Melissa watched with satisfaction as Hermosa's expression changed, her eyes narrowing slightly, her voice laced with an almost imperceptible chill. "My dear sister, do you still recognize me?"Hermosa remained silent. The air between them grew heavy, as if frozen in place.Seeing this, Melissa smirked mockingly, waving her hand slowly in front of Hermosa's face in deliberate provocation. "Oh, silly me, I almost forgot—you lost your memory, didn't you? What a pity. If you hadn't, I bet you'd be so furious right now that you'd pass out all over again." Her words were like shards of ice, each syllable carrying a bone-chilling sting.Melissa's hatred for Hermosa had taken root in childhood.Despite looking identical, Melissa had always been the gentler, more amiable one. And yet, it was Hermosa who was always adored, always surrounded by friends, always favored. Men fell at her feet, drawn to her like moths to a flame.But what truly made Melissa seethe was Alexander's unwavering devotion
Hermosa felt the world spinning around her. Her legs weakened, nearly giving out beneath her. Her mind went blank—she couldn't believe what she had just heard.Alexander's child? Impossible..."Do you know how much I hate her?" Melissa suddenly burst into hysterics, wildly flailing her arms in the air."You were already dead, yet she had to appear and steal Alexander away from me! She deserved it!" she screamed, her eyes brimming with pain and despair."Do you have any idea what Alexander did to me because of that wretched woman? He locked me in a dungeon, let those disgusting men violate me, and tormented me every single day! Every day, I had to endure countless men... You can't even begin to imagine that kind of suffering!"Her voice had grown hoarse, her face a mix of tears and sweat, completely lost in the depths of her harrowing memories."Do you know how much it took for me to escape? I took a drug that stopped my heart from beating. A slightly higher dose, and I would've been d
Alexander's Office"Alexander, let Phoebe go right now!" Gavin burst into the office like a storm, his chest heaving violently, his eyes burning with urgency and fury.He could hardly believe that Alexander could be so ruthless. Phoebe was pregnant, yet he had locked her up in such a horrid place. If he weren't afraid of harming her, Gavin would have already blown that wretched place to pieces."I'm sorry, sir, we really couldn't stop him. He forced his way in," the bodyguards behind him stammered, their faces filled with fear."Let her out now! Do you hear me?!" Gavin ignored the bodyguards completely and roared at Alexander, his voice filled with undeniable urgency.Alexander smirked with disdain, his gaze mocking as he looked at Gavin like he was nothing more than a pathetic fool. "Weren't you so capable before? Didn't you say you'd blow that place up?"Gavin was completely enraged by his ridicule. In his fury, he lunged forward, grabbing Alexander by the collar and hoisting him up
The next morning, as Phoebe slowly awakened from her slumber, an unsettling feeling washed over her. Instinctively, she glanced around, only to realize she was no longer in that cold, oppressive, enclosed room.Everything here was different—warm, comfortable, and inviting. The bed beneath her was as soft as clouds, and beside it lay several neatly arranged maternity outfits, each exuding a gentle, soothing scent.The sudden change filled her with confusion, her mind a tangled mess.Sitting on the edge of the bed, she ran her fingers over the delicate fabric, trying to piece together what had happened. But no matter how hard she thought, she couldn't make sense of it.She changed into one of the outfits and walked to the door. As expected, it was locked tight. No matter how much force she applied, it wouldn't budge.With a sigh, she returned to the bed, her brows furrowed in deep thought. A mixture of wariness and bewilderment flickered in her eyes. She had slept so deeply that she had
"Hermosa, what are you doing here?"A deep voice suddenly sounded from behind. Melissa's body trembled violently, as if she had been caught red-handed in an unspeakable secret.She hurriedly hid her phone behind her back, her fingers trembling slightly. Her voice involuntarily rose, tinged with undeniable nervousness. "Alex, y-you...when did you get here?"Alexander approached her steadily, a gentle smile on his face. "I just arrived. When I didn't see you in the dressing room, I got worried that something had happened to you, so I came looking. I didn't expect to find you here." Tilting his head slightly, his eyes filled with concern, he asked, "Are you overthinking things again?"Melissa secretly breathed a sigh of relief—he hadn't overheard her phone call.She nodded lightly, her voice soft and sweet. "Mm, Alex, I was just feeling a little nervous, so I came out to get some fresh air.""You look beautiful today." Alexander com
