As they left the hospital, Alexander looked at Phoebe, his face pale."Why didn't you fight back? Didn't you hear what she said to you?" Why did she look so defeated, accepting mistreatment without a word?"..."Seriously? Wasn't it his fault too? The nurse's words were harsh, but she felt she had no reason to respond. She just had to endure."From now on, if anyone dares to say anything to you, I'll deal with them.." He wouldn't let anything slide.Phoebe rolled her eyes; he seemed a bit immature.Both were hungry, especially Alexander, who had been up all night. They decided to eat at the nearest upscale hotel, marking Alexander's first time taking Phoebe out to eat.Walking into the hotel in her hospital gown attracted some odd looks, but Alexander didn't seem embarrassed at all. He held her hand tightly, offering warmth, which made Phoebe feel a little touched.Since breakfast had already passed, they went straight for lunch, even though it was only eleven.After lunch, Alexander
In the upscale club, a man slapped Melissa's rear forcefully."...Don't touch me!" Melissa glared at him angrily, wanting nothing more than to go home."Already turning on me? You were just fine a moment ago," the man smirked, unconcerned about her expression."Just take me back."It was already afternoon; what was supposed to end by eleven had dragged on, and she had lost track of time, caught up in his demands.Alex must be looking for her. If she didn't return soon, he would start to worry. She could already imagine him searching anxiously for her."Afraid Alexander will be worried?""You don't get to tell me what to do. Just take me back," Melissa replied, her tone firm. Their relationship was purely transactional—he had no right to dictate her actions."You really think you can go back like this? You don't think he'll be suspicious?" The man chuckled, lighting a cigarette."You don't need to worry about that; I have my own ways.""Care to share your plan?" He scoffed. "Don't unde
Inside the hospital.Alexander frantically summoned all the doctors in the hospital to one patient room.They gathered nervously around Melissa, conducting a thorough examination of her pale face on the hospital bed. "Melissa, I won't let anything happen to you." His gaze lingered on her frail features.Guilt, shame, worry, and heartache overwhelmed him. It was his fault that Melissa was hurt! If only time could rewind, he would never have left her side. It was all his fault!"How is she?" he asked, anxiety etched on his face."Sir, the patient is currently stable, but... she has experienced intense sex and her body is weak. She needs time to recover," the doctor replied.Alexander's body trembled for a moment, then stiffened in rage as he gripped the doctor's collar. "What did you say?"Though he had already sensed it, he couldn't bear to accept the truth. How could he acknowledge such a reality about someone as pure and beautiful as Melissa?"Sir, please calm down... I..." The docto
Evening.Phoebe awoke from a light sleep upon hearing car sounds outside. Her first reaction was to quickly get out of bed. When she saw Alexander carrying Melissa in his arms, she paused, summoning her courage but not daring to approach.Watching Melissa nuzzle against him with a blissful smile, she turned to leave quietly. They probably didn't want anyone to interrupt at that moment. They looked so perfect together, and she felt out of place standing there.Conflicted emotions swirled inside her. Not wanting to witness their sweetness, she turned to sneak away. Just as she did, Alexander's deep gaze fell upon her.Seeing her frail silhouette was heartbreaking—she had lost so much weight."Alex, what are you looking at? I'm so sleepy," Melissa squinted, following his gaze toward the stairs, but she didn't see anything; she assumed it was that woman."Already sleepy?" Alexander replied, his voice tender as he lowered his head toward her."Shall we go to the room and sleep? I'm so tire
The next morning, the commotion outside disturbed Phoebe's peaceful sleep.Now wide awake, she got up.After getting ready, she headed downstairs, only to find that there were suddenly a dozen or so servants in the villa.The villa was usually quiet. Except for Rod, who stayed there 24/7, the cleaning staff would leave immediately after finishing their tasks—they were not allowed to linger.Why were there so many servants all of a sudden?"Good morning, madam," several of the servants greeted Phoebe respectfully from the foot of the stairs. It was their first day working here, and they wanted to make a good impression."Breakfast is ready, and the master is already at the table. Please head over quickly."Phoebe froze, momentarily unable to process what was happening.At that moment, Alexander and Melissa, who were already sitting at the dining table, looked over simultaneously.The atmosphere instantly turned tense."Madam, the breakfast is getting cold. Please, hurry and eat," one o
Phoebe walked towards the bus stop as soon as she left the villa. She had barely covered 500 meters when Alexander's car approached from the opposite direction. Her heart began to race wildly."Get in," he commanded, his tone as authoritative as ever. Phoebe didn't dare hesitate. She quickly opened the door and climbed into the car.They drove for about twenty minutes before the car came to a stop. The location was remote, with almost no cars passing by. She turned to look at him, but before she could react, he kissed her fiercely.His intensity overwhelmed her—he was like a beast, draining all her strength with his kiss.His lips moved urgently, aggressively, as they captured her soft lips. Phoebe's eyes widened, her breath catching, almost suffocating.She hadn't expected Alexander to stop the car just to kiss her. His ravenous behavior made her want to laugh.She tried to push him away—if he kissed her any longer, she might pass out. His strength was astonishing, and he quickly pin
