart ache.Was it because of his looks? She wasn't the kind of girl to judge based on appearances.So what was it? After thinking for a long time, she couldn't come to an answer. He treated her so cruelly that she should hate him, yet she found it impossible to do so.For over a decade, her love life had been empty; she had never truly liked any boy. Some had pursued her before, but she had always felt repulsed.In college, juggling studies and work left her with no time to consider relationships. In the realm of emotions, she felt like a blank slate, and he had stumbled into her life, catching her completely off guard.He occupied her mind an
Early in the morning at the hospital."Get off me..." Phoebe mumbled, realizing he had been on top of her since waking up.They were both naked, skin against skin, making her heart race. And this was the hospital—she feared someone might walk in at any moment."Phoebe, why were you rejecting me last night? Did I scare you?"She didn't answer, turning her head away from him. She closed her eyes, her long lashes glistening with tears. He hadn't forced her, yet she felt an inexplicable fear. She could no longer accept him.Alexander felt a pang of sympathy. He gently cupped her face and kissed away her tears. If he had caused her lasting shadows, he would work to erase the darkness in her heart.Unable to resist, he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly without saying a word, offering her a comforting embrace.Perhaps Phoebe's earlier screams had attracted the attention of a nurse.Knock, knock, knock—"Miss, are you alright?" The nurse's concerned voice came from outside the doo
As they left the hospital, Alexander looked at Phoebe, his face pale."Why didn't you fight back? Didn't you hear what she said to you?" Why did she look so defeated, accepting mistreatment without a word?"..."Seriously? Wasn't it his fault too? The nurse's words were harsh, but she felt she had no reason to respond. She just had to endure."From now on, if anyone dares to say anything to you, I'll deal with them.." He wouldn't let anything slide.Phoebe rolled her eyes; he seemed a bit immature.Both were hungry, especially Alexander, who had been up all night. They decided to eat at the nearest upscale hotel, marking Alexander's first time taking Phoebe out to eat.Walking into the hotel in her hospital gown attracted some odd looks, but Alexander didn't seem embarrassed at all. He held her hand tightly, offering warmth, which made Phoebe feel a little touched.Since breakfast had already passed, they went straight for lunch, even though it was only eleven.After lunch, Alexander
In the upscale club, a man slapped Melissa's rear forcefully."...Don't touch me!" Melissa glared at him angrily, wanting nothing more than to go home."Already turning on me? You were just fine a moment ago," the man smirked, unconcerned about her expression."Just take me back."It was already afternoon; what was supposed to end by eleven had dragged on, and she had lost track of time, caught up in his demands.Alex must be looking for her. If she didn't return soon, he would start to worry. She could already imagine him searching anxiously for her."Afraid Alexander will be worried?""You don't get to tell me what to do. Just take me back," Melissa replied, her tone firm. Their relationship was purely transactional—he had no right to dictate her actions."You really think you can go back like this? You don't think he'll be suspicious?" The man chuckled, lighting a cigarette."You don't need to worry about that; I have my own ways.""Care to share your plan?" He scoffed. "Don't unde
Inside the hospital.Alexander frantically summoned all the doctors in the hospital to one patient room.They gathered nervously around Melissa, conducting a thorough examination of her pale face on the hospital bed. "Melissa, I won't let anything happen to you." His gaze lingered on her frail features.Guilt, shame, worry, and heartache overwhelmed him. It was his fault that Melissa was hurt! If only time could rewind, he would never have left her side. It was all his fault!"How is she?" he asked, anxiety etched on his face."Sir, the patient is currently stable, but... she has experienced intense sex and her body is weak. She needs time to recover," the doctor replied.Alexander's body trembled for a moment, then stiffened in rage as he gripped the doctor's collar. "What did you say?"Though he had already sensed it, he couldn't bear to accept the truth. How could he acknowledge such a reality about someone as pure and beautiful as Melissa?"Sir, please calm down... I..." The docto
Evening.Phoebe awoke from a light sleep upon hearing car sounds outside. Her first reaction was to quickly get out of bed. When she saw Alexander carrying Melissa in his arms, she paused, summoning her courage but not daring to approach.Watching Melissa nuzzle against him with a blissful smile, she turned to leave quietly. They probably didn't want anyone to interrupt at that moment. They looked so perfect together, and she felt out of place standing there.Conflicted emotions swirled inside her. Not wanting to witness their sweetness, she turned to sneak away. Just as she did, Alexander's deep gaze fell upon her.Seeing her frail silhouette was heartbreaking—she had lost so much weight."Alex, what are you looking at? I'm so sleepy," Melissa squinted, following his gaze toward the stairs, but she didn't see anything; she assumed it was that woman."Already sleepy?" Alexander replied, his voice tender as he lowered his head toward her."Shall we go to the room and sleep? I'm so tire
