《Lust Contracts 18+ Hunting for Love with My Three Contract Husbands》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1: Chaos **Roughly 3 Months Ago** ¡°To this address please. Please drive as fast as you can...¡± I said hurriedly as I handed my business card that had my address on it to the taxi driver. It¡¯s been years since I¡¯vest ridden in a taxi. Being a rich socialite like I was, taking the taxi is just out of the question. However, today was different. Everything in my life was changing and I knew it. My body ached fromst night and I felt extremely ufortable. The fact that the taxi driver kept ncing over at me from the rearview mirror, didn¡¯t help to improve my unstable mood. I reached my hand into my limited-edition brand handbag and fished out the shameful papers that that man dared to rub in my facest night. My eyes narrowed in anger at the divorce papers that I held in my hands. How dare he sign these divorce papers and then sell me off to another man like that?! It wasn¡¯t like I didn¡¯t want to divorce from my husband. Marrying him was the worst mistake that I have made in my short life of 25 years. After trying hard to make our rtionship sessful for the first six months of our marriage, I hadpletely given up. After that, I have always wanted a divorce so that we could go our separate ways. However, life was alwaysplicated, and things didn¡¯t quite work out that way. Now after almost two years of marriage and me sucking it up for the sake of maintaining appearances, that bastard dare to divorce me and then sell me? What a joke... I¡¯m going to go and give him a piece of my mind before we go our separate ways. I pray that I will never have to see his sorry face ever again in my life. My chest felt tight, and I was breathing hard now in my extreme anger. It took all my self-control to stop myself from crumpling and tearing the divorce papers into a million pieces. ..... Of course, I wouldn¡¯t do that. That bastard finally signed these papers so now I can go ahead and process our divorce. Best moment of my life in such a long time. My husband was loaded and that was probably the only reason why my adoptive parents arranged for me to marry him in the first ce. He was into real estate and heads many hedge funds on top of that. He is famous for his wealth, luxurious lifestyle, and his business achievements. Basically, well known as one of the investment kings. After going on a date with him three times and sleeping with him once, he proposed to me, and I married him the month after to the shock and dismay of many other single and avable women that were undoubtedly on his list. I smirked with satisfaction. Now that he¡¯s willing to settle this with a divorce, I¡¯m going to walk away rich from this sorry mess. No longer will I have to deal with him and his violent temper. Of course, I¡¯m not dreaming of gaining control of half of his wealth or anything that significant. Just getting a slim cut of that would already be more than enough for me to live a luxurious life somewhere on a private ind for the rest of my life. I guess I could float around in the socialite circle as a rich and beautiful divorcee as well. Perhaps, I should get into charity and build a sophisticated image for myself in the world. The taxi screeched to a stop in front of a skyscraper housing one of the most expensive condominiums in the city center. ¡°Why are you parking here? Park right in front of the entrance so I don¡¯t have to walk...¡± I said before giving the driver a cold stare. ¡°Miss, there¡¯s a huge crowd and many cars are blocking the way in front of the building. I can¡¯t go on from here. You have to get our here, I¡¯m sorry...¡± the driver replied in a shaky voice. I sighed as I tried to tell myself not to take my devilish bad mood on the poor man. He¡¯s just a taxi driver... Breathe, Elena, breathe... I paid the driver with a thick wad of cash before getting out of the car without waiting for the change. My legs wobbled a little from exhaustion as I walked along towards the entrance of the building in my patent red high heel shoes. The driver was right, there was a huge crowd of people and cars in front of the building. I could tell from their smell that they were reporters. However, it was the police cars and ambnce with the sirens on top that caught my attention. Did something happen in the building? An ident? Did someone get hurt? What is the building management doing? Why did they let things get so out of hand to affect the lives of the other residents like this? When I¡¯m done dealing with my soon-to-be ex-husband, I¡¯m going to deal with them next. ¡°Excuse me...I live here...¡± I said as I stared down my beautiful and perfect nose at the reporters who were standing in my way. ¡°Oh My God! It¡¯s Elena!¡± ¡°Everyone this way! She¡¯s here!¡± ¡°Elena, please look this way!¡± Reporters and paparazzi. This is nothing new. They¡¯re always so excited to see me. I put a hand to shield my face a little from the camera to add a much-desired hint of mystique. In reality, I was shielding my face because my makeup was unfortunately imperfect right now. I was in a rush and considering my shock of what happenedst night, I just didn¡¯t bother to touch up my make-up before leaving that ce. ¡°Yes, of course it¡¯s me. Who else could it be?¡± I said teasingly. ¡°Please answer our questions!¡± ¡°What happened to your husband?¡± ¡°We heard that he¡¯s injured?¡± ¡°Why are you not home with him? Have you met him?¡± ¡°Elena, please exin to us what is going on!¡± ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 2 Chapter 2: Sudden Departure What is going on? Why are they mentioning my husband like there¡¯s something wrong with him? Did something happen to him? I looked around in panic. This wasn¡¯t the time to feel giddy about receiving public attention. Where are the security guards? ¡°Security!!!¡± I shouted loudly demanding for security toe and guard me. These reporters are getting more aggressive as they surrounded me. For a moment, it felt like they were going to swallow me up like a tsunami wave crashing onto the shore. This is insane. A few security guards wereing my way now along with them were a few men dressed in police uniform. The police is here? Why are they here? I had nothing but questions in my mind and none of them were getting answered. Soon, the guards were in front of me and helping to push the reporters and the paparazzies back. At the same time the policemen approached me and that was when I knew that something serious must have happened. The policemen had very sterned and grim looks on their faces. ¡°Mrs. Westford?¡± a police officer said questioningly. ¡°Yes. How can I help you?¡± I asked innocently. ..... ¡°We¡¯ll escort you up to your room and we¡¯ll have a talk there,¡± one of the policemen replied sternly as his eyes darted to the reporters around us. Right, it¡¯s not suitable to discuss things here in front of the press. He was right, we should head up to my ce. The policemen motioned for me to go ahead of him, and I nodded politely to him before walking gracefully ahead. The guards kept the crowd parted to create a path for me to walk to the entrance of the building. The policemen followed after me and we took the private elevator up to the penthouse of the building together. My husband and I lived in the penthouse suite of the building together since we got married around two years ago. I nced down at my mobile phone and saw that there was no call nor message from my husband. With all this ruckus going on, I wondered why he didn¡¯t let me know in advance. I could have avoided that whole mess down there if he had just let me know. I sighed loudly before rolling my eyes upwards. What did I expect? Our rtionship had been as good as dead for a long time now. ¡°Is my husband home? Have you met him?¡± I asked. ¡°Let¡¯s talk when we¡¯re inside, Mrs. Westford¡± the police replied softly. ¡°Ok...¡± I said with a smile. Once the elevator opened, I led the policemen to the front door of my home. To my utmost surprise, the front door was already open wide and there were many people dressed head to toe in those white astronaut suits that you saw on detective and crime movies at the crime scene. Wait...the crime scene?! ¡°What is going on?!