Chapter 4

"What is he doing here?" I whispered, my voice barely a sound.

My heart hammered in my chest, a frantic rhythm echoing the chaos of the situation.

"Are you okay?" Gideon asked, his brow furrowed as he held my waist, his grip tight, possessive.

I held my breath, my gaze locked on his, a grimace twisting my features. I glanced around, and my stomach twisted. Everyone's eyes were on us, their faces a mixture of curiosity and amusement.

It was like we were filming an episode of a love triangle movie. I ignored Gideon, pulling his hands away from me.

I walked towards Hoven, my mind racing. I had no idea why Gideon was here, or how long he'd been watching us.

"Are you okay?" I asked, helping Hoven to his feet. He nodded, but his face was contorted in a grimace.

I suspected Gideon had given him a good scare.

"I'm fine," Hoven said, forcing a smile. His side lip was bleeding, the color turning a sickly black. I looked back at Gideon, my gaze unwavering.

"For the past years, you haven't changed even a bit," I said, my voice laced with a hint of disdain. Gideon stood behind us, his fists clenched, his face a mask of fury. I could see the dislike in his eyes, the anger simmering beneath the surface.

But I didn't care.

"Oh, God, it's swelling," Miss Lawrence muttered, her voice laced with concern. She examined Hoven's bleeding lip. "Let's end the filming for now. We need to take care of Mister Li's bruise before it gets worse."

"It's not your fault," Hoven whispered, his voice barely audible. He looked at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of pain and gratitude. Then, he was whisked away, his presence disappearing from my sight.

Minutes ticked by, and I was left alone with a few remaining crew members.

I assumed Gideon had left, my mind still preoccupied with Hoven's swollen lip. Then, I heard it.

Heavy footsteps approaching, a sound that sent a shiver down my spine.

"Let's talk," his voice rumbled, deep and dangerous. I knew he was upset.

Everything I did that involved men seemed to trigger his possessive side. But I wasn't bound to appease him anymore. That chapter of my life was closed.

I ignored him, but before I could take a step, he grabbed my arm, forcing me to face him.

"Where are you going?" he asked, trying to suppress his anger, but the tremor in his voice betrayed him. I stared at him blankly, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Why did you do that?" I asked, my forehead creased with confusion. "Why did you punch Hoven?" Gideon was taken aback, his lips parting in surprise.

He hadn't expected those words.

"I saw you being harassed by that man," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "He deserved to be punished for touching my property, my wife. That punch was nothing."

I didn't like Hoven's sudden advances earlier. They had been uncomfortable, but what Gideon had done was even worse. How could he hit someone simply because they "deserved it"?

He was acting like he was above the law, that he could do whatever he wanted, simply because he had the power.

"Property? You think you own me?" I spat, my voice laced with anger. "You're just a ruthless person trying to dominate anyone weaker than you! You're heartless!" I yanked my arm free, my gaze locked on his.

His expression hardened, a flicker of pain crossing his features. But he didn't back down.

"You are my wife," he said, emphasizing each word, his breathing ragged. He was barely holding back his rage.

"I'm not your wife, and..." I paused, a mocking smile playing on my lips. "I'm not going to be yours even if you offer your head to me," I said, my words a dagger to his heart.

His jaw clenched, his eyes narrowed.

"You can't change the fact that you can't marry any man in this world except me," Gideon said, his voice a low growl. He tried to act as if my words hadn't affected him, but the tremor in his voice betrayed him.

"No one has the right to love you but me alone." His words pierced me, like shards of glass.

The past, the memories of our tumultuous relationship, flooded my mind. My chest constricted, a wave of panic washing over me. My legs trembled, my lips tingling with a mixture of fear and anger.

It was as if his words had unleashed a storm within me, a storm I couldn't control.

Even with fear gnawing at my insides, I met Gideon's gaze, my eyes filled with a bitter hatred.

"Stop talking about the marriage I buried four years ago," I said, my voice shaking with anger. "You killed my parents to marry me, but you can't dictate my heart. You can't force me to love you."

The words hung in the air, heavy with accusation. Pain flickered in Gideon's eyes, a fleeting vulnerability that was quickly masked by a stoic expression.

