That evening, Phoebe had just returned home when her phone rang. It was Alva calling."Phoebe, something strange happened! Those posts slandering you on the school website have suddenly disappeared," Alva said, her voice filled with surprise. "Really?" Phoebe asked, equally startled. "It's true! I even went to the school today, and all the nasty rumors have vanished." "What's going on?" "I went to find Noah yesterday, but his parents are out of the country and won't be back for a while. It probably wasn't him. Phoebe, did you ask someone for help?" "Alva, I didn't tell anyone about this!" "That's really strange! But at least this whole mess seems to be resolving," Alva said with relief. They chatted for a while before Phoebe hung up the phone. Sitting in silence, she felt her calm unravel once again. What was happening? Could it have been Gavin? Or Alexander? ***Somewhere on the dark, in a shadowy alley: "Madam, we've done as you instructed. Gordon has been fed drug
Just as the car hurtled toward her, a voice full of panic and fear rang out. "Watch out!" In the next moment, a pair of strong arms pulled Phoebe aside. The car barely missed her by a hair's breadth. The young man who had suddenly appeared held her tightly, his breathing uneven as he stood protectively in front of her. Normally composed and image-conscious, Werner was now furiously yelling at the car. "Are you blind?!" he shouted. Turning back to Phoebe, his tone softened with concern. "Hey, are you okay?" But before she could respond, he scolded her. "Why didn't you dodge? Are you an idiot? Don't you know how dangerous that was?" His voice was sharp, but the lingering fear in his eyes betrayed his worry. "If I hadn't been following you, who knows what could have happened? Just thinking about it scares me." Werner had been visiting his uncle in Meadowville when he spotted her walking alone.Without a second thought, he'd gotten out of the car and trailed behind her,
That evening, after returning home, Phoebe took a quick shower and collapsed into bed, exhausted. She tried not to dwell on the events of the day. Instead, she picked up her phone and called Alexander. She longed to hear his voice, even if just for a few words."Phoebe, missing me already?"The deep, magnetic voice from the phone instantly eased her tense body."Yes," she answered softly, letting her feelings flow naturally."What did you do today?" Alexander asked in a gentle tone, leaning back on his sofa."I went to the supermarket," Phoebe replied in a soft voice."And?""Uh, slept? Ate? Watched TV?""So, you're still my little lazy pig?""I am not!" she retorted with a pout, her tone turning playful, almost coquettish.Moments like these reminded her that their conversations could be as casual and sweet as any other couple's.They talked for a long time, exchanging simple words that filled her heart with warmth. Eventually, Phoebe hung up reluctantly. She didn't mention the event
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!" Anila 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 bar—
"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
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
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
"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
Alexander paused for a moment, as if he had already anticipated Phoebe's question. He turned to her with a look full of hidden meaning, a slow smile curling at the corners of his lips."That depends on how good your massage skills are."Phoebe quickly lowered her head, trying to hide her embarrassment behind her falling hair."I never agreed to that," she mumbled."If I don't get better, you're the one who'll suffer. Don't you think?"There was a subtle but unmistakable threat in Alexander's voice.Phoebe thought it over carefully. What he said wasn't wrong. With his personality, who knew what methods he'd come up with to torment her? She couldn't even begin to imagine what he might do if she refused him.Her eyes flicked with calculation before her face broke into a placating smile. Her voice turned cautious."How about I find you a professional therapist?"Before she could react, Alexander had already leaned in close. His lips brushed near her cheek, the distance between them so sma
The next morning, Phoebe slowly woke from her dreams, stretched lazily, and got up in high spirits to wash up. After tidying her room, she headed downstairs out of habit to prepare breakfast for Alexander. In just a few days, this had become a part of her daily routine—oddly enough, she didn't find it tedious. In fact, she felt oddly content.As soon as she descended the stairs, her eyes were drawn to a figure by the window. Alexander was seated there, absorbed in the financial section of the newspaper. Morning light spilled across his figure, outlining his graceful silhouette. Even in loose loungewear, his natural charm was unmistakable. His profile looked especially handsome under the soft sunlight.Phoebe stood frozen, momentarily captivated, until she realized her own dazed state and quickly averted her gaze, her cheeks flushing with heat.She tried to sneak past quietly, but just as she turned, their eyes met—Alexander had looked up. Phoebe froze, embarrassment surging through he
That night.Phoebe stepped out of the bathroom, her hair still dripping, a towel wrapped tightly around her.But the sight before her froze her in place.There, sprawled comfortably across her bed, lay Alexander—with only a thin cloth barely covering his lower half. The moment her eyes landed on him, her heart lurched. She jerked her face away, cheeks burning."Wh-what are you doing here?" Her voice trembled."Keeping a promise." Alexander folded his arms behind his head, tilting his chin up with a smirk.Phoebe's face flushed crimson. She knew exactly what he meant but played dumb, her voice barely a whisper. "What promise?""You forgot? You were supposed to help him relax." He emphasized the point with a deliberate roll of his hips.Her teeth clenched. "No. Absolutely not.""But don't you want him to… stand at attention?" Alexander drawled, his sly grin deepening her embarrassment.Phoebe hesitated. She did want him to recover—just not like this."There are other ways to help!" Her
