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
Phoebe walked towards the bus stop as soon as she left the villa. She had barely covered 500 meters when Alexander's car approached from the opposite direction. Her heart began to race wildly."Get in," he commanded, his tone as authoritative as ever. Phoebe didn't dare hesitate. She quickly opened the door and climbed into the car.They drove for about twenty minutes before the car came to a stop. The location was remote, with almost no cars passing by. She turned to look at him, but before she could react, he kissed her fiercely.His intensity overwhelmed her—he was like a beast, draining all her strength with his kiss.His lips moved urgently, aggressively, as they captured her soft lips. Phoebe's eyes widened, her breath catching, almost suffocating.She hadn't expected Alexander to stop the car just to kiss her. His ravenous behavior made her want to laugh.She tried to push him away—if he kissed her any longer, she might pass out. His strength was astonishing, and he quickly pin
Alexander glanced at his expensive diamond watch and said, "It's only 8:30. Your class starts at 9, so even if you're late by half an hour, it's no big deal. It only takes twenty minutes to get to your school, which means we still have forty minutes."It had been too long since he last had her, and his body was yearning for hers. He was a normal man, and going without a woman for so long had built up a desire within him that was impossible to ignore. If he didn't release it soon, he'd only be torturing himself.He was never one to suppress his needs. The last time he'd been drugged, he had somehow managed to resist taking her, which even he found hard to believe.It was the first time he had ever considered a woman's feelings over his own, resorting to using his hand to satisfy himself.Phoebe stared at him in shock. He calculated things pretty accurately, didn't he? She understood what he meant, but she knew that she could never agree to it."I don't want to," she said.What touched h
On the other side, just as Phoebe managed to steady her breathing, Alva walked in.Phoebe suddenly remembered that Noah had been trying to get in touch with her, asking for her help to talk to Alva.Phoebe hadn't wanted to get involved, but as a friend, she could sense that Noah meant something special to Alva. Phoebe knew Alva loved him.She didn't want her friend to lose her happiness over a misunderstanding, so she decided to give it a try."Alva, are you really not going to forgive Noah? Actually, he...""Phoebe, don't you dare mention that jerk to me! I never want to see him again!""Alva, he really regrets it. He..."Seeing that Alva wasn't interested in talking about Noah, Phoebe decided to drop the subject. Recently, Alva seemed determined to ignore Noah. Every time he showed up, Alva would angrily tell him to leave without even looking at him."Phoebe, let's stop talking about him. Tonight, we're going shopping. It's been ages since I've been out shopping since I got out of th
Phoebe's pace quickened unconsciously, her heart racing, and even the capillaries in her body seemed to contract."Sid, I think she's onto us.""You two go that way. You and I will take this side. Remember, cover her mouth. Don't let her make a sound.""Got it!"Fear overtook Phoebe, and she broke into a light jog. The path to the bus stop was slightly off course, adding to her anxiety.Suddenly, two figures appeared ahead of her, and Phoebe panicked. She really was in trouble! Alert, she turned to run back, but an arm reached out toward her from behind."Mmm—" Phoebe struggled, trying to shake off the hand covering her mouth. She was too weak to fight off a man, so she bit down hard on his arm."Ah!" The man screamed, loosening his grip in pain.Given a moment to breathe, her survival instincts kicked in. Phoebe gathered all her strength and viciously kicked the other man between his legs."Ugh!" The second man groaned, clutching himself in agony.Phoebe broke free and sprinted towar
On the white hospital bed, Phoebe lay quietly, having just woken from a nightmare. In her dream, she had seen Gordon lying in a pool of blood. She was terrified, heartbroken.Slowly opening her eyes, she saw the pale ceiling above her, and the sharp scent of disinfectant filled her nostrils. Looking around, she realized she was in a hospital."You're awake?"A male voice above her caught her attention. She squinted, then opened her eyes wider.Gavin?For some reason, the name kept repeating in her mind.Her memory began to piece itself together, and she recalled the bloody scenes before she passed out.Her eyes turned red instantly, and with a trembling voice, she stared at him, "Where... Where's my brother?"The room was silent except for the sound of their breathing.For the first time, Gavin felt as though his voice had been caught in his throat. He didn't know how to answer. He was afraid of what would happen once she knew the truth, afraid of her reaction.The tightness in his ch
"Sir, Miss Laura is here!" The butler said respectfully, standing behind the timid Laura.She kept her head lowered, afraid to raise it because the butler had said she was being brought to see her brother. The memory of his cruelty the night before made her body tremble uncontrollably."Mm, you may leave."The butler bowed and left, leaving Laura alone. She was terrified, and for a moment, she almost ran after him.She truly didn't want to be alone with her brother. The cruel images from last night haunted her, and she could still feel the lingering pain in her wrist."Come here!" His cold voice commanded, filled with authority.Laura's heart skipped a beat, and her feet felt unusually heavy, but she gathered all her courage and slowly walked over."What is it?" she asked in a shaky voice, barely audible."Take good care of her over the next few days, understood?" He didn't even look at Laura, his voice commanding. He seemed to care about her, wanted her here, just so that when she wo
