A waiter soon entered, pushing a cart and elegantly setting their dishes on the table.The meal looked simple but was artfully presented, each dish bursting with colors and enticing aromas. Although she hadn't been hungry, Phoebe couldn't help but feel her appetite sparked by the sight.They dined in silence to the gentle strains of the background music, Phoebe keeping her head down, feeling uneasy under Gavin's intense gaze."Do you like it?" he asked suddenly."Yes... it's delicious," Phoebe replied, nervously sipping her lemonade. She'd recently developed a craving for sour flavors, and the more acidic, the better.As she glanced at him, she noticed that Gavin was drinking red wine while she had been served lemonade. This small, thoughtful gesture filled her with warmth.Alexander would never have paid such attention.But today was Valentine's Day. Was Alexander spending it with Melissa?How were they celebrating? Her heart tightened, and her eyes grew misty with bitterness."Not t
Everything that had just happened played out before Alexander's eyes, and he was filled with rage, nearly storming out to kill that man on the spot.She had actually kissed another man! A bloodthirsty glint flickered in his gaze, enraging him further.If she hadn't slapped that guy, he would have marched over and kill them both himself.He was furious. He'd thought about her all night, and she had been off with some other man, whispering sweet nothings?Damn it, was she that desperate for a man?"So, you're already cozying up to someone else?" Alexander's eyes darkened, and he felt an overwhelming urge to rip Phoebe to pieces.He hadn't kept tabs on her for a little while, and here she was, living in another man's home, skipping class... What had they been doing together? Had they... slept together?His eyes took on a deadly glint. This better not be what he suspected, or else that man would disappear without a trace."Alex... Alexander...? Is that you?" Phoebe's voice trembled as she
"You're just that cheap." His rage was uncontrollable.Every word from him was like a stab to her heart, causing a sharp ache deep within."Let go of me!" She struggled to free herself, but his grip on her shoulders only tightened, his fingers digging into her skin.Tears spilled over, unable to be contained any longer. "You can't treat me like this. Let go of me! It doesn't matter what I do with other men; it's none of your business, and I don't want to explain myself to you."His eyes narrowed, his face dangerously menacing. "Do you even know what you're saying?"She let out a small, bitter laugh. Of course she knew—and she knew the consequences of provoking him. His punishment would only become more severe...She took a deep breath, suppressing the sourness welling up inside. "We have nothing to do with each other anymore. That's what you said. Or do you plan to go back on your word?""FUCK!" He looked like he could strangle her. Did she really want to cut ties with him that badly?
He released her wrist, his arms wrapping tightly around her waist, his sharp nose lowering to touch the tip of hers.With one hand free, he traced her lips with his fingers, caressing them softly. The color was beautiful, like a flower, but how many men had stained it? He had seen it twice with his own eyes.How many more times had it happened without his knowledge?His expression darkened like a grim reaper, every bloodthirsty instinct within him flaring to life. His fingers slowly began to wander."You've gained weight," he said, his tone shifting, light but laced with a strange, unsettling edge."Please... don't do this to me." Her eyes filled with tears, her voice fragile, full of vulnerability. His sudden change in demeanor felt like the calm before the storm."Are you scared of me?"She whimpered softly. His wicked voice echoed in her ears.She wasn't just scared of him."What should I do? Your body... I've missed it so much. Even in my dreams, I'm with you in bed." His voice wa
Alexander never imagined he could become so obsessed with this body.He, who prided himself on his self-control, found himself losing it time and again in her presence.He had once thought he could discard her whenever he wanted, but he had clearly overestimated himself.He had unknowingly fallen into her spell, like a drug slowly eating away at him, addicting him to her.But how could he tolerate other men tasting the sweetness of her body?The thought of that man kissing her in the car made his teeth grind with rage. The feeling of having something he cherished stolen from him stirred every bloodthirsty instinct within.He wanted to pull out a gun and shoot that man without hesitation if only he hadn't been so distracted by the scene.If just a kiss could provoke such fury, what would it feel like if another man touched her?Had he ever done those things to her too? Just the thought of her alluring body surrendering to another man filled his eyes with bloodshot rage, his face freezi
