The moment Hermosa's gaze met Alexander's, her pupils shrank in disbelief. She covered her mouth, tears welling in her eyes, her heart aching with shock and sorrow. The man before her was a far cry from the vibrant image she had in her memories.He was thin, with protruding cheekbones that made him seem fragile, as if a gust of wind could knock him over. His thick stubble grew wildly, covering the once-defined jawline, and his deep-set eyes had sunk, as though swallowed by darkness, no longer reflecting the vitality he once had.Hermosa's gaze slowly dropped to his lifeless legs, and the tears she had fought so hard to suppress spilled uncontrollably. Her body trembled as she stumbled to his side. Her knees gave way, and she collapsed to the floor."Alex, how did you end up like this?" she cried, her voice breaking as she tightly grasped his hand, full of sorrow and pity. "Please, get better. Go for treatment, okay? You can't keep living like this."Her eyes were filled with concern a
The next day, Hermosa packed her things and left. The villa suddenly felt even more silent.Alexander didn't go to see her off. Leaning against the large sofa, he silently drank his alcohol, his eyes slightly narrowed, as the frustration within him lingered, refusing to fade.He didn't know how much he had drunk. Bottles were scattered all over the floor. As he drank, his mind slowly started to unravel, but sadly, his consciousness remained sharp. Why couldn't this alcohol make him forget the pain?He had no interest in dealing with work—the company was already in complete disarray. He spent his days in the darkness, wallowing in despair.One disappointment after another. One discouragement after another.In his dreams, the same scene repeated over and over.His Phoebe had come back. He held her tightly in his arms, kissed her, and kept whispering apologies."Please, please, don't hurt my child… Don't..." In her sleep, Phoebe furrowed her brow, her face pale, her body uncontrollably t
Phoebe slowly closed her eyes, and before long, soft and even breathing filled the room.Gavin quietly watched her, her peaceful and serene sleeping face making his lips curve into an involuntary smile. He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, moving slowly as if afraid to disturb her. Afterward, he straightened up, turned off the light, and silently left the room.As the door softly clicked shut, Phoebe's eyes slowly opened.She gently turned over, instinctively pulling the blanket tighter around her, as if doing so could keep all her fears at bay. Gavin had always been like a guardian angel, constantly by her side, unwavering in his support.Whenever she found herself in a hopeless situation, surrounded by darkness, Gavin was always the first to break through the gloom, shining light into her world, bringing warmth and hope.How could such a thoughtful, gentle, and caring man not make her heart flutter? The happiness she longed fo
In the early morning, soft light filtered through the thin curtains and quietly bathed the room.A handsome man stood silently by the window, surrounded by the warm glow of the sunlight, as if an ethereal golden halo had been drawn around him.Suddenly, a faint sound came from the hospital bed, and he slowly turned around.He saw the girl on the bed beginning to open her eyes, still tinged with the remnants of sleep.His lips parted slightly, his voice low and magnetic. "You're awake?"Thinking back to last night, he remembered getting up to get some water. As he passed through the living room, he caught sight of a small figure curled up on the sofa, clearly in pain.As he approached, he realized it was her, suffering from menstrual cramps. The noticeable stain on the sofa immediately made his frown deepen.He was well-known for his obsessive cleanliness, holding impossibly high standards for his living environment. How could he toler
The car moved slowly along the road, the scenery outside flashing by like a slideshow, but the atmosphere inside the car was suffocating, as if the air itself had thickened, making it hard to breathe.Laura sat stiffly in the passenger seat, her back straight, her hands tightly clutching the corners of her clothes, her knuckles white from the tension. Her lips were pressed together, as if glued shut by some invisible force, leaving her unable to utter a single word.Leroy's grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly. After several attempts to speak, he sighed in resignation, his voice thick with frustration and helplessness.But it wasn't just the silence that weighed on him—it was the faint scent of blood coming from the girl beside him. His gaze instinctively shifted to Laura. Her face had turned pale, her head slightly lowered, as if he had somehow hurt her.Laura, too, noticed the change. Her face flushed red instantly. She knew she had made
France, CastleThe quiet hallway echoed softly with the sound of footsteps. A maid, dressed in a neat uniform, carefully held a delicate box in one hand and a pair of beautiful crystal slippers in the other. She arrived at a door, gently knocked, and waited for a response."Come in,"a soft voice called from inside.The maid opened the door, slightly bowing with a warm smile. "Miss, these clothes are from the young master."She carefully placed the items on a table nearby and added softly, "The young master is waiting for you downstairs."She then withdrew quietly, closing the door behind her.Phoebe sat dazedly at the edge of the bed, her hollow gaze fixed on the elegant gift box and the shimmering shoes on the table. Her fingers subconsciously tugged at the bedspread, her knuckles turning pale from the pressure.Are we really going back?The question swirled in her mind, tightening her heart like an invisible hand, causing a
The quiet morning at X Villa was abruptly interrupted by hurried footsteps. Dana, along with a few friends, rushed in, their expressions anxious.They had just received the news—Gavin had returned to the country, accompanied by a woman.A few months ago, Gavin had vanished without a trace. They had used all their connections, searched every possible corner, but found not a single clue. Now, however, he had returned in such a high-profile manner, it was utterly baffling.Logically, Gavin knew they had been searching for Phoebe, so he should have hidden her well, leaving no trace behind. But now, he was back, strutting around with a woman. What was his intention?Impatient and anxious, they desperately wanted to discuss a strategy with Alexander. They rushed to where he was, but Rod stopped them at the door."Rod, just open the door. Alexander won't blame you," Dana urged, visibly anxious."But…" Rod hesitated, his feet seemingly rooted to the spot, showing no sign of intending to open
The dungeon was cloaked in near total darkness, with only a few faint rays of light struggling to seep through the cracks, casting mottled shadows on the ground.The damp air was thick with a nauseating stench, the foul smell a blend of age and sin.Rats scurried in the corners, their incessant squeaks adding to the eerie, terrifying atmosphere.Dana strode into the terrifying dungeon with several men in tow. His eyes searched the dark corners, quickly settling on Melissa, curled up in one of them."Drag her out!" Dana commanded coldly, his voice echoing through the empty dungeon.The men immediately stepped forward, roughly pulling Melissa from her corner.Upon seeing her, Dana exaggeratedly slapped his chest and feigned a look of terror. "My God, that's terrifying," he mocked, his face twisted in disdain and loathing despite his words."What do you want?" Melissa screamed in terror, her eyes wide with fear. Her face, twisted in horror from the extreme fear, looked almost monstrous.
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