¡± I demanded in a panic as I turned around to face the policemen. ¡°Calm down, Mrs. Westford. I¡¯m sorry that I have to break it to you like this, but we do have many questions to ask you. Mr. Westford, your husband, has passed away,¡± the police informed me in a regrettable tone. ¡°He...what?¡± I said in pure disbelief. ¡°Your husbandmitted suicide, Madame. Sadly, he has passed away...¡± the police officer said before his lips tightened into a thin line. Suddenly, my head was spinning, and I felt extremely sick. I ced a hand over my mouth, and I felt like I was going to throw up on my empty stomach. ¡°That¡¯s not...possible...¡± I managed to say as I struggled to breathe. Seeing that it was hard for me to remain on my feet, the police led me to a chair before they waited for me topose myself. Once they deemed that I seemed calm enough to talk, the police officers began asking me questions about George. By that time, my mind was in so much shock that it had begun blocking out my own emotions. I replied to the police¡¯s questions monotonously as I prayed that everything would be over soon. ¡°Thank you, Madame. That will be it for today. We¡¯ll contact you if we require your assistance,¡± the police said with a satisfied nod. ¡°What will happen next?¡± I asked in a shaky voice. ¡°This case appears like suicide but because it is also a very high-profile case, we will conduct some investigations to ensure that it really was suicide,¡± the police replied evenly. ¡°I see...¡± I whispered. ¡°Until then, I suggest that you calm down and try to rest,¡± the police suggested. ¡°...thank you,¡± I replied softly. The policemen thanked me before they took their leave. The other officers were still working to secure the scene. Honestly, I couldn¡¯t bear to be in there any longer. Since the whole apartment was sealed off now, I couldn¡¯t get any clothes or anything else that I needed. It wasn¡¯t like I was in the mood to do anything. My head hurts and my body felt numb from shock. My lips quivered as I headed on shaky legs out of the penthouse suite. Where should I go now? Does ourwyer know about this yet? So many things were going through my head, and it felt like my head was about to explode into million pieces. Since I couldn¡¯t sleep in the penthouse anymore and not that I had the courage to. I mean, George just took his own life in there. I didn¡¯t see any signs of thising. He¡¯s supposed to be one of the happiness men on earth. He has it all: Fame, money, a beautiful wife...yes, that was me. What more could he possibly want? Is this even really happening? Unable to believe any of this, I raised my hand up and pped my own cheek. Shit! That hurt like crazy! Without a better option, I decided to return back to my parents¡¯ house to stay there for the night. It has been a while since I¡¯ve visited them, but they are undoubtedly doing well. Of course they are, given the amount of money that George pays them on a monthly basis just so he could keep me as his wife. I sighed loudly as I wondered what is going to happen to my life now that he is gone. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 3 Chapter 3: Money Obsession ¡°Liam, where are you?¡± I spoke through the phone. ¡°Madame. I¡¯m on standby downstairs with the car. I figured...that you¡¯ll be going somewhere...¡± Liam said politely but I could hear the remorse in his voice. I hired Liam as my private driver not long after I married my husband. At first, I hesitated because I liked driving myself around and enjoying my privacy in the car. However, George had insisted that it would reflect poorly on us if I didn¡¯t have a driver to escort me to ces, especially if I was heading to a public event with the press around. Liam¡¯s absolute sense of responsibility made him one of the best decisions that I have ever made in my marriage with George where everything else sort of went wrong. ¡°Thank you, Liam...I don¡¯t know how to thank you enough,¡± I said as I felt tears creeping into my eyes. I¡¯m about to start crying again. Honestly, I hated crying in front of strangers, but I couldn¡¯t hold it in in front of the policemen earlier either. George¡¯s sudden departure was too much of a shock and sadness for me to bear. I took the private elevator down to the lobby where I knew that Liam would be waiting for me in the car. I felt slightly better when I entered the car. Liam didn¡¯t say anything to me, and I preferred it that way. Thankfully, the ride to my parent¡¯s house passed by in peaceful silence after I had told him where I wanted to go. Liam was being extra considerate to me. I wondered how he felt about what happened to George. Actually, I wasn¡¯t sure if Liam knew the whole story yet, but he was kind enough no to ask. ¡°Thank you, Liam. You can go back now. I¡¯ll call you tomorrow if I need you to be here,¡± I said before smiling sadly at him. ..... ¡°I¡¯ll be on standby, Madame. Please don¡¯t hesitate to call me whenever you need me,¡± Liam replied before he nodded at me. I watched as he drove off before I turned to face the door of my parent¡¯s house. With arge sigh, I lifted my hand up and rang the doorbell. It was funny how I¡¯m ringing the bell to a ce that used to be my own house. Well, it was just a house...it was never a home... ... One of the maids was the one who answered the door. She greeted me politely before leading me into the living room where my parents were waiting. From the concerned and slightly panicked look on their faces, I surmised that they must have heard something about George already. That wasn¡¯t surprising, considering the number of reporters that were there at the building. ¡°Elena, you have to tell us what happened,¡± my mother demanded to know the moment that I sat down on the sofa opposite from them. ¡°Is it true that George passed away?¡± my father asked. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true...¡± I replied matter-of-factly. They were bound to find out about it sooner orter but for now, I had decided that I didn¡¯t want to tell them that it was suicide. The police said that they would investigate further as well. However, the main reason that I didn¡¯t want to tell them was... ¡°I know you¡¯re still sad about what just happened but...any ideas how much you¡¯ll get?¡± my mother asked without mincing her words. ¡°...What?¡± I said, stunned at ridiculous question. ¡°You know...how much will you inherit from him? You¡¯re his wife so after he passes away, you¡¯ll be the one who gets it all...¡± my mother said dreamily as her eyes opened wide. ¡°No worries about that, dearest. I¡¯m sure hiswyer will get it all sorted and tallied up soon. He¡¯ll let Elena here know soon, I bet,¡± my father said beforeughing softly. I looked at the two despicable people sitting opposite me on the sofa as they smiled andughed at the news that my husband and their son-inw had just passed away. All they were concerned about was how much money I would get out of it because that would mean that they would have a share in it. The scene of themughing gleefully that I saw through my tears truly angered me. For the life of me, I don¡¯t remember thest time that I was this angry. This made the anger that I feltst night disappearpletely from my mind. Unfortunately, this man and this woman are my adoptive parents, and they are the most money-obsessed people that I know. It wasn¡¯t like they weren¡¯t well off to start with and that just made their money obsession a bigger mystery for me. ... *** 15 Years Ago*** Burnt rubbles were the only thing left to act as a reminder of the small two-story building that used to house orphans. The fire that consumed the entire building around a week agopletely damaged the old building. What was left of the small and old orphanage was a very small building that happened to survive the fire because it was set to the side and a distance away from the other building. The worn-out sign with faded color read ¡®Lucky Clover Home for Children¡¯. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry about the mess here and there. As you know, there was a fire here recently and the entire main building burnt down. We¡¯ve moved all the children to the smaller building on the side for now so it¡¯s a little cramped in there. Sorry for the inconvenience,¡± the head of the orphanage said humbly. Miss Gwen was approaching sixty and it showed in her appearance from her silver-grey hair to the lines on her face. She had been with the orphanage since she was in her twenties and have moved up the uplicated ranks from being a caretaker to the head of the small establishment. Just like the other orphanages around the area, the one that she managed was in constant financial crisis. The support from the government had been decreasing over the years and donations were rare toe by. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 4 Chapter 4: Adoption She looked at the couple that was here today and prayed silently that they would choose to adopt one of the kids and provide the child with a good home. The couple had contacted her for a while now saying that they were interested in adopting a girl to help them get over the recent loss of their own daughter. The couple were immactely dressed in fine clothing that were notmonly seen in this small town. It was clear that they were wealthy and came from the city. The man in the suit had a serious expression on his face while his wife seemed kind and responsible. ¡°No worries at all. Now, about the girl that I was inquiring about over the phone...¡± the woman said before smiling politely. ¡°Oh, yes. Please follow me this way. I will take you to her,¡± Miss Gwen quickly said before gesturing for the couple to follow her. She led them to the smaller building that had survived the fire before leading them inside. The building was small and very crampedpared to the number of children that it currently housed. The decoration was sparse and only basic furnishing were avable. Since the fire destroyed everything in the main building, there were not enough beds and the children had to share. Miss Gwen was well prepared for the visit. She had asked the caretakers to shower and dress the girl up so that at least she looked presentable. It was clear that for the orphanage to survive, they had to get as many kips adopted as soon as possible to free up space and lower the financial burden. ¡°Is that her?¡± the man said as his eyes fell on a small and thin girl dressed in a flowery pink dress. ..... ¡°Yes. Isn¡¯t she lovely?¡± Miss Gwen said before smiling proudly at the couple. Internally, she prayed that they liked what they were seeing. She prayed that the little girl would get adopted so that she would live a good life in the city with her new and wealthy parents. ¡°Come over here dear,¡± Miss Gwen called out to the girl. The girl turned around and came as she was beckoned. The woman bent down a little to examine the girl¡¯s face. The man watched his wife silently while Miss Gwen held her breath and prayed for the best. The woman reached out a hand and held the girl¡¯s chin in between her fingers before tipping her face upwards and then turning it to the left and then to the right. Her eyes narrowed as she scanned the girl¡¯s face, taking in her features. ¡°She has very fine skin. Beautiful hair. Nice round eyes with longshes and a cute little mouth. Girl, show me your hands,¡± the woman ordered. Shyly, the girl slowly lifted her hands and ced them in the open palms of the woman¡¯s hand. The woman inspected the girl¡¯s hands and fingers before nodding. ¡°Her nails shape is pretty, and her fingers are not crooked. She should be fine...¡± the woman said as she turned around to report to her husband. The girl eyes darted between the man and woman that she had seen today for the first time. She wasn¡¯t scared but she felt slightly intimidated. The girl wasn¡¯t curious or confused because she knew exactly what these two people were here for. She knew that they were looking to adopt a child and perhaps today she would be adopted. These two may be her new parents. ¡°Does she know how to read and write?¡± the man asked. ¡°Yes, she does. We make sure to educate the children here,¡± Miss Gwen answered reassuringly. ¡°I leave it up to you to decide if she¡¯s good enough...¡± the man said to his wife. ¡°Can we get her to say a few words? I want to hear her voice,¡± the woman said. ¡°Of course. Samantha dear, why don¡¯t you introduce yourself?¡± Miss Gwen said with an encouraging smile. ¡°Hello. My name is Samantha. I¡¯m 10 years old. Nice to meet you,¡± the girl said in her wlessly sweet voice. ¡°Great. From now on your name is Elena Townswell, my dear,¡± the woman said before smiling down at the girl. ¡°Onest question, just to confirm again, this girl doesn¡¯t have any living family members, is that correct?¡± the man asked his tone serious. ¡°Yes, Sir. Her parents passed away already, and they do not have any living rtives,¡± Miss Gwen replied truthfully. ¡°I guess it¡¯s done then,¡± the man said as if he had just closed a sessful business deal. Miss Gwen led the couple back to their car as she exined to them the next steps for the adoption along the way. Some documents needed to be sorted out for the formal adoption to go through. ¡°You can pick her up in a few days or whenever it is convenient for you,¡± Miss Gwen said before smiling warmly at the couple. ¡°We¡¯ll pick her up in two days. Please get her ready,¡± the woman replied as she got into the car. ¡°Of course. Thank you so much for adopting one of ours,¡± Miss Gwen said. The couple did not reply before driving off. Miss Gwen sighed in relief. At least one girl had been adopted and that meant one less mouth to feed. She headed back into the building where another caretaker was waiting for her. ¡°We¡¯re so lucky that the girl didn¡¯t suffer any visible injuries during the fire...¡± the caretaker said. ¡°Yes. They only checked her face and hands so thankfully they didn¡¯t see the wound on her back. It¡¯s nothing big or scary but some people can be so picky you know...¡± Miss Gwen said before rolling her eyes upwards. ¡°Let¡¯s hope they don¡¯t make a fuss when they find out about itter. I hope the wound doesn¡¯t leave a scar though...¡± the other woman replied. ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate that the boy that saved her is still unconscious,¡± Miss Gwen said before biting her lower lip. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s true. I wished they had a chance to say goodbye to each other. After she gets adopted, they probably won¡¯t ever get to see each other again,¡± the other woman replied sadly. ¡°That¡¯s just how things are. Hopefully he will get better soon. He¡¯s been in the hospital for around a week already...¡± Miss Gwen said before a frown creased her brows. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 5 Chapter 5: A New Life A few dayster, the couple that came to see me in the orphanage returned and I was taken back along with them. I didn¡¯t have any belongings and I left the orphanage with pretty much all that I had on. While in the back seat of their car, I looked through the back window at the orphanage as the car was driving away. Somehow, I had a feeling that I would never ever return to this ce. Generally, I was over the moon happy, I was able to leave without any regrets except for one: I didn¡¯t get to say good bye to the older guy that saved me from the fire. Goodbye big brother...we probably won¡¯t ever see each other again... When I thought that a single drop of tear rolled down my cheek and I secretly wiped it away so that the couple wouldn¡¯t see me crying. Honestly, after that day I was too busy adapting and living my new life that the thought of that big brother never crossed my mind again for a very long while. He became part of the old life that I had to leave behind. The ride to my new home was a very long one and somewhere along the journey I fell asleep in the car. When I woke up, we had already arrived. I remembered the shock that I felt at the size and beauty of the house that I would call home. The woman opened the door for me and gestured with her hand for me to get out of the car. ¡°Someonee here! Take his girl and shower her properly. Make sure she is clean and well-dressed before dinner,¡± the woman who was now supposed to be my new mother said. Without saying anything to me the two of them left me standing there and entered the house. Soon enough a middle-aged woman dressed in a ck maid uniform came and took me by the hand. She took me inside the house and directly