The next morning, the commotion outside disturbed Phoebe's peaceful sleep.Now wide awake, she got up.After getting ready, she headed downstairs, only to find that there were suddenly a dozen or so servants in the villa.The villa was usually quiet. Except for Rod, who stayed there 24/7, the cleaning staff would leave immediately after finishing their tasks—they were not allowed to linger.Why were there so many servants all of a sudden?"Good morning, madam," several of the servants greeted Phoebe respectfully from the foot of the stairs. It was their first day working here, and they wanted to make a good impression."Breakfast is ready, and the master is already at the table. Please head over quickly."Phoebe froze, momentarily unable to process what was happening.At that moment, Alexander and Melissa, who were already sitting at the dining table, looked over simultaneously.The atmosphere instantly turned tense."Madam, the breakfast is getting cold. Please, hurry and eat," one o
The hospital corridor was thick with tension, the air charged with hostility as a fierce battle erupted. Gavin's men, highly trained and efficient, moved like predators closing in on their prey, swiftly surrounding Alexander's subordinates.The sounds of fists colliding with flesh, muffled groans of pain, and bodies hitting the ground merged into a chaotic symphony. Alexander's men stood no chance—they were quickly beaten down, collapsing one after another, blood trickling from their lips and foreheads, staining the cold, sterile floor.Wounded and incapacitated, they could do nothing but lie there, unable to even lift a finger as their phones rang incessantly.Gavin's gaze was ice-cold, sharp as a blade cutting through the frigid night. With long, purposeful strides, he marched to the hospital room door and kicked it open with a forceful bang! The door slammed into the wall, reverberating through the silent ward.His eyes locked onto the frail figure on the hospital bed—Phoebe, writh
Alexander's fury surged like a raging tide, threatening to consume him whole. The veins on his forehead bulged like furious, writhing serpents, each one a testament to the uncontrollable storm of emotions tearing through him.Melissa's face twisted with jealousy and resentment. She jabbed a finger at Alexander's nose, then burst into a shrill, maniacal laugh. "Ahaha! Anyone with eyes can see that you've fallen for that bitch. But you? You're as stupid as a damn mule, too cowardly to admit it. This is all your fault! Your distrust gave me the perfect opportunity. You put the woman you love on that operating table to have an abortion. Tell me, do you think she'll hate you to her very core? Since I can't have you, no one can! You two think you can be happy? Over my dead body! I'll make sure you suffer in agony for the rest of your miserable life!"Alexander's expression darkened instantly, his eyes turning into bottomless voids, so deep they seemed capable of swallowing everything. A sha
The harsh, sterile hospital lights cast a cold, icy glow over Phoebe, as if they were a layer of frost, unfeeling and relentless.She was being held up by several people, her feet barely touching the ground, kicking frantically in panic as they pushed her toward the operating table.Fear surged within her like a tidal wave, drowning her in an instant. Her voice trembled, filled with a desperate, tearful scream: "What do you want to do to me?"A subordinate, seeing her struggles, quickly stepped forward with a forced smile, trying to appear reassuring. He spoke softly, "Don't be afraid. We're just calling in a doctor to check on your baby, make sure everything's okay. It'll be over soon, I promise. We're not going to do anything to you."Phoebe's eyes widened in terror and doubt, her voice shaking as she questioned, "Is that true?"Her hands instinctively moved to protect her belly, her heart filled with concern for her child. She was terrified that t
As the guests gradually dispersed, the church was left in disarray, filled with an unbearable tension. Alexander stood motionless, an aura of chilling menace radiating from him as he issued his command in an icy tone:"Break all ten of her fingers."His voice carried a frigid cruelty, like a messenger from the depths of hell, sending shivers down everyone's spine.Melissa nearly fainted at his words. Her face drained of all color, and terror engulfed her like a relentless tide.She screamed in panic, her voice hoarse with desperation. Even now, she clung to a sliver of hope, refusing to admit the truth. "Alex, she's the fake one! She is! You should be questioning her, not me!"But her feeble protests meant nothing in the face of Alexander's fury.Before she could finish speaking, several towering men closed in on her like ravenous wolves, seizing her with an iron grip. Melissa thrashed wildly, but she was nothing more than an insect caught i
