Meanwhile, Noah took Alva to his private villa.He unceremoniously tossed her onto the soft bed, feeling a surge of anger as he recalled her flirty interactions with other men that night.Despite his playful nature, he genuinely cared for Alva. She was the first girl he truly loved, yet she had been with him for so long and still refused to let him touch her. This frustrated him immensely.In his view, love between a man and a woman must include physical intimacy; without that, what was it really?Her unwillingness to share herself only proved that she didn't truly care about him.That was why he played around with other women, stirring up rumors—he wanted to make her jealous, to make her feel uncomfortable.Yet, she remained unfazed, ready to break up with him at any moment, and now she was flirting with other men.If he hadn't shown up tonight, who knew what those men would have done to her?This thought darkened Noah's expression, and he felt a strong urge to wake her up and scold
"I..." He leaned down and forcefully kissed her soft lips, sending a shiver through his entire body.Just last night, he had taken her, and now he couldn't resist the urge to possess her again. Every part of him tightened, and she didn't know where to place her hands, so she ended up clutching at his shirt.Her heart raced wildly; his kiss was intoxicating.Caught up in the moment, Phoebe instinctively kissed him back, her fingers trailing from his chest to his neck.Their lips brushed together, though her movements were clumsy as she tried to mirror him, tentatively exploring his mouth.Yet, she felt something was off, and that realization made her feel embarrassed and shy, leading her to hesitate in initiating further kisses."Don't stop. Keep going; you're doing great..." He eased up on the kiss slightly, his eyes narrowing as he spoke. Her awkwardness only made him want her more.Blushing, Phoebe obeyed his words, not stopping. In the dark, gazing into his passionate eyes made her
When Phoebe woke up in the morning, she felt dizzy and weak all over. Still, she forced herself to get out of bed. Glancing at the time, she realized it was already nine o'clock. It was all her fault for standing by the window too long last night, letting the cold wind hit her—no wonder she had slept so heavily.After quickly getting herself ready, she hurried downstairs. There was an important lecture today, and she needed to get going before she missed it."Alex, I don't like this flavor. Where's that maid? I miss the food she used to make. It's been so long since I had it... Can you ask her to cook for me again?" Melissa pouted, gazing at Alexander across the table with a hint of coquettishness."Sure, no problem." Alexander smiled indulgently, lightly tapping Melissa's nose.He always granted Melissa's every request, and this was no exception—it was a small matter, after all.But... he wondered if Phoebe was awake yet. He checked the time, frowning. Why wasn't she up?Last night,
On the other side, Alva, still in a deep sleep, felt something warm kissing her body."Hmm... Stop it..." Alva murmured drowsily, thinking it was her dog, Dora, nudging her awake.Noah frowned in displeasure.Last night, he had planned to take her, but seeing how deeply she was sleeping, he couldn't bring himself to do it.He felt that their first time shouldn't happen while she was unconscious. She needed to fully feel his presence inside her.So, he had restrained himself until morning, intending to wake her and then have his way with her. But this stubborn woman wouldn't wake up.Looking at her perfect, fair skin, his throat tightened—she was truly beautiful.After bathing her last night, he hadn't dressed her, instead holding her naked body in his arms all night long. It was an agonizing night for him, staying awake, tormented by desire.Alva may have looked slender, but she wasn't lacking in the chest.When would this stubborn woman finally wake up?He kissed her, yet she didn't
For three days, Alva hadn't shown up for class, and Phoebe couldn't help but worry. She called her phone, but no one answered.At lunchtime, feeling uneasy, she decided to go to Alva's rented apartment, but no one was there either.Just as she was about to leave, a man suddenly appeared behind her.Startled, she jumped and turned around, finally seeing who it was."Are you trying to scare me to death?"Werner crossed his arms, smirking mischievously.Phoebe didn't feel like wasting words on him, so she turned to leave. She had always seen Werner as nothing more than a playful troublemaker."Sweetheart, it wasn't easy finding you..." Werner teased.Phoebe stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him."Stop being gross. My name is Phoebe."Werner frowned, clearly displeased with her suggestion. Sweetheart sounded much more intimate, didn't it?"Hey, Noah asked me to find you. Alva's in the hospital..."***Hospital.Phoebe watched as Noah paced anxiously in the hallway. She walked ov
"Alex, don't be mad, okay? I'm fine," the girl lying on the sofa said in a soft, delicate voice, her appearance pitiable."You're saying you're fine, but you've starved yourself into a stomachache." Alexander gently stroked her hair, his heart aching at how fragile she seemed."Don't blame Phoebe. She didn't mean to starve me. She probably just forgot because she was busy with something else," Melissa said, though her eyebrows knitted together as she clutched her stomach."Is it hurting again?" Alexander reached out to touch her stomach, his voice laced with worry. When Melissa shook her head, he clenched his fists, his dark eyes clouding over."You're too kind. I won't let her off the hook." That wretched woman.He had left for an urgent trip abroad this morning and rushed back in the evening, only to find Melissa curled up in pain on the sofa. Panicked, he quickly called a doctor, who informed him that Melissa had developed gastritis from not eating all day.Phoebe had taken advanta
