HER NEW HOME (SIX)

Lexie shuddered in horror and fear. Even without Rafe needing to threaten her, she still wouldn't be able to fight back and scream because she didn't have the strength to do that. She was just silent as Rafe crammed her into his car like she was a sack of potatoes. The people passing by on the sidewalks just stared at her disinterestedly. They must have thought that she and Rafe were lovers in conflict.

After the passenger door slammed violently, Lexie saw Rafe rushing around the car, then climbed into the car so fast that the interior of the car shook slightly as Rafe plopped himself onto the soft car seat.

"Please take me to the hospital."

Rafe looked at Lexie sarcastically. He didn't expect that this girl could still show such an arrogant expression after what she did. Or maybe she was just pretending to be arrogant to cover up her fears.

“You think they will accept you again after what you did? Even Wren won't accept you as his patient anymore," Rafe said sarcastically.

"Please, let me go. I will work to pay off my debts. I don't want to carry your baby."

"Too bad you can't back down. The baby is already implanted in your womb. You just have to wait until next month to have that little bulge on your stomach.”

Lexie gulped nervously. Her heart skipped a beat at the way Rafe looked at her and stared at the flat stomach beneath the sweater she was wearing. She felt naked under Rafe's intense gaze. And what's even scarier is that she will be kidnapped by that man.

"This is just the beginning. We don't know if this baby will really live or not. I might miscarry next month."

"Then we'll make it so it doesn't miscarry."

Rafe stomped hard on the gas pedal, causing their bodies to jolt hard back and then jolt hard forward. Lexie's head almost hit the dashboard of the car when the car started speeding down the busy streets of New York. He ignored Lexie's terrified look and her pale face that looked absolutely ridiculous as her hands gripped the dashboard of the car tightly to keep her body jerking forward.

“From now on you will live under my supervision. Don't try to run away."

"I'm too young to get pregnant."

Tears welled up in Lexie's eyes. Pain crept into her chest painfully. She doesn't know how her life will be after she bears this damn baby and she is just a tool to produce his offspring.

"I don't want to get pregnant. I want to find a job and build my life slowly.”

“You can think of this as a job. There will be proper compensation for you as the mother of my child. And after you give birth, I'll give you a nice apartment and job for you to start a new life. You don't have to worry."

The words that escaped Rafe's lips sounded tantalizing. But this is not the time to feel grateful for the new job she got. She didn't even expect to have a job as a pregnant woman. It really sounds ridiculous and pathetic. Even if people asked about her work and she told them, they would just think of her as a bitch.

"Don't cry. I will not hurt you. I'm sorry if I scared you while in the hospital."

Lexie turned around in surprise. She didn't expect the man to say sorry to her. She thought Rafe Wilder was just a heartless and cruel man.

“Wren rebuked me. And I realized that my attitude had gone too far. I just can't be too patient with a girl."

"What's your occupation?" Lexie asked hoarsely.

"I own an auto company and a few casinos."

"Why don't you get married?"

"Because I don't want to have a wife. Too complicated."

"Why do you want children?"

"Isn't it obvious? I need an heir to all my companies and my wealth.”

"You want a boy then."

Lexie tried to wipe her tears with the tissue that Rafe had just offered. She was even surprised, once again, that Rafe could be such a gentleman behind his cold face.

"A son would be good to inherit my entire wealth."

“What if I give birth to a daughter? You're going to throw her away?"

When the traffic light turned red, Rafe took the opportunity to turn to Lexie and stared at her puffy face intensely.

"I'm not that vile. If you give birth to a daughter, I will still love her. After all, she is my daughter."

“But girls can't live up to your expectations. You need a boy."

“I admit it's true. Girls will make it difficult for me of course. I have to always protect her from the assholes out there who could potentially hurt her. But it doesn't matter to me. My daughter will be a sweet daughter."

“What if your daughter becomes like me?”

Rafe's brow furrowed. He didn't like how Lexie turned this conversation into a conversation related to her life.

“My daughter will get great affection from me, her father. She will live well in a big and comfortable house. And my daughter will not be kicked out of her house. So she couldn't possibly be like you."

The words were clear and sharp, spoken with determination and without hesitation. Lexie felt jealous to hear how fate would bring her baby. She would certainly be luckier than her mother who was only used as a vessel instead of being a beloved wife. And she didn't want to be this man's wife after all. She has her own criteria for the man who will become her lover or husband. But after all the hassle about the baby, will she ever get the love of a man?

"Why are you just silent? What got you kicked out of your house?”

"None of your business," Lexie retorted.

-00-

She turned her face to the window and just remained silent until Rafe took her to a mansion in the Westchester area. The house building stands on a very wide land and is surrounded by giant trees on the right and left. A large black gate rose at the end of the paved road she was passing. Lexie watched the maple trees with their yellow leaves fall along the driveway to the stately house at the end of the road. Rafe made the leaves scatter in the middle of the road and became a small tornado which was quite interesting in Lexie's eyes. She was happy to see the leaves. Reminds her of her sweet childhood while on vacation at her grandmother's house who has a giant maple leaf in her yard. Every time autumn came, the yellow maple leaves would fall and make her grandmother's yard very dirty. But she always liked to play with the yellow leaves and scatter them all over her body.

Lexie blinked her eyes twice. The beautiful memories of her childhood disappeared when she heard Rafe's voice playing around her. The car stopped in front of a very large and tall black gate. Up close, the gate looks sturdier and looks taller. Lexie even had to raise her head high enough to see the pointed ends at the top of the black gate.

