Much-need oxygen

When her back made contact with the floor of the lift, she tightly shut her eyes, experiencing intense pain throughout her body.

However, just before her head could meet the unforgiving surface, she felt the presence of a hand supporting her head and a heavy body hovering over her.

A soft voice uttered the words from above her lips, "Ana, are you alright?"

She slowly released her lashes hearing him calling her with that name and, noticed him in close proximity to her. His breath brushed against her lips as he gazed at her with great concern.

Her heart quickened as she felt his nearness. His figure loomed over her, and nearly every inch of her body made contact with his.

In turn, he observed her rosy cheeks, parted lips, and hazel eyes fixed upon him. All he desired was to passionately claim her lips and indulge in his desires with her.

Her silky strands cascaded onto her face, partially obscuring her exquisite features and delicately grazing her parted lips.

Her hands tightly grasped his shoulders as their bodies intertwined, creating an intimate connection.

He could feel the gentle pressure of her supple bosom against his firm chest, and the rapid rhythm of her heartbeat.

With each breath, her parted lips brushed against his, creating a tantalizing sensation.

As their passion grew, the temperature in the room began to rise, mirroring the intensity between them.

He couldn't help but feel a surge of desire as he caught sight of her glistening sweat on the side of her face, along her slender neck, and the subtle hint of cleavage that peeked through from his chest pressing against her bosom.

He observed her swallowing, prompting him to bury his face in the curvature of her neck, inhaling her captivating aroma.

This caused him to emit a low groan and press his lips against her exposed skin.

She tightly shut her eyes, experiencing the sensational pleasure derived from his affectionate gesture. It was an unparalleled encounter for her, as within her twenty years of existence, no man had touched her in such a manner, let alone embraced her.

The absence of any repulsion within her being confirmed the absence of any negative sentiment towards his physical contact.

He initiated contact by kissing her neck using his open mouth, to which she responded by gripping his coat firmly on his shoulder.

However, when she perceived his act of wiping his tongue on her exposed skin, she abruptly regained consciousness.

Realizing the impropriety of the situation, especially considering her impending marriage and unfamiliarity with the man atop her, she berated herself for being so reckless as to allow any form of physical contact.

Overwhelmed with emotion, tears welled up in her eyes as she forcefully pushed him away by firmly pressing her hands against his chest.

His sinful trance ceased as he felt her exerting pressure on his chest, prompting him to retreat and observe her with her tightly closed eyes and drenched lashes.

He tightened his jaw and firmly grasped her jaw, causing her to hiss in pain and open her tear-filled eyes, catching sight of his scrutinizing gaze.

He drew her face nearer to his and uttered something above her lips, shattering her heart into pieces.

"Do not feign innocence when you willingly allowed me to touch you in such a manner,"

he stated, witnessing her eyes brimming with more tears, and continued,

"I am aware that you are pretending to be virtuous while in reality, you are a desperate woman who permits a man to touch her even when unfamiliar with his identify."

With that, he released her face harshly, rising from his position.

While she lay on the elevator floor, with shattered heart upon hearing his words.

It is indeed true that she is desperate enough to allow anyone to touch her, and this realization caused her tears to cascade from her eyes.

She felt a profound sense of shame and disgust.

How could she have allowed a complete stranger to touch her in such a way?

In an attempt to control her emotions, she bit her lips and sat on the floor, her hands trembling and her body drained of all energy.

Watching him retrieve his mobile phone from his pocket and mutter curses under his breath about the signal, she too moved away to sit on the floor, putting distance between them.

They both sat silently in the elevator, yet her tears continued unabated.

She perceived every word he uttered as an slap to her self-respect and dignity.

How could she have allowed herself to reach such a low point and permit someone to encroach upon her personal boundaries?

Was she truly so desperate for a man's touch? Has she truly deteriorated to this extent?

No, never before has she allowed any man to lay a hand on her in this manner. She had always believed that only her husband would have the privilege of touching her.