Phoebe's mind was hazy, but she still managed to grasp his words. What did he mean? What pain was he talking about? What happened to Melissa?"I don't understand what you're saying," Phoebe replied, her voice trembling uncontrollably.She had expected this to happen, but she never imagined he would be this angry. Her eyes welled up, not from physical pain but from heartache.All she had done was stay with a friend and forget to come back and cook for them. He was being so cruel. They could have easily gone out to eat, so why treat her like this?She clenched her teeth against the pain."I gave you instructions, and you dared not come back to cook! Were you trying to starve her? Do you know she had a sudden bout of stomach pain today? You did this on purpose, you bitch!"Phoebe was forced to lift her head. Starve her? Even if she hadn't returned, they wouldn't have gone without food. If he cared about her so much, how could she have gotten st
"Alex, are you in there?" Melissa cautiously knocked on the door from the hallway.She had waited for him in the bedroom, but after two hours passed, she decided to go look for him in the living room. Surely, he should be done punishing that woman by now.Yet, when she got to the living room, neither of them were anywhere to be seen. But she was certain Alex was still home—his car keys were still in the bedroom.Staring at the tightly shut guest room door, a glint of malice flashed in her eyes."Scream... damn it... scream for me..." he growled, thrusting hard.Outside, Melissa's voice echoed in his ears, but it didn't make him pause.He continued like a beast, venting his rage. The sound of his movements was loud.The reason he had chosen to punish her in the bathroom was because it was soundproof. So even with Melissa right outside, there was no fear of her hearing anything."Alex…"Melissa kept knocking f
Phoebe's thoughts were like wild horses, and those long-buried memories surged back like a tidal wave. Why hadn't they gotten married? Wasn't that what he wanted the most?He had ruthlessly made her abort the child in her womb just to marry Hermosa."He doesn't care whether he marries Phoebe or not,"Dana said coldly. No matter how Dana intended to explain, in her heart, Alexander had already been nailed to the unforgivable pillar of shame.Her eyes were downcast, her gaze filled with coldness, as if Alexander had been completely erased from her world, leaving not a trace behind.Dana leaned forward slightly, her expression sincere yet tinged with urgency. "Phoebe, there must be some misunderstanding between you two. After you left, the boss rushed to the hospital in a panic, desperate to get you back, but..."But he was in a car accident...Yet, she didn't finish that sentence.Phoebe keenly caught the fleeting, strange expressi
It was the weekend, and with her parents out of the house, Phoebe felt restless. The suffocating weight on her chest urged her to step outside, to clear her mind.Just as she reached for the door, the sharp chime of the doorbell shattered the silence.Frowning, Phoebe walked to the entrance and pulled open the door—only for her expression to turn icy the moment she saw Dana standing there.A flash of memory hit her like a thunderbolt—the last time she had seen him, he had abducted her. Fear and rage surged through her veins. Instinctively, she moved to slam the door shut, her hands gripping the handle with force, sending it hurtling toward Dana.But just as the door was about to close completely, Dana reacted swiftly, shoving his arm into the narrowing gap, stopping it just in time."Phoebe, aren't you going to invite me in?" His lips curled into a seemingly harmless smile, but in Phoebe's eyes, it was filled with calculation, making he
Inside the house, Phoebe had just taken off her shoes and was about to step into the living room when a sudden, urgent knock on the door startled her. She froze for a moment. Who could be knocking this late? Could it be her father forgetting his keys?Thinking of this, a helpless smile tugged at her lips. She slipped her shoes back on and quickly walked toward the door.As she opened it, her heart brimmed with expectation, but all she saw was an empty hallway—there wasn't a single soul in sight.Had she misheard? Just as she was about to close the door, her gaze inadvertently dropped to the ground, where she spotted her phone lying silently on the doormat.Her breath hitched. Instinctively, she crouched down and slowly picked up the phone.In that instant, a thought flashed through her mind like lightning—Alexander had been here!The more she dwelled on it, the more certain she became. She had felt it earlier—a pair of unse
