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
DA Group President's Office."Sir, Mr. Curitis Bernard is here to see you again...""Let him go.""Understood, sir."Half an hour later, Alexander's internal phone rang again."Sir, he said... he said if you don't meet with him, he'll force his way in..." the receptionist hesitated, clearly uncomfortable."Let him in," Alexander said, hanging up with a narrowed gaze.Persistent, isn't he?Every day, right on time, Curitis came looking for him. At that dinner, he had only wanted to test the waters, but now it seemed he had underestimated Phoebe's charm.Curitis, this proud artist, had lowered himself multiple times just for her. He had once refused to sell his painting "Tears" for a hundred million euros, yet now, he was willing to trade it for a woman.The door swung open.Curitis walked in gracefully, though the anger in his eyes was unmistakable. Without wasting any time, he placed the beautifully framed painting on Alexander's desk and went straight to the point."Alexander, here's
Two days later.Morning sunlight streamed softly through the windows as Phoebe woke up, still feeling groggy and lightheaded.She blinked a few times, trying to adjust her eyes, then pulled the blanket off herself. That's when she noticed she was wearing pajamas—she had no idea when they'd been put on her.The last thing she remembered was soaking in the cold bathtub, completely naked, before she lost consciousness.Who changed her clothes?Was it Alexander?Thinking about him brought a bitter taste to her mouth. She glanced at the white bandage on her wrist and frowned.Was she sick? How long had she been lying in bed?A glance at the clock hanging on the wall made her heart race. It was already Thursday morning, and she had been in bed for two whole days. It was 8 a.m. now.Panic stirred in her chest. A wave of inexplicable fear swept over her.She had to make breakfast for them.Would he be angry that she had been unconscious for two days? She didn't want to dwell on that thought.
Phoebe fell ill again, and this time Alexander personally took her to the hospital.She had a severe cold and a fever. He wanted to prevent her from infecting Melissa, and thought it was better for her to have nurses constantly looking after her there.From morning until afternoon, Phoebe didn't wake up. The doctor said she should have woken up already, but she was consciously keeping her eyes closed, unwilling to awaken.She didn't want to face reality, and Alexander didn't force her to wake up either. Letting her sleep a little longer was for the best. Her body was too weak; she needed rest. Apart from Melissa, Phoebe was the first woman he'd shown such careful concern for.However, he would only allow her to sleep until the evening. She hadn't eaten in days, and if she didn't eat soon, she might starve before her illness could even improve.Alexander gazed at Phoebe lying in bed. He had skipped work the entire day, not understanding why he stayed by her side in the hospital. Maybe
At the hospital, Phoebe stared blankly at the ceiling, like a soulless doll.She had woken up after Alexander left, but since then, she hadn't moved, simply lying there in a daze.Her mind was a mess, yet countless thoughts kept racing through it.She suddenly felt that her life had turned bleak. When had it all started?Maybe after that banquet. Before, although Alexander had treated her harshly, he had never been this cruel. Her stomach was empty, but she didn't feel hungry—she didn't want to eat anything.When would this miserable existence end? All she wanted was to stay in the hospital forever.She tried to hate him, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't muster the feeling.At some point, the door to her hospital room had been pushed open, but Phoebe, lost in thought, hadn't noticed."Awake? Eat something first," a deep, magnetic voice broke her trance. Phoebe's vacant gaze slowly shifted to meet his intense black eyes, but those eyes revealed nothing of what he was thin
As soon as the words left her mouth, Phoebe's tears began to fall uncontrollably.It wasn't true—not what she had said. She didn't want him to die. Even if she couldn't forgive him, she would never wish for his death.“Fine. As you wish,” Alexander said coldly, letting go of her.He stood up and walked toward the door. But after just a few steps, his tall, solid frame collapsed to the floor.Curled up on the ground, Phoebe instinctively raised her head at the sound. A flash of white light surged through her mind, and in the next second, she was scrambling toward him in a panic, sobbing.Kneeling by his side, she shook his body desperately. Her tear-streaked face was unrecognizable.“Alexander, wake up! Please, wake up! Don't scare me, okay?” she cried.No matter how much she called his name or shook him, he didn't respond. The blood from his head only flowed more freely. Her trembling fingers pressed agai
Alexander kissed her deeply, completely lost in the moment, while Phoebe stared blankly at the ceiling. What else could he possibly do to her besides this?She wanted to push him away, but her overly full stomach left her feeling sluggish. All she wanted was to lie down comfortably for a while.When Alexander finally seemed satisfied, he pecked her lips a couple more times before letting her go.The moment he released her, Phoebe wiped her mouth in disgust.Her reaction displeased Alexander. Did she find his kiss so revolting? Fine. The more she resisted, the more he wanted to kiss her—until every inch of her body bore his scent."Don't touch me," Phoebe warned, glaring at him."I'll do whatever I want," he shot back.With that, Alexander grabbed her head forcefully, pressing his lips back to hers. His tongue invaded her mouth, relentless and domineering, capturing her own with a fierce hold.It hurt.The despicabl