“Don't even think about running away. You can't. Jacob, open the gate!” Rafe shouted harshly.

Something rustled from the dashboard. A walkie talkie the size of a fist made the tenor voice of a young man who had just answered Rafe's orders. Lexie studied the object for a long time, stunned at the thought of a man named Jacob who was summoned by Rafe. She imagined Jacob's figure as a burly man with a fierce face with lips like straight lines pressed against his lips. Jacob must also be a man in an all-black suit with a gun belt around his waist. Lexie was sure the people who worked for Rafe would look like the villains in the action movies she often watched.

But all of Lexie's guesses turned out to be wrong. As the black gate swung open wider, she saw a man in a bright green shirt and khakis emerge from behind the gate. The man smiled broadly at Rafe and waved excitedly like he was a fan waiting for his idol to arrive. But Rafe ignored him. He didn't even glance at Jacob at all. He immediately drove his car to his very large yard and stopped his car right in front of his magnificent car port.

"This is my house. And from now on it will be your house too.”

"Is he Jacob?"

Rafe frowned. He didn't think that the things that had been bothering Lexie's mind for a long time were Jacob. He thought Lexie would reject the idea of ​​staying at his house and then she would run away in the second when she jumped out of his car. But she didn't. Lexie remained where she was. Her brow furrowed and her expression showed that she was deep in thought. It's just that he didn't think that something that filled Lexie's mind was Jacob.

“He is a gatekeeper and a gardener. Why?"

"I thought Jacob was some kind of bodyguard with all black and a gun belt around his waist."

“Don't misjudge a person based on his appearance. Jacob mastered all martial techniques. He's a tough guy behind that ridiculous face."

"He's such a funny guy."

Rafe really had no idea that a teenage girl's thinking was so different from that of a grown man like him, or even a grown woman. Most women, his dates, never looked at a man the way Lexie looked at a man. All the women he met always looked at a man based on his material characteristics and how big his prospects were in the future. But Lexie wasn't like that. She judges a person based on the purity of her heart. It was the most striking characteristic of an innocent and naive woman. Yeah, she will thank Wren because Lexie is indeed the woman he is looking for and who he hopes to be the mother of his child.

“He has a stock of jokes you can listen to for three whole days. And speaking of bodyguards, don't worry."

Rafe's lips twitched into a smirk. It made Lexie, who had previously relaxed a bit, become a little wary of what would happen next.

“This place is full of burly bodyguards with gun belts around their waists. They're in there."

Lexie gulped nervously. The way Rafe spoke and nodded his head at the door of his grandiose house made her nervous. She hadn't completely forgotten her plan to escape. But if Rafe has a tough and strong henchman, she must always be on the lookout and devise a brilliant escape plan to outsmart everyone who works for Rafe.

“Therefore, don't even think about escaping from here. You won't be able to."

“About your offer, are you serious?”

"Of course. I am a reliable businessman who has been in the business world for more than twenty years. You will never lose doing business with me.”

"Then I'd like a legal agreement for our business."

Rafe grinned widely. He had to admit that Lexie wasn't just a naive crybaby, she was a smart girl full of vigilance. He probably shouldn't underestimate Lexie's intelligence and he should keep an eye on her twenty-four hours a day. What else will the mother of his child show? This woman is full of surprises, Rafe thought happily.

"Have you ever been in business before?"

“This is the first time. But I know how business is supposed to work. Profits for both parties."

"Agree. In this business you and I will be mutually beneficial. I got the baby I wanted, and you'll get the money and all the amenities you need."

“You promised me an apartment and a job after I gave birth. How do I know that you're really going to give me all of that, when you already know for sure that I'm currently carrying your baby."

"You don't have to doubt me."

Rafe reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out his black cell phone. He pressed a few numbers, then put the object to his ear before speaking to someone named Jack.

“I need a luxury apartment in Manhattan with a great view. It doesn't matter how much it costs me."

Lexie prevented her own mouth from opening. Little did she know that Rafe Wilder was the most powerful and arrogant man in NYC. He can get expensive apartments easily with just a snap of his fingers. Even now he could see a sinister smile etched on Rafe's face.

“The apartment is in the name of Lexie Harlow. My assistant will take care of the payment. And I want the apartment keys delivered to my house today. Thanks. Nice doing business with you, Jack-Jack."

While talking to someone named Jack, Rafe's eyes were only on Lexie. He stared intently at Lexie's face which was filled with nervousness. He grinned widely.

“Well, I have bought an apartment in your name. I hope you won't doubt me again, Lexie.”

“Next is a letter of agreement to seal all our deals.”

"So you're really going to run this business and agree to all the terms I put forward?"

“There seems to be no way for me not to agree to this deal. But what if this baby will never live? What if I miscarry?”

"Well, we'll talk about it in my study. Now come out. I'm sure you're more than curious to see the people who have been waiting for you behind that door."

Lexie's gaze moved from Rafe's gloomy face to the majestic white door with gold doorknob. At first glance the door resembled the door of a palace from a story book she had read when she was a child. But she was sure the door didn't hide magic, or even happiness, like the door to the palaces of the princes in the princess series she'd read. Instead, the door hid her gloomy and dark future.

Sighing heavily, Lexie stepped out of the car. Then she walked steadily towards the magnificent door that was waiting for her as if she had thrown away all the doubts that had previously hung over her shoulders.

Welcome to your new home, Lexie.