In the dimly lit car parked not far away, Alexander stared intently out the window, his hands unconsciously clenching into fists.No one inside the car dared to make a sound, afraid of disturbing him in his torment.Dana quietly observed Alexander's profile. He watched as Alexander slowly lit a cigarette, taking a deep drag. Perhaps he inhaled too sharply, as he suddenly broke into a violent cough, his body trembling uncontrollably.Dana sighed inwardly. He knew all too well—Alexander's love for Phoebe was genuine, deep, and unwavering.He couldn't bear to see him in such agony. If this continued, Dana feared Alexander might do something reckless.Watching Alexander chain-smoke, the glow of the cigarette flickering in the dark car, Dana finally couldn't hold back. After hesitating for a long moment, he braced himself and spoke up. "Boss, you should stop smoking. It's bad for your health."He knew his words would likely be ignored, or w
Today is the birthday of Phoebe's father Ryan's colleague's child, and Ryan is attending the birthday party, so he won't be home for dinner.In the spacious and bright dining room, warm yellow light softly bathed the table, casting a glow on the exquisite dishes. At the table sat only Anila, Phoebe, and Gavin.Anila wore a radiant smile, her eyes full of love and warmth as she kept checking on Gavin, making sure he was comfortable.Phoebe sat beside them, watching this warm scene. A smile naturally curved on her lips, her eyes filled with joy.She knew deep down that her parents genuinely liked Gavin, and Gavin, in turn, treated them with sincerity and respect.Whenever he had free time, he would sit with them, patiently listening to their stories and offering a kind, gentle smile.Not only that, but he also frequently chose thoughtful gifts for her parents, always surprising them with something special. Even the little details around the ho
The car slowly came to a stop. Phoebe looked at the familiar door of her home, and the tension in her body finally loosened a little as she let out a deep breath.But that breath was still filled with unease and anxiety. Her mind couldn't settle.She couldn't make sense of everything that had happened. The confusion left her feeling unsettled.Since Alexander had sent people to force her back, why had he never shown up? She had been certain that he would appear before her, wearing his usual smug expression, ready to mock her with cruel, biting words or do something else to make her suffer like he always did.But reality had caught her off guard.She had been inexplicably released, and Alexander hadn't shown his face at all.It felt like some bizarre dream, leaving her feeling completely bewildered.The more she thought about it, the more her mind spun, like a thousand ants were gnawing away inside her. Trying to calm herself, she step
"Miss, please eat something." The maid stood outside the closed door, her voice soft with a mix of caution and helplessness as she gently coaxed.In response, there was only the sharp crash of objects being violently knocked over, the sound of them smashing onto the floor, sharp and piercing."I won't eat! Let me out! Do you hear me?" Phoebe screamed, her voice raw with anger and despair.As she yelled, the food tray and its contents were sent flying across the room, followed by rapid, angry pounding on the door, each blow seeming to try and shatter the door that kept her trapped.The maid sighed softly, shaking her head in resignation. She turned and walked slowly back to the kitchen. This was the third time she had brought food, but each time it had ended up on the floor. It seemed she would have to keep doing this, keep bringing food, until Phoebe's mood improved and she would finally eat."Let me out! Let me out!" Phoebe's hoarse cries filled the room, but all she got in return wa
"I'm sorry, I don't know you, I have to go," Phoebe's voice trembled as she tried to stay calm. She took a deep breath, her fingers shaking as she fumbled for her phone, desperately trying to dial Gavin's number.At that moment, only one thought occupied her mind: Quick, quickly, ask Gavin for help."I'm sorry, but I have no other choice," Dana's face flickered with a brief look of apology before his expression hardened. When he saw Phoebe reaching for her phone, he acted quickly, snatching it from her hands. "Your phone stays with me. After you meet the boss, I'll give it back to you." His tone was firm and unquestionable, as if this was the only option."What are you going to do?" Phoebe's eyes widened in terror, her voice rising in a fearful shout. She instinctively stepped back, panic gripping her chest."Sorry," Dana murmured with a slight frown, his eyes showing a flicker of guilt. Still, he signaled to the burly men around him. Without hesitation, one of them crouched down and
The next morning, Phoebe woke up early, carefully preparing herself in front of the mirror, her expression a mixture of anticipation and unease. After a simple breakfast, she hurried out the door—today, she was determined to find Laura.Phoebe's first stop was Laura's school. The campus was lively, filled with energetic students coming and going, but Phoebe's focus was solely on one goal—Laura.She found a quiet spot in a corner of the campus, her eyes glued to the entrance, watching for any signs of Laura.One hour passed, then two… Time slowly slipped away, and by midday, Laura had not appeared. Phoebe's gaze dimmed, disappointment washing over her like a wave. She reluctantly stood up, ready to leave the place that had filled her with both hope and frustration.Just then, a boy's urgent voice called out to her from behind, as if he was calling her name.Phoebe froze mid-step and slowly turned around to see Wright rushing toward her, sweat beading on his forehead, his hair messy, hi