Melissa turned pale upon hearing Hermosa's words, the color draining from her face in an instant.In a panic, she clutched desperately at the hem of Alexander's coat, her nails digging so deeply into the fabric that it nearly tore. Gone was her careful imitation of Hermosa's voice—her sharp, shrill cry shattered the solemn silence of the church."No! That's not true! Alex, I am the real one! She's the fake—she's Melissa!"Her voice was filled with terror and desperation, like a cornered beast howling in despair."Hermosa"trembled as tears streamed down her cheeks, each drop carrying the weight of sorrow and pain. "How could you be so vicious? This isn't even the first time—you've tried to frame me twice now. I am your sister! How could you do this to me?"Her eyes were filled with disbelief, her voice choked with emotion, as though she were questioning fate itself—why was it so cruel? Why had her own sister turned agai
As the guests gradually dispersed, the church was left in disarray, filled with an unbearable tension. Alexander stood motionless, an aura of chilling menace radiating from him as he issued his command in an icy tone:"Break all ten of her fingers."His voice carried a frigid cruelty, like a messenger from the depths of hell, sending shivers down everyone's spine.Melissa nearly fainted at his words. Her face drained of all color, and terror engulfed her like a relentless tide.She screamed in panic, her voice hoarse with desperation. Even now, she clung to a sliver of hope, refusing to admit the truth. "Alex, she's the fake one! She is! You should be questioning her, not me!"But her feeble protests meant nothing in the face of Alexander's fury.Before she could finish speaking, several towering men closed in on her like ravenous wolves, seizing her with an iron grip. Melissa thrashed wildly, but she was nothing more than an insect caught i
The harsh, sterile hospital lights cast a cold, icy glow over Phoebe, as if they were a layer of frost, unfeeling and relentless.She was being held up by several people, her feet barely touching the ground, kicking frantically in panic as they pushed her toward the operating table.Fear surged within her like a tidal wave, drowning her in an instant. Her voice trembled, filled with a desperate, tearful scream: "What do you want to do to me?"A subordinate, seeing her struggles, quickly stepped forward with a forced smile, trying to appear reassuring. He spoke softly, "Don't be afraid. We're just calling in a doctor to check on your baby, make sure everything's okay. It'll be over soon, I promise. We're not going to do anything to you."Phoebe's eyes widened in terror and doubt, her voice shaking as she questioned, "Is that true?"Her hands instinctively moved to protect her belly, her heart filled with concern for her child. She was terrified that t
After work, Alexander dropped Phoebe off at home before rushing off to attend a social engagement.It wasn't until midnight that he finally stumbled back, reeking of alcohol. The only light in the living room came from a single dim wall lamp. He loosened his tie, a pounding headache throbbing at his temples. He should've gone straight to bed, but instead, his feet led him—almost involuntarily—to Phoebe's door.He grasped the doorknob and gave it a gentle twist, but it didn't budge.Locked.A flicker of irritation passed through Alexander. She actually locked the door? Was she hiding from him?A cold smile tugged at his lips. He had only wanted to hold her tonight, to ease the exhaustion clinging to his bones. But her resistance only ignited his need to conquer.Inside the room, Phoebe hid under her blanket, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.After a long while, when no sound came from the other side of the door, she f
At 4:30 in the afternoon, Phoebe finally finished replying to the last email. She rubbed her aching neck, her tightly strung nerves finally relaxing—and with that, a wave of longing for her children crashed over her.She glanced at the time—Alexander's meeting wouldn't end for another two hours.She could make it.Quietly and carefully, she tidied up her desk, doing her best to leave unnoticed. As the elevator doors closed behind her, she could almost hear Alexander's icy voice ringing in her ears:"No leaving your post without my permission."Phoebe gripped the strap of her bag, her heart skipping a beat. But then she reminded herself—her work was done, and she'd be back soon. It would be fine.The sunlight spilled warmly over the kindergarten lawn. The moment Phoebe stepped through the gate, two small figures shot toward her like tiny rockets."Mommy, where have you been these past few days?"Amy blinked her
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