The next morning, at Phoebe's home."Hello! Is this the residence of Miss Phoebe Garcia?""Yes, it is. And you are?" Hermosa asked, confused by the unexpected visitor so early in the morning."Mr. Alexander Davis, our boss, assigned me to drive your daughter to school. I've been waiting outside for an hour, but she hasn't come out. Is she not attending school today?" the driver replied politely."Alex? You mean my daughter's boyfriend?" Hermosa paused for a moment before smiling, seemingly realizing something. He's very considerate of her."That's correct. Is she not ready yet?" the driver asked, his gaze briefly sweeping inside the house."Apologies, but Phoebe rushed out after receiving a phone call yesterday. She said a friend was looking for her and didn't even stay for dinner," Hermosa explained with a hint of concern.The driver froze for a moment. "She didn't come home last night?""That's right! We were worried all night. She didn't answer any of our calls either. We were just
"What... what did you say?" Her voice trembled, and her breathing grew uneven."Take it off!" he ordered, his eyes narrowing dangerously. His fingers gripped her pale wrist, his strength threatening to snap it.Laura followed his gaze to her own arm, her heart pounding in panic. "But... this..."Wasn't this a gift from him? Why would he ask her to take it off? And why did his expression look so terrifying? Had she done something wrong?"It hurts!" she whimpered softly as his grip tightened, pain shooting through her wrist. Instinctively, she tried to break free from his hold, but this side of her brother made her shiver uncontrollably.The pain was excruciating. Laura furrowed her brows tightly, tears brimming in the corners of her eyes.With a forceful shove, Gavin pushed her down, his movements rough and unrelenting. He yanked her pajama pants, leapt from the water, and pinned her beneath him."Ugh!" Laura gasped as her head slammed against the hard floor, a sharp crack echoing in t
"Did you know? He really likes Phoebe," she murmured softly.Titan, lying silently like a loyal listener, rested his head on his paws."I'm so jealous of Phoebe," she whispered to herself. "If only he could like me, even just a little."But deep down, she knew Gavin would never look at her the way he did Phoebe. She tried to console herself: As long as he doesn't hate me, that's enough.Is he back now?What does he do out there every day?She had only overheard bits and pieces from the butler—her brother seemed to be involved in something akin to the mafia. But what exactly was the mafia? She wasn't entirely sure.Brushing off the grass from her clothes, she stood up. "I should head back now, Titan. I'll come visit you again when I can!"She coaxed Titan back into his cage. He whimpered in protest, reluctantly stepping into the enclosure and laying down, his sorrowful gaze fixed on Laura. He wished she wouldn't leave."Goodbye," Laura said, waving reluctantly. She gave Titan one last
After Gavin left, Astor didn't follow him. Instead, he walked toward the group of arrogant men who had been causing trouble moments before, raising his gun without hesitation."We're sorry! We're sorry! We were wrong!" they knelt, pleading desperately for their lives."Yes! We were wrong! We didn't want to hurt her! Someone made us do it!"Hearing this, Astor's hand paused. His voice was cold as ice."Speak. Who was it?"The men, thinking they might have a chance to live, scrambled to respond."She's called Sheridan!""Yes! We just overheard it, but that's the name we caught!"Astor's eyes darkened.A moment later, piercing screams shattered the stillness of the night, one after another, painting the air with an eerie tension.***At the hospital."Save her!" A frantic male voice echoed through the hallway.Blood streamed down Phoebe's legs in an alarming volume, staining Gavin's clothes entirely red.Doctors rushed out, quickly placing her on a stretcher and pushing her into the oper
On the other side, a burly man grabbed Phoebe from the ground and barked an order to the others, "Take the body back.""Let me go!""Do you want to die too?!" the man snapped harshly. Ignoring Phoebe's struggles, he began dragging her away, but a man suddenly stepped in front of him."Get out of the way!" the burly man roared at the stranger.The dim lighting in the bar obscured the stranger's face, but not the bloodthirsty glint in his eyes."Let her go." The cold, commanding voice cut through the air like a knife.Gavin lowered his gaze to the disheveled Phoebe, his entire presence radiating lethal intent."Mind your own business!" the man growled impatiently."Boss, this guy doesn't look easy to deal with... Look, he's got a whole group of bodyguards with him," one of the lackeys murmured nervously, his eyes darting toward the stoic men standing behind Gavin."Useless fool! What's there to be scared of?!" the burly man bellowed, though his expression darkened.Years in the underwo
"Gordon, what's going on?""Don't ask questions now. I need to get you out of here!"Before Gordon could finish speaking, a group of burly men suddenly appeared, surrounding both him and Phoebe, leaving no escape."What do you want?" Gordon positioned himself protectively in front of Phoebe, his gaze fixed on the men with a wary intensity.He had to shield his sister. It was his fault she was in danger, and he wouldn't allow anything to happen to her."Escape? You think it's that easy? The five million we gave you wasn't charity!""Keep the money. Just let her go!" Gordon shouted desperately at the men."Hahaha," the leader of the group laughed mockingly, as if Gordon had just told the best joke. "Do you think this is a place you can walk in and out of as you please?""If any of you dare touch her, I'll fight you to the death!" Gordon roared, his voice like a feral animal's, his desperation evident."Save your breath. You can't even save yourself, let alone someone else."Fueled by ra
As soon as Phoebe stepped through the front door, she heard the phone ringing in the living room."Phoebe, answer the phone! I'm busy in the kitchen!" Hermosa called out, poking her head out briefly."Okay, Mom, I'll get it..." Phoebe replied, quickly swapping her shoes and hurrying to the phone. The moment she picked up, her brother's voice came through the line.Phoebe froze, thinking she must have heard wrong."Hello, Gordon?" she asked, puzzled. He was supposed to be in rehab. Why would he be calling her out of the blue?"Phoebe, you have to come help me!" Gordon's voice was strained, filled with pain."What's going on?" Phoebe asked, worry creeping into her tone."I'm trapped at a bar, surrounded by some..."Phoebe gripped the phone tightly, her heart racing. "How did this happen? Aren't you supposed to be in drug rehabilitation center? Why are you at a bar?""Phoebe, there's no time to explain! Just come and help me!"Gordon quickly rattled off the location—a seedy underground b