Phoebe stared at him, incredulous. "There's no room for you here. What are you even talking about?""It's fine," he said casually, his eyes glinting with a mischievous light. "I don't mind sharing a bed with you. I'll make do." He leaned in close to her ear, his voice low and seductive, his gaze drifting to her curves in a way that made Phoebe feel completely exposed.Damn it, she hadn't even put on a bra when she came out."You—" Phoebe gasped, her hands instinctively covering her chest.What was wrong with him? Just moments ago, he was furious, and now he was being this way. Was he schizophrenic?Alexander straightened his back and pointed to the room across the hall. "Is that your room?"Without waiting for her response, he started walking toward it."Hey! What are you doing?" Phoebe exclaimed, a trace of panic in her voice."Obviously, I'm going to sleep," he replied casually.In truth, he was doing it on purpose to get a reaction from her.She was too clueless to appreciate his
"The design of your windows is quite convenient," Alexander chuckled softly, his gaze falling on her.He had already started approaching her bed."Get out!" Phoebe yelled, her voice tinged with panic. She had expected he wouldn't let her go so easily."Don't even think about it. Tonight, I'm sleeping here with you," Alexander replied with a smirk, his tone unapologetically teasing.As he walked, his eyes caught sight of the clothes rack beside him.His fingers curled around a delicate piece of lingerie, her lingerie, lifting it playfully.It was something he had bought for her, and just the thought of how stunning she looked in it was enough to make his pulse quicken."You!" Phoebe gasped, her face turning crimson.She hurriedly jumped off the bed, reaching out to snatch it back. She usually hung her lingerie on the rack before going to bed, but she hadn't anticipated he would casually pick it up and examine it with such a wicked glint in his eyes.His gaze, filled with mischief, was
"Ugh, no!" Phoebe's voice was fractured, her entire body trembling in fear from his forceful actions.Her breathing was erratic, completely out of control, and her body shook uncontrollably."Baby, you're so sensitive," Alexander murmured.Phoebe snapped back to her senses and instinctively tried to push him off her. They couldn't do such a thing here.Summoning an unknown surge of strength, she shoved him forcefully. Alexander, caught off guard in the heat of the moment, lost his balance. With a yelp, he tumbled sideways and hit the floor with a thud.Phoebe froze, wide-eyed, her hands flying to cover her flushed lips. Guilt welled up as she looked at the man sprawled awkwardly on the floor.Did she hurt him? She didn't mean to push him off the bed, just wanted him to keep his distance.But in the next second, her guilt faded, replaced by a sense of justice. Serves him right! She wouldn't go soft on him.Seconds passed, and she expected him to get up. But he remained completely still
The next morning.Ryan left for work early; he was a high school teacher and always rose by 5 a.m. to supervise morning classes. Meanwhile, Anila headed to the market to buy groceries.After they left, Alexander lingered in bed, holding her for a while before finally getting up, dressing, and stepping out. He made a phone call and left shortly afterward.By the time he returned, it was already noon.Phoebe didn't wake up until midday. When she opened her eyes, Alexander was no longer beside her. A sigh of relief escaped her lips.Later at lunch."This is delicious, Alexander. You should try it," Anila said with a cheerful smile."Mom, he can serve himself. You don't have to do that for him," Phoebe muttered, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.Why was Alexander still here for lunch? She had thought he had left earlier in the morning, yet he came back.It was Saturday, and Phoebe had no classes. She had originally planned to come home the previous day to clear her mind and return to
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—
"Hermosa, let me explain.""Explain what?" He couldn't even bring himself to say it."Alex, why did you lie to me? You have to explain. I need to know the truth. Tell me!"Hermosa shouted. This was the first time she had gotten angry at Alexander since he regained his memories."Hermosa, calm down first."Seeing how agitated she was, Alexander softly tried to comfort her, wanting to hug her, but Hermosa pulled away."Tell me, where's my sister? Where did you hide her?"Tears immediately flooded her eyes. She wanted to know how else he planned to deceive her."Hermosa, this is something that can't be explained all at once."He tried to soothe her emotions."So, this means it's all true? You were really deceiving me?"Hermosa yelled in anger. Her emotions flared, and the next moment, she fainted.Seeing her collapse, Alexander panicked. "Hermosa! Hermosa!"He quickly scooped her up in his arms, calling
In the afternoon, Laura accompanied Phoebe to the hospital for a routine check-up. After two exhausting hours, they finally emerged.As they stepped out of the hospital, Laura spotted Wright walking towards them. She froze when she saw his bruised face, feeling a pang of guilt deep in her chest.Wright hadn't expected to run into them at the hospital. Due to the injury on his face, he'd been skipping classes the past few days, planning to return once he healed. Seeing the girl he liked in front of him while he looked so disheveled made him feel uneasy.But he quickly masked his discomfort with his usual cocky demeanor, squinting as he approached Laura and greeted her."What are you doing here?""I'm here to accompany Phoebe for a check-up,"Laura answered, biting her lip.Wright flashed a smile at Phoebe, offering a casual greeting. His eyes briefly lingered on her belly, and he thought to himself, Looks like Werner's chances just went
