Standing at the door to the room, Alexander suddenly felt a heavy weight pressing on his chest, as if something inside was stirring uneasily. His thoughts were chaotic.Who should he believe?He hadn't noticed anything amiss in Melissa's demeanor, but Phoebe's recent behavior had been particularly strange. Melissa hadn't really said much—it was all his conjecture.Reflecting on Phoebe's odd actions and heightened emotions, he wondered: Was she simply desperate to return home? Or was it the trauma of her brother's sudden death weighing on her?Or maybe, just maybe, there was indeed something off about Melissa.He couldn't be certain yet. He needed to observe for a few days.The investigation into the incident where Phoebe was harmed was still unresolved.Who was obstructing it?All the leads had been cut off—and cleanly at that. Things were growing increasingly complex.Was he up against a formidable adversary?What was their objective? Were they targeting him? Or was Phoebe the real t
The next day, Alexander left early, leaving Phoebe to sleep in. When she finally woke up, she found herself bored out of her mind.After being cooped up in the room for several days, she decided to go out for a walk. She didn't plan to go far—just a casual stroll nearby.However, the moment she stepped out of the hotel, she bumped into Melissa.Phoebe immediately lowered her head, trying to avoid her, but Melissa's sharp eyes caught her."Phoebe, you're looking good today," Melissa remarked with a sly smile.Phoebe glanced at her but didn't respond. To her, Melissa still had that same fake demeanor. Nothing had changed.Alexander had assured her that Melissa wouldn't harm her, and she trusted him. Yet, being near Melissa made her instinctively uncomfortable."Don't be in such a rush to leave," Melissa continued, her tone overly cheerful. "I was just about to go for a walk too. You know, pregnant women should take more strolls—it's good for the baby's health!""I'd rather walk alone,"
"Wahhh… You murderer! You killed my child! You killed my child!" Melissa cried and wailed on the ground, her voice piercing through the air."I… I didn't mean to," she stammered, trying to explain."You did it on purpose! You didn't want me to have this child!" Melissa accused, her voice filled with venom."I'm not as malicious as you think!" she retorted.A crowd quickly gathered around them, murmuring amongst themselves.She couldn't understand some of the languages they spoke, but the condemning gazes of those around her were crystal clear. She adjusted her thoughts, piecing together the situation while staring at the writhing Melissa on the ground. It suddenly dawned on her—Melissa had done this on purpose!Melissa was framing her!All she had done was grab Melissa's clothes without using much force, yet Melissa had deliberately thrown herself to the ground, causing herself to miscarry.Oh heavens, how terrifying.She was horrifyingly calculating. Melissa had always been cunning,
7 PM, Airport.The waiting lounge was eerily quiet. Phoebe sat on the spacious sofa, waiting for her flight."Miss, it's time to board," her subordinate gently reminded her, snapping her out of her daze."Alright," she replied with a faint, stiff smile.Instinctively, she turned to glance at the empty waiting lounge. A bitter smile crept onto her face. Why would he come? At this moment, he was probably by Melissa's side.On the plane, Phoebe closed her eyes, trying to rest. She hadn't slept well the night before, dozing uncomfortably at her desk. She felt exhausted now.When she woke up, she'd be home, she thought. All the unhappiness would fade away.Golden sunlight pierced through the clouds and spilled into the cabin, softly warming her. Yet, it didn't reach her heart.Phoebe had planned to take a cab home by herself. But as she stepped out of the airport, a car arranged by Alexander was already waiting for her.Once inside, she rolled down the window, letting the cool air in as sh
Alexander returned to the hospital room, only to find the bed empty—Phoebe was gone.Panic seized him, and his eyes burned red as he stormed out of the room, yelling at a group of nurses."Where did she go?" he roared."W-what?" The nurses froze, startled by his thunderous voice, their words tumbling out in fragments."I said, where is the woman from this room?" he repeated, his face dark with anger."S-sir, we didn't notice..." one nurse stammered, trembling at his fury."Damn it! Are you all useless? How could you not notice her leaving?"***The air was heavy with tension, mingled with the pungent smell of disinfectant that permeated the hospital corridors.Phoebe wandered aimlessly through the hallways, her mind a fog of confusion. She didn't know where she was going, nor did she care.A sudden, bitter laugh escaped her lips. She was pathetic.The taste of her tears lingered on her lips—salty, bitter, and sour. She had no idea how far she'd walked, only that she kept circling the
"Oh, you're not completely clueless, are you? I didn't even say it, and you already guessed?" Melissa smirked, her expression brimming with pride. "But let's be honest, if I didn't tell you, you'd probably live your whole life as a fool! Hahaha."Her twisted and triumphant laughter pierced Phoebe's nerves like needles."Why would you do this?" Phoebe's voice trembled, her body swaying unsteadily. Her lips had turned pale, drained of all color.She could barely believe the words coming from Melissa's mouth.Her brother's death… was Melissa's doing?What a horrifying truth.Did Melissa not have family? Did she not understand the pain of losing a loved one?How could someone be so cruel?"The only mistake was that he was your brother! If you want to blame someone, blame yourself! Alex's obsession with you forced my hand. Do you know how much it costs every time I frame you? Luckily, it's all Alex's money, so I don't feel the pinch!" Melissa spoke casually, as if narrating a trivial story
"Do you have to be so ruthless?" Alexander's voice was gritted, his words laced with frustration, and his eyes darkened with a foreboding storm.Phoebe stared at him, her eyes reddened, tears welling up until they spilled down her pale cheeks."Ruthless? Do you even know what she did to me?" Phoebe's voice trembled with bitterness as she pointed an accusing finger at Melissa, her sorrow unmistakable.The sight of Phoebe's tears twisted Alexander's heart painfully. He wanted to reach out, to wipe them away, but his hand froze mid-air. Instead, the words that escaped his lips were colder and harsher.Was this still the Phoebe he once loved?Had he spoiled her too much? Had his care turned her into this unreasonable, cruel, and venomous person?Or had he misjudged her all along? Was this who she truly was?A bitter sneer crept into his thoughts. Women—so unfathomable, so deceitful. And the type of woman Alexander despised the most was one who played mind games with him."She's in this st
"Heh," Phoebe let out a cold laugh, her gaze locked on him. But when Alexander slapped her across the face, it felt like it struck not only her cheek but also her heart.That slap shattered her last thread of composure, leaving her teetering on the edge of madness.Was she truly going insane?"Alex, do you think Phoebe's completely lost it?" Melissa asked mockingly."Shut up!" Alexander snapped, his eyes blazing with anger as he glared at her.Startled by his fury, Melissa fell silent, though her gaze toward Phoebe turned venomous. Moments later, a sly, triumphant smile curled her lips.She was gloating—parading her victory for all to see.That smile pierced Phoebe like a thousand needles, deepening her hatred for Melissa. Two lives—two innocent lives—had been lost. How could Phoebe not loathe her?Phoebe turned to Alexander, her eyes filled with cold detachment. This would be the last time she looked at him.
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