It felt strange that he would do something like this, but she had to admit that stepping out to get some air, even if it was just moving from the bedroom to the living room, was refreshing."Bring a bowl of oatmeal." Alexander commanded."Yes, sir." The servant immediately obeyed, heading to the kitchen to fetch the oatmeal that had been simmering over low heat."Leave it here and go.""Yes, sir."After the servants left, the living room fell silent, leaving only the two of them. Alexander sat down with Phoebe still in his arms, cradling her like a child. His tall frame completely enveloped her petite form."Put me down," Phoebe demanded firmly. She felt uncomfortable in his embrace. In the past, such closeness would have left her flustered, her heart racing uncontrollably. But now, there was none of that. She didn't want to be near him at all. In fact, she wished she'd never have to see him again.Ignoring her words, Alexander picked
Under the harsh glow of the fluorescent lights, Phoebe's face appeared deathly pale, drained of all color.She lay quietly on the bed, her eyes closed, devoid of any vitality.After conducting a series of examinations, the doctor inserted a needle into the back of her hand and hung an IV bottle."Sir, she's simply too weak. She hasn't eaten for a long time, which caused her to faint suddenly. After administering a nutrient solution, she'll be fine. When she wakes up, don't rush to feed her solid food. Start with some liquids, and after two hours, she can eat something light."The doctor gave instructions and prescribed some medication, adding, "She needs to take these three times a day, before meals.""Understood,"Alexander replied, his expression grave. "Will these medications have any side effects?""Don't worry, there are no side effects. They're just to help stimulate her stomach's movement,"the doctor explained with a smile, s
For two consecutive days, Phoebe continued her silent standoff with Alexander. She refused to eat anything, even though her body was weak, her head spinning with hunger. No matter how faint or dizzy she became, she wouldn't give in to him. Even if it meant starving to death, she would not yield.Once, she endured his treatment because she loved him. But after everything that had happened, she could no longer forgive him. The servants were at their wit's end, desperately trying to persuade her, but she refused to listen. With no other option, they went to Alexander for help.In the study, one of the servants hesitantly reported, "Sir, she still isn't eating.""Mm, I see. You can go.""Yes, sir.""Wait," Alexander called out, pausing for a moment before adding, "Prepare a fresh meal and bring it up."He believed she was just being stubborn and would eventually give in to hunger. But he hadn't anticipated her sheer determination to defy him, no
Alexander's gaze was filled with disdain as he looked at her. Gone was the tenderness he once held for her; all that remained was disgust, contempt, and the bitter hatred of someone who had been deceived. After all these years, he couldn't believe he had cherished a woman like this."I only did it because I love you so much,"Melissa sobbed, tears streaming down her face."Love?"Alexander cut her off coldly. "Is this what you call love? Lying to me? Hurting the woman I care about?"His voice was sharp, laced with icy anger. "I never imagined you could be this vicious."The thought of Phoebe's suffering gripped his heart painfully. He was the one who had caused her so much pain, and all because of Melissa.Melissa desperately tried to explain, her voice shaking. But the Alexander before her was unrecognizable."Please, don't treat me this way. Please!"she begged, reaching out to him."Forgive you?"His words dripped
After taking a cold shower and changing into fresh clothes, he headed out. Passing by her room, the silence was deafening.He reached out, his hand hovering over the doorknob, wanting to go in and check on her. But his hand froze mid-air, unable to move any further.He just couldn't muster the courage to enter.Damn it. Was there really something he was afraid of?Without lingering any longer, he turned and descended the stairs with heavy steps.Tonight, he needed a drink. Because of Phoebe, he couldn't focus on work at all.Inside the car, Alexander stomped irritably on the gas pedal, the vehicle speeding like a bullet. He ran countless red lights, frustration coursing through his veins.Police cars blared their sirens behind him, trailing closely.But Alexander had no intention of stopping. Instead, he pressed the gas harder, increasing the car's speed.The phone buzzed. With one hand on the wheel, he picked it up. His
"Let me out! Let me out! Open the door!"Inside the small villa, Phoebe pounded on the door with all her strength.Her voice echoed throughout the house.Outside, two guards stood expressionlessly, unmoved by her cries.Phoebe had been shouting for hours. Her voice was hoarse, and her hands were red and swollen from hitting the door, but no one came to open it. Sniffling, she finally collapsed back onto the bed in frustration, staring blankly at the ceiling.There was nothing for her to do but stare.She was on the verge of going insane.This imprisoned life was unbearable.It had been days since Alexander had brought her back, yet she hadn't been allowed to take a single step outside the room. Her world was confined to this small space. The door was locked, and the windows wouldn't open.It was suffocating.Why did Alexander have to treat her like this? Would he only be satisfied if she came to hate him completel
"Ugh..." Her small shoulders trembled as she sobbed softly, unable to escape no matter how much she tried."Come back with me!" Alexander's deep voice thundered as he leaned down toward her. There was still one day left before the week ended, and he had intended to wait. But seeing her wandering around, breaking down in tears, tore at his heart. He couldn't hold back any longer—he had to take her back early.She cast him a bitter glance, wiped her tears, and sniffled as she pushed his approaching figure away with all her strength."You really don't want to see me, do you?" Alexander's face darkened, his expression cold and menacing."Yes! I don't want to see you! Why can't you just leave me alone?""Damn it. You're coming with me!" He grabbed her wrist firmly, his eyes gleaming like a predator's, filled with a dangerous determination. She didn't want to look at him? Fine, then he'd make sure she could only see him!"Let me go! Let me go!" Phoebe struggled, but her resistance was futil