to a veryrge bathroom where she bathed and cleaned me. I was amazed at the size of the house and its wonderful decoration. My real mother used to work in a house like this, but it was much bigger and much more sparkly. I¡¯ve been there with her many times before when she worked, and I had time off from school. This house in front of me was pretty but smaller than that one and less majestic. However, it was still a nice house and much better than the orphanage. I wondered if I would have my own bed. I never dreamt that I would get to live in a house like this. After the bath, the maid dressed me in a pretty and very soft light pink dress before clipping on a matching bow into my hair. She showed me to a mirror where I could see my own reflection from head to toe. I couldn¡¯t help smiling a little at my own reflection. The dress made me look and feel like a little princess. ..... The maid led me down to the dining room where arge table was set, and my new parents were waiting for me in their seat. The woman took me to my seat and helped me sit down. The food in front of me looked extremely tasty and smelled appetizing. It made my mouth water and I suddenly felt very hungry. ¡°We are all here so we can start eating,¡± mother said. ¡°Thank you...¡± I said softly. When I began eating, I could feel her eyes on me while my father didn¡¯t pay me much attention. She observed me all throughout the meal until I was done eating. No one said anything while we ate. It was when the maids had cleared the dishes away that my mother started to speak. ¡°We have to work on your table manners along with everything else but that¡¯s ok. You have a pretty face and if nothing else that can be your saving grace,¡± mother said. I didn¡¯t know what to think about what she said. Honestly, I felt confused, but she did say that I had a pretty face, so I guess all was well and good. Whatever she said next, I just nodded my head. ¡°If you understand what I¡¯m saying, I want you to say ¡®yes, mother¡¯,¡± she said. ¡°Yes, mother,¡± I replied obediently. I didn¡¯t care back then if what she told me was right or wrong. It also didn¡¯t matter if I liked it or not. What mattered was that my new parents were satisfied so that they wouldn¡¯t send me back to the orphanage. I heard before that children who were adopted and sent back would never be adopted ever again. Honestly, I was scared. ¡°From now on you will live as our daughter. I had a daughter who unfortunately passed away recently. You will take her name and live a life that would make us proud. Your name is now Elena Townswell,¡± she said as her eyes watched me intently. ¡°Yes, mother,¡± I said. The years went by, and I grew up. My parents invested a lot of money into me by sending me to the best schools and the best sses. I learnt everything that was necessary to hold my ce in high society from dancing, singing, ying the piano, cooking on top of regr school courses. At the age of sixteen, I sessfully entered a highlypetitive school for girls. Basically, it was a school famous for educating and grooming youngdies to be the perfect wives to their future perfect and rich husbands. It was a little before that time that I had figured out that the ultimate goal of my parents was to marry me off to a very wealthy man all for our own benefit. Everyone in the school all talked about their dreams of marrying their dream husband. Their dream husband coincidentally all had the same characteristics. He had to be rich, famous, and if possible, handsome. For the first time, I understood what this beautiful face and figure of mine was made for. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 6 Chapter 6: Superficial Perfection ¡°Having a nice figure and a beautiful face sure is nice. I wished my eyes were as pretty as yours and myshes as long...¡± one of my friends said before she sighed. ¡°That¡¯s right and your waist is so slim all the time no matter how much you eat. How do you manage to control your weight?¡± another girl asked curiously as they both stared at me from across the tea table. Having afternoon tea with the girls was part of how we spent our school time in the afternoon. It was to ensure that we knew how to properly socialize and practice our manners at the same time. By this time, I was so used to receiving thesepliments on my looks that it no longer surprised me or made me feel happy about it. Despite how people tend topliment me on my looks, I never once felt proud of these traits that I was born with. I didn¡¯t put any effort in making sure that my eyes were round and wide or for myshes to be long. I was simply born like this and coincidentally how I looked happened to match with society¡¯s perception of beauty. In other words, I was born lucky...or so I had thought. Exactly because I didn¡¯t do anything, I didn¡¯t feel like I had achieved anything at all in my life so far. ¡°You should eat healthy food and fruits. Cutting down on cream and scones might be a good start for a slim waist, don¡¯t you think?¡± I replied teasingly before smiling warmly at them. ¡°Piano ss is so boring. I prefer cooking so much better,¡± one of the girls said. ¡°If you can y a couple of pieces, that will be good enough to pass...¡± I said truthfully. ..... The thing that I had figured out about these sses was that they weren¡¯t designed to teach us to master any real skill. Rather, they were designed to quickly teach us just enough to impress our future husband and his family. For instance, you could pass the piano ss if you can y a few ssical showcase pieces that would make you look good if you performed them at a family gathering of sorts. Essentially, practicing those few pieces until you learnt it by muscle memory was good enough for you to graduate from the course. There were cases of girls passing the course even though they couldn¡¯t really read the notes on the score paper. The same applied to the other sses as well. For instance, you could pass cooking if you could cook all the menu on a particr course from starters, main, and dessert. If you practiced cooking those repeated menus enough, anyone could pass. That didn¡¯t mean that you could cook anything else off the menu or that you understood anything about the basics of cooking. All in all, I quickly came to realize how superficial everything that we were learning was. That realization led me to realize that whatever life was waiting for us after graduation and our marriage to our ideal husband would also be fake and superficial at best. I spent the final year of my high school faking every single smile andugh. Since I had figured out that everything was meaningless, I lived my life in a meaningless way as well. Unsurprisingly, the concept of love wasn¡¯t something that was taught or ever talked about on the school grounds. I figured out a whileter that love was a dangerous concept that would threaten the very foundation that the school and the parents have worked so hard to jointly create. That¡¯s right, love could make you rebellious and could lead you astray. Love could be misced and make matching us girls with our potential husband more difficult. Therefore, love was not necessary and not spoken of or encouraged. I woulde to learn about love, lost, and betrayalter on when I entered university. ... So far, I have ded my life to ying the role of the perfect daughter that my adoptive parents wanted. I had to admit that having no one left in my life apart from them, made me that much more desperate to please them. I fought very hard on a daily basis for their acknowledgement. The small nod that my father would give me when I showed him some honorary award that I had won from school used to be the highlight of my life. Whenever my mother¡¯s friends woulde over and they wouldpliment me in front of her for my beautiful looks and my perfect mannerism, my mother would smile proudly. She was happy to show me off in front of her friends. Although that made me feel slightly ufortable, I was fine with it as long as it made her happy. The undeniable fact was that I didn¡¯t know where I would be and what harsh life I would be living today if these two people did not adopt me that day. However, there were some things, although very few, that I refused to give up on. One of that had to do with the scar on my back that had refused to disappear from my younger days. No matter what, I didn¡¯t feelfortable getting itpletely erased. ¡°When are you going to get that hideous scarsered off? You keep putting it off!