Dear readers, This chapter contains descriptions of violence. We advise you to proceed with caution if you are sensitive to such content. If you feel uncomfortable or prefer to avoid it, please consider whether you wish to continue reading this chapter. We aim to handle these elements carefully but want to ensure you are informed about the chapter's developments. Thank you for your understanding and support! Best regards,
Phoebe struggled with all her might, her body writhing like a trapped beast. She twisted violently, but the cold, unyielding shackles bound her limbs tightly. Each struggle was futile, leaving only deep red marks on her wrists and ankles.Her eyes were filled with terror and despair. Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead, mixing with the tears streaming from the corners of her eyes.Alexander's bloodshot gaze burned with a fury so intense it seemed almost tangible. The veins on his forehead bulged, twisting like writhing worms. His sharp glare was as chilling as a blade slicing through the darkness, sending shivers down the spine."Why? Why did you do this?" He kept repeating, his voice hoarse from emotion. Each word erupted from deep within his chest, dripping with raw anger and accusation.Before the last word fully left his lips, he lunged at Phoebe like a beast breaking free from its chains. His hands tore at her ruthlessly, subjecting her to unspeakable torment.Phoebe's tear-fi
The atmosphere in the hospital was tense, thick with hostility. Gavin's men had the place sealed off so tightly that not even a fly could slip through.Alexander's expression was ice-cold, his gaze as sharp as a blade as he locked eyes with Gavin. He spoke slowly, enunciating each word with chilling clarity. “Gavin, you'd better pull your men back immediately. Otherwise, you know what the consequences will be.”Gavin's bloodshot eyes burned with fury. He looked like a raging lion, his gaze fixed on Alexander as he roared, “Tell me—where is Phoebe?”A strange smile suddenly crept onto Alexander's face, laced with mockery. “Aren't you supposed to be so capable? If you have the ability, go find and save her yourself.”“Don't push me too far!” Gavin could no longer contain his rage. He lunged forward, grabbing Alexander by the collar, their faces mere inches apart. The tension in the air was suffocating.Yet, Alexander remained unfazed, his gaze cruel and unyielding. “Let go,” he said col
Amidst the chaos, Alexander found himself stepping into the secret prison where Phoebe was held, time and time again.Each visit, he inflicted pain upon her, only to plunge himself deeper into an abyss of torment. His hands were stained with her suffering, yet no amount of time could wash away the guilt gnawing at his soul.Every scar, every anguished scream, was like a sharp needle piercing into the depths of his conscience.Eventually, he could no longer bear the weight of his own cruelty and stopped going altogether.He realized that no matter how much anger and misunderstanding clouded his judgment, he could never truly hate her—not completely.Time slipped away unnoticed, and a month passed in the blink of an eye.During this time, Phoebe remained locked away in this dark and suffocating prison, completely cut off from the outside world. Though Alexander rarely visited, each time he did, he brought her nothing but nightmares.Her body was covered in wounds—old scars barely healin
The night was as dark as ink, thick and impenetrable. The hospital rooftop was shrouded in an eerie silence. A sharp, biting wind howled through the air, cutting like blades against the skin.In the midst of the chilling cold, Hermosa slowly opened her eyes. The unfamiliar surroundings jolted her into wakefulness, her heart hammering in her chest as fear spread through her veins."Where am I? How did I get here? What happened?"A flood of questions swirled chaotically in her mind. Desperately searching for answers, she scanned her surroundings, her gaze brimming with confusion and unease.Then, she saw it—a lone figure standing a short distance away, her back turned.Hermosa's eyes locked onto the silhouette. A strange sense of familiarity surged within her, as though something deep in her memory had been stirred. She stared unblinkingly, trying to make out the woman's face.Suddenly, the woman turned around, her lips curling into a chilling, enigmatic smile as she fixed her gaze on H
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
Phoebe collided with Gavin's blazing gaze. At that moment, he gracefully lifted his slender fingers and slowly unbuttoned his suit jacket.A flush crept up Phoebe's cheeks. Her eyes involuntarily followed his movements, watching as he unfastened each button with deliberate ease. Then, the impeccably tailored suit jacket was carelessly tossed onto the plush bed.Her heartbeat stuttered, then rapidly accelerated, pounding as if it might burst from her chest.Nervousness gripped her, and the air was filled with his unique scent, surrounding her completely.He gave her no chance to retreat. His long fingers gently lifted her delicate chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. Embarrassment overwhelmed Phoebe, and the moment her eyes landed on his striking features, a fleeting image of another man surfaced in her mind.Her face stiffened instantly, and a flicker of panic flashed in her eyes.Why? Why would she think of him at a time like this?A surge of complex emotions churned within her, and s
Tonight, Phoebe had no intention of going back to her own home. Sitting in the car, she hesitated for a moment before dialing her mother's number. As soon as the call connected, her cheeks flushed, and with a hint of shyness in her voice, she murmured into the receiver, "Mom, I'm not coming home tonight. I'll be staying at Gavin's place." The moment the words left her lips, she felt as if her face had caught fire. Her naturally reserved nature made her incredibly self-conscious, and hearing her mother chuckle on the other end only deepened her embarrassment. A wave of regret surged through her—she wished she could take back what she had just said. But it was too late now. She had already agreed to go with Gavin, and she couldn't bear the thought of disappointing him. Hanging up the call, Phoebe realized her palms were damp with sweat. She took a deep breath to steady herself.I made this decision willingly. There's no reason to be nervous.After all, they were already engaged. Liv