Phoebe bustled around the kitchen, while Alexander stood at the doorway, arms crossed, silently watching her with unwavering focus.There was a trace of obsession in his gaze, as if time itself had frozen in that moment. Half an hour slipped by unnoticed—he remained completely absorbed in the sight of Phoebe moving about, focused and graceful.After two hours of careful cooking, a table full of aromatic, colorful dishes was finally laid out. Phoebe looked at her handiwork with a soft smile of satisfaction. She turned toward Alexander, who was sitting on the couch with his head buried in a newspaper, and called out gently, "Dinner's ready."But Alexander didn't respond. He remained motionless, still reading, as though he hadn't heard her."Dinner!" Phoebe raised her voice.Still no reaction.She tiptoed over, peeking curiously at the newspaper in his hands. The moment she caught a clear view, she froze for a second, then leaned in close to his ear and murmured teasingly, "It's upside d
A white ceiling. That was the first thing Laura saw when she opened her eyes. The harsh light made her immediately squeeze them shut again, her throat as dry as if she'd swallowed sand."Water…" she croaked, her voice barely recognizable.Someone lifted her head and pressed a glass to her lips. Laura drank greedily, only then managing to focus on the person helping her—a stranger."Thank you…" she whispered, then froze. "Who… are you?"The man's hand hesitated mid-air, water sloshing in the glass. "Laura, this isn't funny," he said, his low voice frayed with exhaustion and irritation.Laura frowned. The name sounded just as unfamiliar to her. "Laura? Is that… my name?"The man—Gavin—set the glass down and braced his hands on either side of her hospital bed, leaning in until his coffee-and-mint breath warmed her face. "Enough. I know you're angry, but faking amnesia is going too far. You've been unconscious for three days. The doctors said you could wake up anytime, and I've been here—
Laura's body trembled violently, uncontrollably. Despair clawed at her heart, so suffocating that death seemed a merciful escape. She frantically pushed against Gavin, her hands straining to shove him away—but he held her fast, his mouth sealing over her skin, rendering her struggles useless.In her panic, her fingers groped along the table beside her until they closed around a lamp. Without hesitation, she swung it toward Gavin's forehead. But before it could connect, his hand snapped up, catching her wrist with terrifying precision.A sharp twist of his arm, and the lamp clattered to the floor, the sound shattering the silence like glass.Gavin lifted his head slightly, his gaze burning into Laura's shaking form.The more she resisted, the more determined he became to force her body to accept him. This was her fault. Five years of silence, and now she dared to reappear in his world? If fate had brought them back together, he wouldn't let her slip away again. He would chain her to hi
On the other side of the room, Gavin lay on his side, his gaze fixed intently on Laura as if time had frozen. His eyes burned with a feverish intensity, scrutinizing every delicate feature of her flushed, lovely face like a spotlight.Five years had passed, and now she was breathtakingly beautiful. Unconsciously, Gavin's lips curled into a faint smile—one that had appeared countless times throughout the night without him even realizing it.His fingers traced lightly over Laura's soft lips, back and forth, a simple motion he had repeated all night, lost in an inexplicable obsession.Was this really not a dream? This Laura, who had vanished from his world for so long—he had once believed he would never see her again.Yet now, his long-dead heart pulsed with a scalding warmth, beating fiercely, alive once more.Unable to resist any longer, he leaned down slowly, carefully, as if afraid to shatter the illusion before him. Inch by inch, his lips neared hers before finally pressing down, sa
After leaving the villa, Phoebe rushed to the hospital, almost running the entire way. As she turned the corner into the hallway, she saw her father, Ryan, pacing anxiously back and forth."Dad! How's Amy?" she panted, grabbing his arm.Ryan quickly steadied her. "The doctor gave her a fever-reducing shot. She's asleep now. Her temperature's dropped quite a bit, so don't worry too much."Phoebe finally let out a long sigh of relief. She quietly pushed open the door to the hospital room. On the bed, Amy's face was pale, but her breathing had steadied. Phoebe gently touched her daughter's forehead, confirming the fever had indeed gone down."Dad, go home and rest. I'll stay and take care of her tonight," she whispered.Ryan shook his head. "You have work tomorrow. Let me—""I'm not going to the office," Phoebe interrupted, her eyes drifting unconsciously toward the window."Did the company give you time off?""Mhm," she replied vaguely, digging her fingernails into her palm without real
Phoebe fought through the discomfort wracking her body, her voice trembling with urgency and pleading. "Let me answer the phone… please?""No."To Alexander, the fact that she could be distracted now felt like the ultimate insult. Rage flared instantly, and his actions grew rougher, more intense.Phoebe was panicking. All she could think about were her children. What if something had happened at home? What if one of them was sick, or crying uncontrollably? A mother couldn't ignore those thoughts—no matter the situation."Let go of me. Let me go!" Phoebe's eyes widened in fear as she began hitting Alexander with all her might. But compared to his strength, her resistance was like a feather against a stone.When her slaps proved useless, she bit down—hard—on Alexander's shoulder, sinking her teeth in deep enough to nearly break skin. At the same time, her nails clawed into his flesh, her rage and desperation pouring out through every move.But Alexander was already lost in a storm of po