He was stunned, speechless, his gaze fixed on me. I didn't know why, but a wave of hatred, a feeling I'd been suppressing for years, surged through me, a tidal wave I couldn't hold back.

"I hate you for life," I said, my voice cold and unforgiving. Then, I turned and walked away, leaving him standing there, his face a mask of shock and disbelief.

My heart pounded in my chest, a heavy weight dragging me down. My words echoed in my ears, a sharp contrast to the quiet anger that had simmered beneath the surface for years.

"How is Hoven, Miss Lawrence?" I asked, my voice strained, as I saw her emerging from the room. She smiled, a comforting gesture that eased the tension in my chest.

"He's fine now, but the cut was deep. It might take days to recover." I nodded, my mind still reeling from the events of the past few minutes.

"I thought you were single," she said, her voice laced with curiosity. "Your manager, Leith, said so. I never imagined you had a husband like that."

"He's not my husband, Miss Lawrence," I said, my voice a whisper.

"Whatever it is, be careful," Miss Lawrence said, her voice laced with concern. Then, she turned and walked away, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I let out a frustrated sigh, my gaze sweeping the room.

Gideon was gone, but his men were still there, their eyes following my every move.

I shrugged, feeling a wave of helplessness wash over me. I walked into the room, my heart pounding in my chest.

Hoven stood before the mirror, his back to me, his gaze fixed on his wounded lip.

"Oh," he said, turning to face me, his smile a bit strained.

"Hi..." I didn't know how to start a conversation with him. I wasn't good at initiating communication, but I felt responsible for what had happened.

Gideon was connected to my life, and his actions had put Hoven in danger.

"I'm sorry," I said, my voice a whisper. His eyes widened in surprise. "I ruined the filming, and I put you in that state." I met his gaze, my words sincere.

Hoven stared at me, his expression a mixture of disbelief and confusion. He laughed, a harsh, humorless sound, but then he groaned, his hand flying to his lip. He must have forgotten about the cut.

"It's not your fault," I said, my voice firm. "It was your husband." I averted my gaze, unable to meet his eyes.

"He's not my husband," I said, my voice barely a whisper.

"I know," Hoven said, a sigh escaping his lips. "But at least, I deserve that punch. I acted rude earlier. Honestly, I took advantage of my role just to hold you."

He smiled, a genuine, almost apologetic smile, his eyes filled with a warmth that surprised me.

"What?" I asked, my brow furrowed in confusion. He shrugged.

"It is what it is," he said, his smile returning. "Anyways, don't feel responsible for what happened. It wasn't your fault. I love the thought that you're worrying about me, but it's just a small cut."

"Miss Lawrence said it was too deep and would take days to recover," I said, my voice laced with concern.

"As I said, you don't need to feel guilty," Hoven said, his gaze lingering on me. "I should be the one worrying about you." My forehead wrinkled, my mind struggling to process his words.

I rarely talked to anyone for extended periods, except for the CEO and my manager. But Hoven was perplexing me, his words, his actions, they were all unexpected.

"For what reason?" I asked, my voice a mere whisper. Hoven held my gaze, his eyes intense, his expression unreadable.

I felt a strange pull towards him, a sense that he was about to tell me something important, something that would change everything.

"Be careful with that man," Hoven said, his voice a low murmur.

"He's not just an ordinary person. He can destroy everything, especially you."

"What are you talking about? Do you know him?" I asked, my brow furrowed. He wasn't wrong. I knew how dangerous Gideon was.

But I couldn't give Hoven a valid reason for his suspicions, not without revealing too much. Punching someone could happen anytime, after all.

And the way he said those words, it wasn't just worry, it was a warning.

Hoven broke eye contact, clearing his throat.

"No, I don't know him," he said, his gaze avoiding mine. "I just think he's dangerous because of how he punched me, almost killing me."

I raised my eyebrow, sensing his discomfort.

I smiled wryly.

"I also need to be careful when I'm around you," I said, meeting his gaze. "Devils are often built in ways we don't expect, right?"

Silence descended upon us, our eyes locked in a silent conversation. After a moment, Hoven smiled, his usual playful demeanor returning.

"That's a good idea," he said. "Never let your guard down. Traps can be anywhere."