"Sir, the doctor has arrived," came the respectful voice of the subordinate outside the door."Mm, let him in," Alexander responded coldly. Clad in a black robe, his commanding presence was powerful and intimidating.Several doctors entered, carrying a collection of clinical instruments."Examine her," he ordered, his eyes dark and unreadable."Wait.""Sir, do you have any further instructions?" one doctor asked, hesitantly."Cover their eyes.""Uh..." the subordinate hesitated. Blocking their vision would make the examination impossible."Sir, if we can't see, we can't perform the examination properly," one of the doctors pointed out."Fine, proceed." After a long pause, Alexander replied in an icy tone.The doctors followed his orders without delay, quickly starting their examination. Alexander watched each instrument in use, his expression becoming increasingly complex. Emotions he rarely showed flashed in his eyes.After half an hour, his hard expression grew even darker. Looking
The Next MorningAlexander had lingered on her for a long time, finally releasing her after what felt like hours. He hadn't actually done anything overly intimate, merely kept her close, peppering her with kisses.His lips rested gently on her lower abdomen, his hand softly caressing her, seemingly captivated by the life forming there. There was no way he felt nothing, though he was firm in his decision: he wouldn't keep the child.He cared for Phoebe, that much he could admit, but she wasn't fit, in his mind, to bear his child.With his decision made, he planned to keep Phoebe by his side, while Melissa would receive his name, a title, and the warmth of companionship.His movements startled Phoebe, and she instinctively tensed. She kept her eyes closed, afraid to see his expression, sensing only the danger in his touch.She worried—what if he suspected something? What if, while dreaming, she inadvertently gave herself away?"Phoebe, if you don't open your eyes..." he laughed softly,
Phoebe was eager to know his answer.If he would end up marrying Melissa, Phoebe thought she would eventually have to sever this connection.Loving someone unrequitedly was truly exhausting. She wasn't alone anymore—she now had a tiny life growing inside her, someone who needed her care.She didn't want to put herself through such heartache, nor did she want to become a scorned mistress.Besides, this ongoing entanglement between them wasn't fair to Melissa either.But still, Phoebe wanted to know… did he love Melissa?If he did, why couldn't he just let her go? She could never understand that. If he didn't love Melissa, then why marry her? He didn't seem like the kind of person who would be pressured into anything."..." Alexander froze at her question, parting his lips to answer, but no sound came out. Looking into her clear, beautiful eyes, he hesitated.For once, he found himself speechless.A strange frustration rose in his chest. Would he still marry Melissa? He should have answ
After walking a good distance, Laura finally glanced back. Seeing that Wright hadn't followed them, her furrowed brows relaxed slightly."Phoebe, don't listen to his nonsense.""What nonsense?" Phoebe pretended not to understand. So, she was in a relationship already. Watching them earlier, they looked so perfect together—a golden couple that was truly pleasing to the eye. Melissa was so beautiful, and it wasn't surprising that such a handsome guy liked her."We...we're not." Laura's cheeks were so hot they could almost cook an egg."Laura, it's okay to have a boyfriend. I think you two are a great match." Phoebe assumed Laura was just shy and smiled sweetly at her. Although she was still young and inexperienced in these matters, having someone who cared for Laura seemed like a good thing. However, Phoebe couldn't help but worry—Wright had a reputation for being a flirt. Was he truly sincere about Laura?"No, it's not like that. I don't like him. I just...I just feel like being liked