After hanging up the phone, Gavin rushed over, his heart pounding with urgency.From a distance, he spotted Phoebe sitting alone on a bench by the street. Under the shroud of night, her silhouette looked particularly lonely.As if sensing his presence, Phoebe's eyes welled up the moment she saw him.In the very next second, she sprang from the bench like an arrow released from its bow, dashing toward Gavin without hesitation. She threw herself into his arms, as though she had finally found the safe harbor she had been searching for after drifting for so long."Why didn't you answer my calls today? I was so worried about you." Her voice trembled slightly, carrying a trace of suppressed sobs. She had spent the entire day in distress, her heart suspended in midair, unable to settle.Perhaps she had grown too used to his daily calls—so when his voice suddenly vanished from her world, an inexplicable fear crept into her heart.She was afrai
Weekend.Gavin hadn't called in a long time, leaving Phoebe restless with worry.Now, she dialed his number again. Once, twice… several times in a row, but all she got was the monotonous beeping sound—no answer.He used to call her every day without fail, sharing bits and pieces of his daily life. But today's unusual silence filled Phoebe with an unsettling feeling.Overwhelmed by anxiety, she quickly got dressed, determined to go to Gavin's place and find out what was going on.Please, let nothing bad have happened.On the way, Phoebe sat in the back of a taxi, her eyes fixed on the road ahead. Her fingers tapped restlessly on her knee, each tap echoing the urgency in her heart.As if fate was against her, the evening rush hour had turned the city streets into a gridlocked mess. Traffic crawled at a snail's pace, each meter forward feeling like an eternity.Phoebe stared at the endless line of cars in front of her
Leroy watched in shock as the crimson blood spread, feeling as if a sledgehammer had slammed into his chest. A sharp pain shot through him, as if the knife had pierced not Laura's hand but his very heart. She had blocked the knife for him—without hesitation! A flash of ruthlessness flickered in his eyes. Without a second thought, his hand clamped down on the assailant's wrist like an iron vice. With all his strength, he squeezed. A sickeningcrackechoed through the night—the unmistakable sound of bone shattering. The sheer force of it was proof of Leroy's fury reaching its boiling point. The man let out a bloodcurdling scream, his wrist exploding in pain. His grip on the knife instantly loosened, and with a sharpclang, the weapon clattered to the ground. Seizing the opportunity, Leroy, still seething, delivered a vicious kick. Every ounce of his rage powered that single s
On the other side of town, Leroy booked a room at another hotel. Dragging his exhausted body inside, he thought a simple wash-up and a comfortable bed would lull him into sleep. Yet, reality proved him wrong.He tossed and turned, rumpling the sheets into a chaotic mess.In the darkness, his eyes remained wide open, haunted by Laura's image—her innocent smile, those big, watery eyes, and the look of helplessness she had worn when she was left alone. Each scene replayed endlessly in his mind.Leroy stared out at the pitch-black night beyond the window, his jaw unconsciously tightening. An unsettling sense of anxiety gnawed at his heart.Had he gone too far? It was already late, and Laura was just a young woman—beautiful and alone in a foreign city. What if something bad happened to her?Thinking back, having her around these past days had actually brought a warmth and liveliness to his life. In this foreign land, he had never felt this l
In the bathroom, Leroy felt completely cut off from the outside world. He had spent a full hour inside before finally stepping out through the tightly closed door.But the scene before him made him gasp sharply, his eyes widening in shock.Laura had fallen back into a deep sleep on the bed, as if nothing had happened. What made his blood rush even more was her completely unguarded sleeping posture.She was sprawled out in a starfish position, her clothes in disarray. And the most provocative part? The way her neckline had slipped, half-revealing the delicate curves beneath. The sight was completely unobstructed from his angle.Leroy suddenly felt an itch on his philtrum. Reflexively, he wiped it, only to find his fingers smeared with fresh, red blood.He was having a nosebleed!Damn it. It wasn't as if he'd never seen a woman before! How could he be so easily thrown off balance?His gaze roamed over her, unrestrained. Right now, Laura was like a perfectly ripe peach—tempting, luscious
At the break of dawn, on the other side of the city.Leroy slowly woke from his slumber, his chest feeling as if a heavy boulder was pressing down on it. Instinctively, he reached out, his fingers brushing against something soft and fuzzy. As his eyes fluttered open, they widened in shock.Laura was sprawled across him, completely unrestrained. Her arms clung to his like a vice, her leg hooked around his waist, making her look like a stubborn little koala refusing to let go.Her soft, delicate body was pressed snugly against his firm chest, and the blanket that was supposed to be covering her had long since slipped to the floor, lying abandoned beside the bed.Leroy furrowed his brows in deep regret.That day, he had gritted his teeth and forced himself to send her away. Yet, somehow, as if under some inexplicable spell, he had ended up bringing her back. Not only that, but he had let her stay by his side, fed her three meals a day, and even given up his own bed for her.He must have
Phoebe panicked and quickly tugged at her collar, trying to cover the incriminating marks. At the same time, she lowered her head, not daring to meet Gavin's gaze.Her mind was completely blank—she had no idea what to say.Should she explain? She couldn't bring herself to, knowing she had wronged Gavin. But if she remained silent, he might start suspecting something. Caught in this agonizing dilemma, she chose silence. She knew that at this moment, any explanation would only make her seem more guilty."Go rest," Gavin finally said. He seemed to sense her unease and embarrassment. His voice was still gentle, but there was an undercurrent of complexity that was hard to decipher.With that, he turned and walked away, his departing figure exuding a quiet sense of loss and helplessness. Phoebe stood motionless, staring after him as tears blurred her vision once again. A crushing wave of guilt consumed her, drowning her completely."Gavin, I miss the kids," Phoebe murmured, lifting her gaze