The next day, sunlight filtered through the thin clouds, casting soft, fragmented rays on the world. But Hermosa's mood was like the weather—unstable and filled with gloom.With a nervous heart, she walked toward the agreed meeting spot, each step feeling like she was walking on cotton—soft and aimless, filled with hesitation.She arrived on time and had barely sat down when her heart continued to race wildly in her chest, trying to calm her nerves. At that moment, a deep voice came from behind: "You're right on time."Hermosa's body tensed instantly, like a deer sensing danger. She instinctively wanted to turn around and see who was behind her, pulling the strings in this mysterious encounter.But before she could react, the voice continued: "No need to turn around. Just stay as you are."The words cut through the calm in her heart like a sharp knife, and she immediately became more guarded against this mysterious person.Hermos
Gavin slowly raised his hand, the same hand that had once struck her with force.Now, it was as gentle as the willow fluff in spring.He carefully brushed his rough fingers against her soft, yet burning, face—an expression of tenderness as if he were touching the most precious treasure in the world, or soothing a deeply wounded creature.His gaze involuntarily wandered, resting on her trembling body. The guilt inside him flooded like a burst of water, overwhelming him with its intensity.Had he been too harsh with her? Each of her slight trembles felt like a sharp dagger stabbing into his heart, tormenting him.His touch became even softer, his long fingers moving slowly across her face, first brushing over her furrowed brow, trying to smooth away the fear-induced wrinkles.Then, they traced down her small nose, as though sketching a delicate work of art. His fingers lingered on her eyes, gently wiping away the tears that threatened to
Meanwhile, at Wright's home, Laura remained trapped in the terrifying memories of the film, unable to escape...Wright stepped out of the bathroom, ready to go to bed, when the doorbell rang.He was puzzled. Who could be visiting him this late?Not bothering to put on a robe, he wrapped a cloth around his waist and went to answer the door, still naked.As soon as he opened it, a blast of cold air hit him. He looked up and saw a man of striking presence standing there."Can I help you?" Wright asked, his voice cautious.Gavin's cold, dark gaze swept over Wright's half-dressed body, and his face twisted with fury. Without warning, he swung his fist at Wright.Caught off guard, Wright was struck hard. His brain buzzed, and before he could react, he collapsed to the floor, unconscious.With a violent kick, Gavin slammed the door open, storming inside.Room by room, he kicked open the doors with force, each one shaking with t
Wright reached out to hug her, but Laura struggled, trying to push him away."No. No.""Laura, what's wrong?"Her reaction puzzled Wright. His brow furrowed in confusion, his expression full of disbelief. But beneath the confusion, a wave of worry surged within him, sending his heart into a frantic turmoil."No, no, I'm your sister!"Whatwas she talking about?A thousand thoughts flashed through Wright's mind, like tangled threads that he couldn't untangle. He instinctively opened his mouth to ask something, but the confusion bottled up inside him, and he couldn't speak."Don't be afraid. I'm Wright."Wright suppressed the growing panic inside and tried to make his voice gentle, comforting, as he cautiously approached her.But the closer he got, the stronger Laura's reaction became. She acted like a frightened animal, desperately fighting back. Her sharp nails scratched his face, leaving a few bloodied marks.Af
"Gavin, why do I never see Laura around lately? Is she busy with her studies?"During dinner, Phoebe set down her fork and gazed at Gavin's handsome and elegant profile, finally unable to hold back her question.The last time she saw Laura was just a brief encounter, and since then, she hadn't seen her once. Something felt off, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was."...?"Gavin fell silent, clearly unaware of Laura's situation."Don't you care about your sister at all?"Phoebe complained, frustrated.What kind of brother was he? Gavin treated her so well, but he seemed so indifferent toward Laura. That really bothered her. She just couldn't understand it.Logically, a brother should care for his sister, so why didn't Gavin seem to care about Laura at all?Especially that day when Laura looked at him with such fear—Phoebe found that really strange.In the past, even though Gavin didn't seem to pay much a
The warm sun shone brightly as Hermosa and Alexander shared lunch in a cozy restaurant. Suddenly, Alexander's company called with an urgent matter, and he quickly drove her back to the X villa before rushing off to his office.Hermosa moved gracefully, the sound of her heels echoing through the empty hall as she opened the villa's front door. At that moment, a servant's voice rang out: "Miss, your letter.""A letter?"Hermosa raised an eyebrow, her voice filled with confusion."It just arrived,"the servant replied respectfully.A hint of suspicion rose in Hermosa's mind. Could it be from my foster parents? But that doesn't seem right. They always call. She extended a slender finger, taking the letter from the servant and examining it closely. The sender's name and address were both blank, leaving her with an unsettling feeling."Who brought this?"she asked, lifting her gaze to the servant."I'm not sure. When I went outside
On the other side, Phoebe found herself unable to decline the task of designing a wedding dress. She had considered resigning, but was told that without her, the project would fall apart entirely. Out of a sense of responsibility, she reluctantly decided to stay.After a few days of deliberation, she resolved to grit her teeth and see it through.The preliminary work was already done, but the latter stages would be more demanding. She needed to take Hermosa's measurements before beginning the actual construction of the dress.Once it was nearly finished, Hermosa would need to try it on again for final adjustments to ensure the gown was flawless.By her estimate, they would only need to meet four or five times in total.All she had to do was treat Hermosa like a stranger.She kept telling herself: "Just get through these days, and it'll all be over."Phoebe comforted herself with this thought.When she met Hermosa again, she exp