¡± my mother nagged in a loud voice. In my own defense, the scar wasn¡¯t anywhere near ¡®hideous¡¯. Over the years the scar had naturally faded into nothing more than a patch that was slightly lighter in color than my skin tone. Furthermore, the scar was located where the back of my bra would usually cover some of it anyways. So, unless, I was seenpletely naked, it was very unlikely that anyone would ever see it. ¡°It¡¯s gotten better already. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s necessary to undergo any procedures,¡± I replied meekly. ¡°That¡¯s not good enough. What are you going to do if your future suitors mind? They¡¯ll turn you down because of this scar on your back!¡± my mother spat as she glowered at me. ¡°I don¡¯t want topletely remove it...please...¡± I pleaded softly. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 7 Chapter 7: Holding on to the Past ¡°If you want a perfect husband, you have to start by being a perfect bride! Listen to me!¡± my mother started shouting. I knew that the reason why I was hanging on to this scar didn¡¯t make any sense at all, but I just couldn¡¯t bring myself to erase it. ¡°I have a headache. I¡¯m going to sleep now; I have a test tomorrow...¡± I mumbled before turning away. ¡°You can¡¯t avoid this forever! Elena!¡± my mother shouted after me. I ran up the stairs as quickly as I could and headed for the sanctuary of my own bedroom. Closing the door behind me and locking it firmly so that I could hide away from my mother. Her shouting seemed far away now. Running away was the option that I always chose so that I wouldn¡¯t have to fight with her directly. She¡¯ll get busy with other things, and she¡¯ll forget about this scar on my back. After entering the bathroom, I started stripping in front of the mirror. Turning my back towards the mirror and ncing over my shoulder, I could see the thin patch of scar on my back from the reflection in the mirror. True, it wasn¡¯t hideously ugly, but it was still a scar. I got this scar from the fire that burnt down the entire orphanage building. Honestly, I remembered very little about the events of that day. Whenever I tried to recall what had happened, I would get an unbearable headache. Ultimately, I stopped trying to recall it all together. After all, there was absolutely no good reason to recall what had happened in the past without a way to go back to fix it. Although, I didn¡¯t remember anything much about that day, I remembered that an older guy saved me from the fire and because of that he was hospitalized after the incident. Apart from the burn on my back and other small cuts here and there, I had no other noteworthy injuries. That was probably because of him shielding me from the fire. Whenever, I looked at or ran my fingertips on the scar, I would be reminded of him. ..... It¡¯s ironic but this scar is the only thing that I had left to remind me of my previous life at the orphanage and the only thing that I had to remember my savior by. The truth was that I didn¡¯t even remember his name or his face clearly anymore. As the years went by, I remembered less and less about him until I forgot about him almostpletely. What did he look like? What did his voice sound like? How gentle was his touch when he held my hand? I couldn¡¯t recall anything... It made me wonder if I erased this scar, would I lose all connections that I had to my past and to him? It scared me for reasons that I couldn¡¯t quite understand myself. After being adopted, I never went back to the orphanage again because I knew that I wasn¡¯t allowed to even without asking. To my parents, the fact that I was adopted was something shameful. ¡°Don¡¯t ever let anyone find out that you were adopted. They¡¯ll look down on you,¡± my mother warned sternly. ¡°Yes, mother,¡± I replied obediently. ¡°I¡¯ve erased all records about your time before and at the orphanage. No one will ever find out unless you let it leak from your mouth. Never tell this to anyone, are we clear?¡± my father said with a serious look on his face. I found him very intimidating when I was younger. He was taciturn and he always spoke sternly and in a low voice. Even mother was secretly scared of him and lived her life by his every word. ¡°Yes, father,¡± I replied with a slight nod of my head. Whether it was because of my father¡¯s influence or not, I wasn¡¯t sure, but no one ever asked me about my background. No one suspected that I was adopted and even if they did, no one ever voiced it by asking me. It was like I grew up and filled my new identity of being their precious daughter perfectly. ... I graduated from high school with almost perfect grades and at the top of my ss. My parents were proud of that fact and didn¡¯t waste time to publicize it to their friends and business partners. Soon enough, various men started turning up to our house to have dinner with my parents. Whenever these men came, I would be invited to have dinner along with them. All the men were older and visibly extremely wealthy and famous. To wee them, I would be dressed up perfectly. My mother became extra strict about my appearance and how I behaved myself in front of these men. ¡°Back straight and make sure that you speak in a sweet and respectful tone. Never wear the same set of clothes in front these men. For tonight¡¯s dinner, you will y the piano to entertain our guest. I know you can do this. I¡¯m leaving it all in your hands, Elena,¡± my mother said happily as shebed my long hair. ¡°Yes, mother,¡± I replied with the exact words that she expected to hear. If I recalled correctly, I was 16 when the first man came to have dinner at our home. From then on, more of them came for casual visits. By the time that I turned 18, various men of this nature would turn up for dinner at our house almost every single day without break. It wasn¡¯t a secret or a mystery to me why these men came to visit. After all, we were taught at school about this matchmaking procedure. Of course, until I reached the age of 18, none of the men would seriously consider me for their wife. That didn¡¯t stop them from dropping by to see me in person to keep me on their list of potential wives for the future though. ¡°What do you think of Mr. Whitley? He¡¯s very famous and rich. He¡¯s from a long line of aristocrats and his family business has done well for generations,¡± my mother asked as she smiled at me. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 8 Chapter 8: The Richer the Better ¡°He is a nice person,¡± I replied tly. They were all nice. They were nice to me just like I had to be nice to them. Superficially nice. Just like I never showed my true self to them, I suspected that none of them ever showed their true self to me. I wasn¡¯t sure how my parents expected me to consider marriage to any of these men when we both didn¡¯t know anything about the other. Of course, I kept all these thoughts locked away in my own mind without ever voicing them. Getting married right away after graduating from high school wasn¡¯t what I wanted. Although the other girls in my ss viewed it as the highest form of achievement to get engaged right after graduation, I had other ns for myself. I had been thinking about this for a while now and after almost a year of thinking, I have finally found a way to convince my parents to send me to university. Unlike the popr majors that other girls were aiming for such as the arts or design, I wanted to study business. It was still a faraway dream, but I had hoped that one day I could start a small business of my own. I felt like I had a genuine interest in business and that if I worked hard at it, I could achieve something for myself through my efforts. Selling that story to my parents wasn¡¯t going to work though. ¡°My friends got engaged recently and her suitors honestly weren¡¯t that great. Her fianc¨¦ isn¡¯t even that rich or famous. He¡¯s also much older and I don¡¯t think that he¡¯s taking her seriously,¡± I startedining to my mother. Little by little, I wouldin to her about the guys that my friends were seeing and their fianc¨¦s. Most of my stories were true while some I admittingly spiced it up a bit to get my mother¡¯s attention. Unfortunately, unlike my friends, I did not enjoy the attention that I was getting from my suitors. ..... Thankfully, all the men were respectful in their approaches; however, I wasn¡¯t interested in forming any type of rtionship with them. ¡°Really? Why is that? Your friends are from your school, right?