Alexander glanced at his expensive diamond watch and said, "It's only 8:30. Your class starts at 9, so even if you're late by half an hour, it's no big deal. It only takes twenty minutes to get to your school, which means we still have forty minutes."It had been too long since he last had her, and his body was yearning for hers. He was a normal man, and going without a woman for so long had built up a desire within him that was impossible to ignore. If he didn't release it soon, he'd only be torturing himself.He was never one to suppress his needs. The last time he'd been drugged, he had somehow managed to resist taking her, which even he found hard to believe.It was the first time he had ever considered a woman's feelings over his own, resorting to using his hand to satisfy himself.Phoebe stared at him in shock. He calculated things pretty accurately, didn't he? She understood what he meant, but she knew that she could never agree to it."I don't want to," she said.What touched h
On the other side, just as Phoebe managed to steady her breathing, Alva walked in.Phoebe suddenly remembered that Noah had been trying to get in touch with her, asking for her help to talk to Alva.Phoebe hadn't wanted to get involved, but as a friend, she could sense that Noah meant something special to Alva. Phoebe knew Alva loved him.She didn't want her friend to lose her happiness over a misunderstanding, so she decided to give it a try."Alva, are you really not going to forgive Noah? Actually, he...""Phoebe, don't you dare mention that jerk to me! I never want to see him again!""Alva, he really regrets it. He..."Seeing that Alva wasn't interested in talking about Noah, Phoebe decided to drop the subject. Recently, Alva seemed determined to ignore Noah. Every time he showed up, Alva would angrily tell him to leave without even looking at him."Phoebe, let's stop talking about him. Tonight, we're going shopping. It's been ages since I've been out shopping since I got out of th
Phoebe was still lost in the dizzying heat of the kiss, her mind blank, unable to fully recover from the intoxicating sensation.Without warning, Alexander scooped her up once more, striding purposefully toward the private lounge attached to his office.The heavy door shut behind them with a muffled thud. Alexander carried her straight to the large, plush bed, leaning down slightly as he gently placed her onto the soft mattress.Phoebe's body sank into the luxurious bedding, her eyes widening in alarm as she looked up at him. "What… what are you doing?""I want you." His voice was deep and husky, laced with raw desire."No, you can't." Phoebe's breath came in uneven pants. Her emotions were in turmoil—fear and confusion tangled together, yet at the same time, her body betrayed her, reacting instinctively to his closeness. This only unsettled her more."Can't?" Alexander's lips curled into a faint smirk, his gaze dark and unreadable. Slowly, his eyes drifted downward, lingering at her
Phoebe stood in the secluded corner, her hands trembling slightly as they reached for the buttons of her blouse. Her gaze remained locked on Alexander's back, not daring to blink. Only after watching him remain completely still for a long while did she finally exhale softly and lower her head to begin changing.When she opened the gift box and saw the delicate black lingerie inside, she froze.Lifting the sheer fabric between her fingers, she muttered under her breath, "This is lingerie?"The material was nearly transparent—she could already imagine how revealing it would be once worn. For a moment, she weighed her options: should she stick with her own undergarments, or wear this?Her eyes drifted back to the black evening gown. Its design was exquisite and unique, seemingly crafted to pair perfectly with the lingerie, enhancing its elegance with a touch of allure.Biting her lower lip, Phoebe struggled internally before finally giving in. Slowly, she unhooked her own lingerie, her m
Phoebe dragged her exhausted body home, moving quietly to avoid disturbing her family. She didn't turn on the lights but relied on her familiarity with the house to navigate her way carefully to the bedroom in the dark.Stepping inside, she saw her children sleeping soundly in bed. Her heart instantly softened, overflowing with warmth as she unconsciously sat down beside them."Kids, Mommy saw your daddy today," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. Reaching out, she gently brushed her fingers over their cheeks, her touch unbearably tender. A soft smile tugged at the corners of her lips.That night, Phoebe slept more peacefully than she had in a long time.In her dreams, she saw the bright, happy faces of her children, playing and laughing together. She saw herself joining in, their joyous laughter filling the air. And Alexander… he was there too. The four of them stood in a beautiful garden, basking in the warm sunlight. It was a dream so wonderful, so perfect, that she wis