Laura"Little thing, I've been chasing you for so long, aren't you even touched?" Wright teased, his tone playful yet carrying a hint of frustration. Staring at the ice-cold beauty before him, he felt utterly defeated. It was the first time he had spent so long chasing a girl without success. Initially, he thought it was just a game, but to his surprise, he had genuinely fallen for her. There was no denying it now—he was hopelessly in love.Laura kept her head down, walking forward without sparing him a glance. Despite over a month of his persistent pursuit, she remained indifferent. He was so annoying, showing up every day to bother her, impossible to avoid or chase away."What's so urgent at home that you rush back every day? How about I take you on a romantic date?" Wright leaned closer, flashing a charming smile that caused the nearby girls to look on enviously. Yet Laura didn't even spare him a glance.Remaining silent, she kept walking with her usual downcast gaze.Wright felt a
After bidding Alva goodbye, Phoebe nearly sprinted out of the school. Instead of taking the bus, she hailed a taxi. Taking a bus would be too slow, and a taxi would get her there much faster. Normally, she would never spend the extra money, but today, all she wanted was to see him as quickly as possible.However, once inside the taxi, her courage began to waver. A sense of fear crept over her, though she couldn't quite pinpoint what she was afraid of. She kept telling herself she couldn't back down, refusing to allow herself to retreat.When the taxi pulled up in front of the apartment complex, she realized she didn't have an access card. The security guard stopped her at the gate, and no matter how much she pleaded, he refused to let her in. Fortunately, a shift change brought a new set of guards, and one of them recognized her from a previous visit, allowing her to enter.As the villa came into view, Phoebe's steps grew heavier, as if her legs had turned to lead. It was incredibly d
"Miss, you come here every day to buy a newspaper, but you barely look through it. Are you searching for some important news?" the newspaper vendor asked with a friendly smile. Every day, this young lady would buy a paper, flip through a few pages, and leave with a disappointed expression. This had become her routine."I..." Lost in thought, she hesitated. What could she say? She was searching for news about Alexander. Any mention of him, no matter how small, would suffice."Do you have any fashion magazines?""Of course! What kind are you looking for?" The vendor gestured toward the stack of magazines on the table."I'd like an entertainment magazine," she said, clinging to a sliver of hope. She had often seen him mentioned in such magazines before. Perhaps he would appear in one of them again. She just hadn't looked hard enough."Here, try this one. It's full of gossip—rich people, celebrities, their private lives, and whatnot.""I'll take it," she said, handing over the money.On h
One Month Later."Phoebe, stop pushing yourself so hard. Come eat something first; you can continue drawing afterward."Alva snatched the pencil from Phoebe's hand and pulled her up, ready to take her out of the studio. "Who studies like you? It's like your life depends on it. You even forget to eat!""Alva, I'm not hungry. Let me finish this drawing first."Phoebe smiled and reached for her pencil, but Alva quickly hid it behind her back, refusing to give it back. She insisted Phoebe eat with her instead. For a month now, her friend had been working too hard. Study required balance, not self-torture. Sitting in one spot all day without moving wasn't learning—it was punishing oneself. If Phoebe didn't get up soon, she'd rust."No way. Finish your meal first, and then you can draw again,"Alva said firmly, her tone leaving no room for negotiation."But Alva, I'm almost done!"Phoebe glanced longingly at her unfinished drawing.
The door suddenly swung open from the outside. Phoebe lifted her gaze, her eyes brimming with fleeting hope before it quickly dimmed. How much she wished it was Alexander walking in. How much she longed for him to stand before her, whole and unscathed. But the person who entered was a middle-aged man, unfamiliar to her, though it was clear from his demeanor that he was one of Alexander's subordinates.Her disappointment was momentary, replaced almost instantly by desperate anticipation. Barefoot, she dashed toward him with urgency.“Him... How is he? Please, tell me. I'm begging you. I just need to know if he's okay.”“Miss, you're free to leave now. Gather your belongings, and I'll have a car take you home,” the man said, ignoring her questions and instead delivering his instructions calmly.Leave?“What do you mean?” Phoebe asked, her eyes widening in shock.“You are free now,” he replied.
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