¡± my mother asked with concern. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe it¡¯s just too soon for them to get engaged. Won¡¯t they meet better guys if they went to university?¡± I asked while trying to slowly get my point across. To my surprise, father walked in suddenly at that moment and sat down on the sofa as if he wanted to join in in our conversation. My eyes widened a little at his unusual behavior. My mother had the same reaction as me because it wasn¡¯t often that he would join us. ¡°I think Elena should go to university before we find her a suitable husband,¡± my father stated emotionlessly. It was like light was shining down on me from the heavens above after he had spoken. Finally, he¡¯s seeing things the way that I saw it. ¡°Why? That would just dy her wedding...¡± my mother asked in confusion. That¡¯s the main point, exactly. I didn¡¯t want to get married so soon... ¡°Elena will get a more qualified husband if he graduates from a top university. She¡¯ll likely meet some other potential marriage candidates during her time at university as well,¡± my father replied. Right. That was exactly the story that I wanted to sell. The only reason they would send me to university is if they believed that I would be able to get a richer husband that way. Whatever works... ¡°Exactly. I also think that that would be the case...¡± I quickly agreed. My mother still looked unconvinced, but I knew that she wouldn¡¯t say anything to directly counter father and his ideas. Everything was up to my father to decide, and I prayed that this time he would side with me. Just this once...please! ¡°It¡¯s up to you though. If you can¡¯t get into a good university then you¡¯ll get married to whoever I deem suitable right after your graduation,¡± my father said without so much as looking my way. ¡°What about my university major?¡± I asked for rification. ¡°What do you have in mind?¡± my father asked and this time his eyes fell on me. I gulped nervously and I steeled my nerves. ¡°I want to study business...¡± I replied. My mother gasped in shock at my seemingly outrageous idea. Clearly, she was expecting me to choose the arts like visual arts, performance arts or music. ¡°Why is that?¡± my father asked immediately. I could tell that he was slightly surprised. My true reason probably wouldn¡¯t be eptable, so I had to tell him what I thought he wanted to hear. It was a great thing that I had prepared the reasons beforehand. ¡°I think that there¡¯s a high chance that I¡¯ll meet many rich heirs to leading corporations there. It¡¯s not umon for people to start dating during university and get married after graduation, right? And even if I don¡¯t marry any of my ssmates, having a degree from a prestigious university would make many more men interested in me,¡± I said before smiling calctingly at my father. ¡°Correct. If you get epted, I¡¯ll let you go to university,¡± my father said with a satisfied smile. ¡°Really?¡± I asked in pure disbelief. ¡°Really...but don¡¯t ever forget why I¡¯m sending you there,¡± my father said and there was a hint of a warning in his voice. ¡°Yes, father,¡± I replied obediently. It didn¡¯t matter what he wanted me to do. I was prepared to do everything for a chance to go to university. From then on, I worked hard on my university applications and interviews. The fact that I had good grades really helped me. With a mix of hard work and miraculously good luck, I was epted into one of the leading universities in the country. Back then, I thought that if that was what my parents wanted of me then they could have it. I would be the perfect wife and I would marry the perfect husband. Marrying a rich man and living my life in endlessfort didn¡¯t sound like such a bad way to live my life. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 9 Chapter 9: The Start of Everything ***Back to the Present*** ¡°Listen, I¡¯m tired. Can we discuss this again tomorrow or another day?¡± I whined. ¡°Sure...¡± my mother replied. ¡°Everything should turn out just as we expected anyways so there¡¯s not much to discuss...¡± father said with confidence. ¡°I¡¯m going to my room...¡± I said softly as I slowly got up from my seat. My bedroom was on the second floor. It was the same room that I had since the first day that I moved into the house all those years ago. I used that room up until the day that I married George and moved out of the house. Of course, during university I moved out for a bit to live closer to the university but that was about it. ¡°Sleep well daughter dear! When you wake up, you¡¯ll be a billionaire!¡± my mother called cheerfully after me. ..... I rolled my eyes, knowing that they wouldn¡¯t be able to see my reaction with my back turned towards them. Without bothering to turn around, I continued on my way to my bedroom. Their sounds of joyousughter haunted me all the way until I reached the base of the stairs and ascended up to the second floor. Those two are going to experience the shock of their lives tomorrow when they find out the truth. Let¡¯s see who¡¯s going to be faster. Me waking up and telling them or the news report in the morning. Finally, I arrived at my bedroom. Quickly, I opened the door and marched in before closing and locking the door firmly behind. This room just feels like a tiny world on its own where I could hide away from the chaos and everything else that was going on in the world outside. Reality was harsh for me and for a while, I just wanted to hide away in this room just like I did when I was a kid. A few steps on my shaky legs took me to my bed where Iy down on my stomach, burying my face into the pillow. I closed my eyes and willed for all of this to be just a bad dream. Everything since the moment that I was adopted by them until the moment that I discovered that George had taken his own life. Please just let everything be just a nightmare. Please...just let me wake up... It wasn¡¯t long before the tears that I had been desperately holding it came bursting forth. I wailed and cried into the pillow to silence myself. Why is this happening to my life? I tried my best to do what my parents wanted and look where I ended up because of it. At only 25, I was on the verge of getting a divorced and then suddenly, I am not a widow. I think I¡¯ve never cried this hard in my life. I cried with a mix of anger and frustration at the cruel hand that fate had dealt me in this life. I cried for all the times I had to follow my parent¡¯s whims just so that they would ept me as their daughter. I cried for my failure of a marriage with George and the fact that he hadpletely abandoned me to move on to thend of the dead and his next life. I cried for myself and my failure to know any better. It was true that I didn¡¯t want to spend my life with George anymore. I wanted to get a divorce so that our charade of a happy marriage could finallye to an end. I didn¡¯t want him to be a part of my life anymore and neither did I want to be a part of his. However, throughout it all, I never wished for George to pass away and definitely not like this. Even if he used me and sold me, I wished that he was still alive so that I could punish him and make him owe up to what he¡¯s done. It saddened and angered me at the same time that he used death to unfairly escape like this. Soon after our marriage, when I discovered George¡¯s gambling habits, I saw the start of the end of our happy marriage life. It all came too soon, and I didn¡¯t want to believe it so much so that I started fooling myself that everything was fine. I ignored all the little signs. At first his losses weren¡¯t all too bad and it didn¡¯t impact our financial status at all or so I had thought. I never dreamt that his gambling addiction would lead him to betraying me in the worst possible way. ... **Yesterday Evening** Spending the day at home rxing after a spa treatment in the