On most afternoons, as soon as lunch was over, Phoebe would return to her desk without delay, diving right back into work. But today, she was different. Instead of heading straight back, she wandered aimlessly around the company's surroundings, unwilling to return. It wasn't until 2:30 PM that she finally, and reluctantly, made her way back to the office.As she walked, her mind kept replaying the moment she had shaken off Alexander's grip earlier. His darkened expression told her everything—he was furious. She was almost certain he would take his revenge in the afternoon, assigning her a slew of unreasonable tasks just to make things difficult for her. With this uneasy thought lingering in her mind, Phoebe stepped into the office.Strangely enough, the entire afternoon passed without any sign of Alexander. It was as if he had vanished into thin air. There were no assignments, no sudden calls to his office—nothing.Sitting at her desk, Phoebe felt restless. Every now and then, she gla
Phoebe covered her lips, tears streaming down her face as she ran toward the restroom. She kept her head low, afraid of letting anyone see her in such a disheveled state. Once inside, she hurried into a stall, locked the door tightly, and slowly crouched down, wrapping her arms around her knees as she broke into uncontrollable sobs.Her cries echoed within the small cubicle, filled with sorrow and despair, as if trying to release all the grievances she had suppressed over the years. She cried for what felt like an eternity until her eyes were so swollen she could barely keep them open.Standing up shakily, Phoebe walked to the mirror and stared at her reflection—her puffy, distorted eyes a stark reminder of her breakdown. She turned on the faucet, cupped her hands under the icy water, and splashed it onto her face repeatedly. The coldness stung her skin, but it also helped her regain a bit of clarity. Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself and made a firm decision in her heart.Ba
Upon reaching it, he freed one hand and, with a swift motion, swept everything off the surface.A loud crash echoed through the office as papers, stationery, and files scattered across the floor.The next second, Alexander carefully laid Phoebe down on the now-empty desk. She instinctively tried to sit up and escape, but before she could make a move, his towering frame loomed over her, pinning her beneath him.Phoebe's hands immediately pushed against him, her voice trembling with near desperation. "No, don't."But Alexander was far too strong. In an instant, he seized her wrists and forced them above her head, rendering her completely immobile."Isn't this the reason you came back?" His voice dripped with sarcasm.Phoebe's eyes welled up with tears. "I didn't… The public records never indicated you were the owner of this company. If I had known, I—"Before she could finish her sentence, Alexander abruptly leaned down, capturing her lips in a fierce, stormy kiss that swallowed her wor
Phoebe's fingers hovered over the cold doorknob for a second, her knuckles whitening. She drew a sharp breath and pushed open the heavy black door.The CEO's office was more expansive than she had imagined. Floor-to-ceiling windows framed the glittering cityscape beyond, while at the center of the room, a large black executive chair sat with its high back turned toward her—tall enough to nearly obscure the figure seated in it."Sir, I'm the new secretary, Phoebe Garcia." Her voice cut through the silence, so clear she could hear the faint tremor in her own words.No response.The chair rotated slowly, and Phoebe's gaze traveled upward—over polished leather shoes, long legs, an immaculately tailored suit—until it landed on that face.Alexander Knight.Her breath hitched. Her pupils constricted. It was as if every drop of blood in her veins had frozen solid.Thud. The cardboard box in her arms crashed to the floor, the small potted succulent inside shattering, soil streaking her skirt.
Monday, Alexander's office.The sharp scent of nicotine hung heavily in the air, making it hard to breathe. The thick curtains were drawn tightly shut, blocking out even the faintest trace of sunlight. On the desk, countless files were scattered—each one filled with information about a certain woman.Alexander sat there, eyes tightly shut, brows deeply furrowed. He had locked himself in the office for two whole days, isolating himself from the outside world entirely.For the past two days, it felt like he was wandering through a maze of agony, memories flashing through his mind like fragmented images. The stories Dana had told him surfaced again and again, chaotically piecing together inside his head.Maybe it was because those memories were too familiar. Maybe it was the scent that lingered around him lately, or the figure that haunted his dreams. He had lost his memory for five years, but within these two days—it all came flooding back.All the love, all the hatred, played like a mo
In the car ride home, Jeremy sat sulking in his seat, puffing out his cheeks, eyes fixed straight ahead, completely ignoring Amy. Amy gazed at him pitifully. She had apologized several times, but Jeremy remained unmoved.Amy felt both aggrieved and anxious. Is Jeremy really that angry with me? Is he just going to ignore me like this? No, she couldn't stand it. She didn't want her brother to keep giving her the cold shoulder."Jeremy, I'm sorry. Please talk to me. Forgive me, will you?" Amy sobbed as she stole glances at Jeremy, desperately hoping he would at least spare her a glance — even just a fleeting one.Jeremy folded his arms tightly across his chest and turned his head toward the window, deliberately avoiding Amy's gaze. He secretly made a vow to himself: From now on, I'm never taking her out again.Seeing that Jeremy still refused to pay her any attention, Amy had no choice but to seek help from their mother. She threw herself into Phoebe's