Melissa turned pale upon hearing Hermosa's words, the color draining from her face in an instant.In a panic, she clutched desperately at the hem of Alexander's coat, her nails digging so deeply into the fabric that it nearly tore. Gone was her careful imitation of Hermosa's voice—her sharp, shrill cry shattered the solemn silence of the church."No! That's not true! Alex, I am the real one! She's the fake—she's Melissa!"Her voice was filled with terror and desperation, like a cornered beast howling in despair."Hermosa"trembled as tears streamed down her cheeks, each drop carrying the weight of sorrow and pain. "How could you be so vicious? This isn't even the first time—you've tried to frame me twice now. I am your sister! How could you do this to me?"Her eyes were filled with disbelief, her voice choked with emotion, as though she were questioning fate itself—why was it so cruel? Why had her own sister turned agai
"Hermosa, what are you doing here?"A deep voice suddenly sounded from behind. Melissa's body trembled violently, as if she had been caught red-handed in an unspeakable secret.She hurriedly hid her phone behind her back, her fingers trembling slightly. Her voice involuntarily rose, tinged with undeniable nervousness. "Alex, y-you...when did you get here?"Alexander approached her steadily, a gentle smile on his face. "I just arrived. When I didn't see you in the dressing room, I got worried that something had happened to you, so I came looking. I didn't expect to find you here." Tilting his head slightly, his eyes filled with concern, he asked, "Are you overthinking things again?"Melissa secretly breathed a sigh of relief—he hadn't overheard her phone call.She nodded lightly, her voice soft and sweet. "Mm, Alex, I was just feeling a little nervous, so I came out to get some fresh air.""You look beautiful today." Alexander com
The next morning, as Phoebe slowly awakened from her slumber, an unsettling feeling washed over her. Instinctively, she glanced around, only to realize she was no longer in that cold, oppressive, enclosed room.Everything here was different—warm, comfortable, and inviting. The bed beneath her was as soft as clouds, and beside it lay several neatly arranged maternity outfits, each exuding a gentle, soothing scent.The sudden change filled her with confusion, her mind a tangled mess.Sitting on the edge of the bed, she ran her fingers over the delicate fabric, trying to piece together what had happened. But no matter how hard she thought, she couldn't make sense of it.She changed into one of the outfits and walked to the door. As expected, it was locked tight. No matter how much force she applied, it wouldn't budge.With a sigh, she returned to the bed, her brows furrowed in deep thought. A mixture of wariness and bewilderment flickered in her eyes. She had slept so deeply that she had
Alexander's Office"Alexander, let Phoebe go right now!" Gavin burst into the office like a storm, his chest heaving violently, his eyes burning with urgency and fury.He could hardly believe that Alexander could be so ruthless. Phoebe was pregnant, yet he had locked her up in such a horrid place. If he weren't afraid of harming her, Gavin would have already blown that wretched place to pieces."I'm sorry, sir, we really couldn't stop him. He forced his way in," the bodyguards behind him stammered, their faces filled with fear."Let her out now! Do you hear me?!" Gavin ignored the bodyguards completely and roared at Alexander, his voice filled with undeniable urgency.Alexander smirked with disdain, his gaze mocking as he looked at Gavin like he was nothing more than a pathetic fool. "Weren't you so capable before? Didn't you say you'd blow that place up?"Gavin was completely enraged by his ridicule. In his fury, he lunged forward, grabbing Alexander by the collar and hoisting him up
Hermosa felt the world spinning around her. Her legs weakened, nearly giving out beneath her. Her mind went blank—she couldn't believe what she had just heard.Alexander's child? Impossible..."Do you know how much I hate her?" Melissa suddenly burst into hysterics, wildly flailing her arms in the air."You were already dead, yet she had to appear and steal Alexander away from me! She deserved it!" she screamed, her eyes brimming with pain and despair."Do you have any idea what Alexander did to me because of that wretched woman? He locked me in a dungeon, let those disgusting men violate me, and tormented me every single day! Every day, I had to endure countless men... You can't even begin to imagine that kind of suffering!"Her voice had grown hoarse, her face a mix of tears and sweat, completely lost in the depths of her harrowing memories."Do you know how much it took for me to escape? I took a drug that stopped my heart from beating. A slightly higher dose, and I would've been d