morning was not a bad idea. My skin feels fresh and smooth, thanks to the treatment and the scrub. My nails were done in a sparkling shade of red that I liked. The imported tea in my teacup smelled and tasted perfect. I sighed as I rxed into the leather sofa before closing my eyes, feeling the bliss of a perfect life. Tomorrow, I would get my hair done in the early afternoon before heading to my favorite brand boutique to pick up a few handbags that I had ordered and a few pairs of shoes that I got tailored. Although I enjoyed these luxurious items and staying ahead of the fashion trend, it was admittingly part of my job as George¡¯s wife to y the perfect socialite. The more connections I made with other wives and woman in the high circle of society, the better George does at his business. It was not a bad life. My phone vibrated signaling that a text message had arrived. Peering at my phone screen, I saw a text from George. It was rare for my husband to text me ande to think of it, I wasn¡¯t sure where he was right now or where he went for the day. That wasn¡¯t unusual and it no longer bothered me anymore. Neither did the fact that he didn¡¯te home on some nights or the fact that he spent the night in another women¡¯s bed. Nothing mattered anymore. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 10 Chapter 10: Kiss from the Past The text message was simple. He asked me to meet him at a certain hotel suite to entertain a client that he was meeting. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Most of the time if George had a meeting or dinner with a client and the client¡¯s wife or girl came along, it was almost mandatory for me to be there to entertain them both. There wasn¡¯t a lot of time left until the meeting, so I went to work on dressing up immediately. I picked out a mourous red dress with a slightly sexy vibe that came straight off this season¡¯s fashion runway and paired it with matching red high heel shoes. Red dresses go well with rubies, diamonds, and red lipstick. By the time that I was done, my driver was already waiting for me to take me to the hotel where George was waiting. The hotel was one of the most luxurious in the city and the only one connected to a casino and mall. All owned by the samepany, the luxury hotel, casino and mall were the top destination for entertainment for people in the country and worldwide. I knew that George and some of his friends liked to gamble here but I¡¯ve never been to the presidential suite of this hotel before. When I arrived, the hotel staff seemed to be expecting me because she quickly led me to a private elevator that took me up swiftly to the top floor of the hotel where the presidential suite was located. The client must be extremely wealthy and important to secure a meeting ce like this but then again most of George¡¯s clients were like this. The staff left me immediately after the elevator had opened at the designated floor. It seems that there was only one room on the entire floor, and I pushed the button to ring the bell politely to announce my arrival. The door made a clicking sound as it was pushed opened from the inside. I stered one of my most gorgeous smile on my face to greet the client but before I could say anything in greeting, my wrist and my waist were grabbed roughly, and my body was being hauled into the room. Shocked at this sudden development, I let out a small cry of surprise as I found myself in the room with the door closed and locked behind me. The room was dimly lit with orange light, and I couldn¡¯t see very well at first. I knew right away that the man who had just pinned my back against the door wasn¡¯t my husband. It all happened so fast that the next thing I knew I was trapped between the man and the closed door with his lips were crushing against mine. He expertly pinned my wrist to the door as his other hand held my chin so that I couldn¡¯t escape from his aggressive and demanding kiss. His lips on mine were warm and so was his wet tongue when it thrusted in between my lips into the depths of my mouth. ..... Struggling against him proved to bepletely useless. Although, I couldn¡¯t see him clearly, I knew from his body pressing against me that he was muscr and very tall. His tongue moved restlessly as he explored every nook and cranny of my mouth before dancing around with my tongue yfully. He¡¯s a good kisser, I¡¯ll give him that. Many questions entered my mind while the man was busy kissing me. First, where the hell is George? Second, who is this man? Not just anyone could book a presidential suite on top of this hotel. Third, how do I get away from him? The kiss quickly got deeper and more heated as he began sucking on my tongue while his hand slowly ran down from my neck to the curve of my chest. He groaned seductively into my mouth, and I heard myself let out a soft moan. The man pressed his body closer to mine as he pushed me up against the closed door before wedging his thigh in between my legs. He pushed his leg up against my pussy and I moaned into his kiss. Whoever this man is, he¡¯s very good at this and he knows exactly what he¡¯s doing. Although I enjoyed his kisses, it was probably about time that I bit his tongue off. I can always apologizeter and bat my fake eyshes if he turns out to be some ultra-influential guy. Not that any bastard who did this should get off the hook. Suddenly, the lights in the room flickered opened and I squinted my eyes as my eyes adjusted to the light. The sight before me made me gasp in disbelief. ¡°Surprised?¡± a deep man¡¯s voice asked mockingly. What the hell... ¡°Brandon...wait...why are you here?¡± I asked still breathless from shock and his passionate kisses. I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes at first. Even though, I knew that he was still alive, for me, it might as well have been like seeing a ghost. Because for me, this man should have been nothing more than a ghost in my life after he left me around two years ago. My mouth hung open at the sight before me. Ash blond hair with striking grey eyes. These eyes were the eyes that I fell so madly in love with. These eyes that seemed like they could see through and understand everything and everyone. Blue suit and matching pants with his signature ck turtleneck sweater. This is Brandon, the CEO andrgest shareholder of Renox Corporation, thergest IT securitypany in the world. Basically, he¡¯s the owner of the whole Renox empire. He started thispany from scratch on top of inheriting his family¡¯srge chain of hotels and casinos, which was where we are right now. I should have known when I received the address. Why didn¡¯t I notice it earlier? Brandon...he owns this hotel, casino, the mall, and all. Shit. Where did all my braincells go? Unfortunately, he¡¯s also my ex-boyfriend from my university days... ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 11 Chapter 11: Fated Reunion ¡°Why do you look so shocked? I¡¯ve been looking forward to our reunion for all this time,¡± Brandon said before shing me an enchanting smile. ¡°What are you going on about?¡± I snapped as I red at him. ¡°Why don¡¯t we sit down and talk first before...¡± he said before trailing off as his hands gestured to therge burgundy leather sofa set located in the middle of the living room. Why am I talking to him? I should just turn and leave. I could see the king-sized bed through the ajar door to the bedroom connected to this living room. However, just like all those times before, my body couldn¡¯t move when I felt his stone-grey eyes looking directly at me. Brandon¡¯s hand snaked out and quickly grabbed my wrist before he dragged me behind him, leading me to the sofa. He pushed me softly onto one of the seats before he took his seat opposite from me. The sight of him sitting crossed legged with the fingers of his handsced together reminded me of the past that we share. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since west met, Elena. Around two years now?¡± Brandon asked needlessly. ¡°Why are you here? Where is my husband?¡± I snapped at him. ..... ¡°Your husband? That loser won¡¯t be turning up...¡± Brandon replied without a care. ¡°What is going on...?