However, she has now, regrettably, compromised her own dignity.

He observed her continuous display of tears and assumed that his words had caused her hurt.

However, he did not believe that he had said anything wrong, as she had willingly allowed him to touch her before and suddenly feigning innocence.

He despised this type of woman who deceives others by pretending to be someone they are not, simply playing hard to get for attention.

Admittedly, he found himself attracted to her and could not resist the temptation she presented.

Nevertheless, he knew that she was not innocent in the situation, as he was aware of her mutual interest in his affection.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts and attempted to search for a connection once more. Just as before, the signal remained absent. In frustration, he muttered curses under his breath and closed his eyes, resting his head against the wall.

They both refrained from seeking assistance, as he was aware of the soundproof nature of the elevator, while she was deeply affected by his words, rendering her unable to call for help.

After what seemed like an eternity, he opened his eyes and furrowed his brows upon hearing the heavy breathing.

He shifted his gaze and observed her tightly embracing herself, with her head buried in her knees and panting heavily.

Uttering a curse under his breath, he approached her, crouched down in front of her, and gently touched her shoulder, inquiring,

"Hey, what happened?"

However, she did not respond and, instead, continued to bury her face in her knees and breathe heavily.

He firmly grasped both of her shoulders and forcefully pulled her towards him, finally catching sight of her bloodshot eyes and flushed face, She began to breathe heavily and pant, causing him to curse loudly and draw her into his embrace.

However, she resisted his touch and pulled herself away from him. She was determined to never let him touch her again, as his words had made her feel degraded.

"Le.. leave me"

Despite her continuous pleas for him to leave her, he paid no attention and persisted in holding her tightly, stroking her head and back.

Her sobs and hiccups only intensified her distress, and he panicked, regretting the hurtful words he had spoken that had led her to cry so uncontrollably labored breathing, and tears streaming down her face.

He cupped her face with his hands, gently urging her to take a breath. Despite his efforts, she persisted in pushing him away.

Determined, he firmly held her face

"Sorry, I'm sorry, angel"

he apologized, his expression contorted with genuine concern,

"Now, breath..hmm"

Once more, he encouraged her to breathe and reassured her that everything would be alright.

Finally, she relented and allowed him to hold her close. Striving to follow his instruction, she inhaled deeply in an attempt to calm herself and suppress her hiccups.

Clutching onto his shirt tightly, she continued her deep breaths while he soothingly stroked her back and head, whispering sweet words to help her regain her composure. He suspected that her incessant crying had triggered a panic attack.

He suddenly noticed the full weight of her body on him, and when he looked down, he saw that she had lost consciousness.

Panic set in as he gently lifted her face from his chest and attempted to revive her by lightly patting her cheeks, but she remained unresponsive.

Growing more frantic, he urgently called out her name

"Angelina,"

pleading for her to wake up, yet she showed no signs of waking.

He observed her sweating profusely, prompting him to carefully lift her in his arms and grasp the zipper on the back of her dress.

With great care, he fully unzipped the dress, ensuring that she could breathe properly and avoid suffocation.

Holding her close once more, he continued to gently pat her cheek in an attempt to rouse her, only to find that she still wouldn't wake up.

As her breathing became faint, he pulled her face closer to his and firmly held her face with both hands before placing his lips on hers.

In order to provide her with much-needed oxygen, he began to exhale into her mouth.

He persisted in blowing into her mouth to regain her consciousness, and eventually, she opened her eyes and took a deep breath from his mouth to resume her own breathing.

Tears continued to stream from her eyes as her cheeks turned rosy and her lips remained pressed against his.

She continued to inhale through his mouth, gazing into his eyes.

A mysterious emotion coursed through his body as he breathed into her mouth, all the while fixated on her eyes.

He shut his eyes and began to move his lips in a passionate kiss, prompting her to also close her eyes.