¡± I asked as I narrowed my eyes at him suspiciously. Instead of answering my question, Brandon narrowed his eyes and stood up from the sofa. ¡°You don¡¯t have to pretend that you¡¯re in love with your husband when you¡¯re not...¡± he said with a chuckle. How does he know about that? ¡°He¡¯s still my husband...¡± I said defensively. ¡°Is that the only thing holding you back?¡± Brandon asked as he cocked his head slightly to the side and smiled at me. I used to think that it was so adorable when he did that but not anymore. ¡°What are you saying?¡± I asked. ¡°If it is, then you don¡¯t have to hold back anymore. That man, he¡¯s no longer your husband,¡± Brandon said with a smirk. He pulled out some papers and threw them onto the table between us. I gasped in shock when I saw the title on the papers. Divorce papers...and it¡¯s signed by my husband. My husband wants to divorce me? ¡°What have you done?¡± I snapped as my hands quickly picked up the divorce papers. ¡°Me? I just granted you the freedom that you long for, Elena,¡± Brandon said with a proud smile. This man...he¡¯s just as crazy and reckless like before... ¡°This is crazy...I¡¯m going home!¡± I cried out loudly. ¡°You can¡¯t. Our business here is far from over. The night has just started...¡± Brandon said, clearly amused. ¡°What do you want?¡± I snapped at him. ¡°Don¡¯t you already know what I want?¡± Brandon asked as his eyes nced over to the bedroom. Does he truly expect me to sleep with him just because he got George to finally sign the divorce papers? Is that it? ¡°You know, it was good meeting you after all this time, but I will have to politely decline your offer,¡± I replied as I stared at him pointedly. Brandon threw back his head andughed loudly at me. Heughed so hard that I thought he was going to choke and die. His face turned slightly pink, and I watched in annoyance before I got up and headed straight for the door. I could hear hisughter from behind me as my hand grabbed the door handle and turned it. It¡¯s lock. What? Wasn¡¯t it supposed to open from the inside? I started to panic a little as my hands tried to figure out the locking mechanism of the door. ¡°It won¡¯t unlock unless I order it to. This suite, my princess, is exclusively used by me. It is never rented out to any guests. Don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t me you for not knowing that,¡± Brandon exined casually. I was too busy trying to unlock the door that I didn¡¯t realize that Brandon had approached me until he had leaned his body against my back with a hand pressed t on the door next to my face. He¡¯s too close. ¡°In case you haven¡¯t figured it out, you won¡¯t be able to leave this room until morninges. That or until I¡¯m satisfied with you, whicheveres first,¡± Brandon said as his hands slid down my body and held my hand gently. What game is he ying? Why is he doing this? ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± I asked bluntly. Clearly he didn¡¯t go through all this trouble just to sleep with me? What is he thinking? ¡°Nothing really. I¡¯m just collecting on my end of a bet that I won,¡± Brandon replied calmly as he slowly dragged me back to the sofa. Slowly he pushed me down onto the sofa and sat next to me. His hand was still holding mine and his touch was surprisingly gentle. ¡°What bet?¡± I asked. ¡°Oh, your husband didn¡¯t tell you? Allow me to exin then...¡± Brandon said as his hand started stroking up long my arm. ... **A few hours earlier** George visited Brandon¡¯s casino often along with his other clients and was pleasantly surprised to be introduced to Brandon here. The owner of the casino did not join his customers very often and it was always an attraction of sorts when Brandon decided to y. George had lost a lot of money at the casino after he¡¯d been gambling all day and was desperately looking for a way to turn his luck around. He believed that he just needed a stroke of luck to win big to gain back all that he¡¯d lost. That was when Brandon joined him at the poker table and offered to make a bet with him that he couldn¡¯t turn down. ¡°Want to y?¡± Brandon asked casually just like a kid would ask his ymate to y with him. ¡°It¡¯s an honor for you to join us. What do you want to y?¡± George said as he watched the younger man sitting opposite him. ¡°What about something based on pure luck?¡± Brandon suggested. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 12 Chapter 12: Winning Me ¡°What do you have in mind?¡± George asked, clearly interested. ¡°One card. Whoever has the highest card wins. Simple, right?¡± Brandon said with a yful smile. ¡°How much do you want to bet?¡± George asked. ¡°I have too much money already so it¡¯s a little boring,¡± Brandon said as heughed softly. ¡°What do you want?¡± George asked, sensing that Brandon already had something in mind. ¡°Let¡¯s see. What about a night with your beautiful wife?¡± Brandon suggested as he rested his chin on his hands and smiled innocently. George didn¡¯t quite understand Brandon¡¯s obsession with Elena, but he was more than ready to use that to his advantage. Since they had gotten in touch to discuss Brandon¡¯s interest to invest in some of his funds, George had realized that Brandon had asked or spoken about his wife quite frequently. He knew that his wife was very attractive, so it probably wasn¡¯t unusual if Brandon had developed a liking to her. Although he had no idea if Brandon had ever met Elena in person before or not. They¡¯ve probably never met but he must have seen her featured in the various magazines and tabloids when she attended public events like she often did. ..... ¡°You want Elena? I don¡¯t quite understand why you¡¯re so obsessed with her,¡± George said, without bothering to hide his apparent surprise. ¡°I don¡¯t either,¡± Brandon replied with a careless shrug. ¡°You¡¯re quite funny,¡± George said softly. ¡°Do we have a deal?¡± Brandon asked. ¡°Depends on what you¡¯re offering to bet in return,¡± George replied, knowing well how to negotiate. ¡°What about...this casino, this hotel, this entire business, and all assets to my name?¡± Brandon said, all smiles. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± George asked although he was excited about the proposal. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what they always say about me?¡± Brandon said with an amusedugh. George knew well what everyone said about Brandon. This guy was crazy and reckless to the core. ¡°You¡¯ll keep your word?¡± George asked to make sure. Brandon could sense the greed from George, and he knew that he had already won this bet. His mind was already thinking about how he would spend the timeter tonight with Elena. After all, they haven¡¯t met for around two years now. He wondered if she had changed. She probably has, and that excited him more than anything. Without a care in the world, he started smiling to himself as he thought of the pleasurable night that was waiting for him. ¡°Of course. I always do. There are plenty of witnesses here too so we¡¯ll both have to keep our words¡± Brandon said as he gestured with his hands to the onlookers that had flocked to surround their table. ¡°Deal,¡± George said with a smile. ... I stared at Brandon in disbelief after he had finished telling me his story of what had taken ce a few hours before at the casino next to this hotel. Basically, that bastard husband of mine lost a card game and so I had to spend the night with Brandon. ¡°Seriously, your husband is a fool. I mean, did he honestly think that he could win against me? It¡¯s funny really. Come on, I¡¯m Brandon...and I own this ce...¡± Brandon scoffed at the ridiculousness of it all. ¡°Aha...¡± I mumbled, unimpressed. ¡°You should feel honored, my princess. I betted my entire fortune just for a chance to spend the night with you,¡± Brandon said followed by augh. ¡°Why are you doing this all of a sudden?¡± I asked, genuinely confused. ¡°I wonder...¡± he whispered close to my ear. ¡°Brandon...¡± I whispered his name before his lips pressed firmly against mine. His arms were around me and I couldn¡¯t break away. His tongue forced my lips to part before thrusting deeply inside my mouth. I moaned softly as our tongue began a passionate dance. The kiss quickly got wetter, and I closed my eyes as I began kissing him back. He¡¯s such a good kisser and I would be lying if I said that I didn¡¯t remember the joy of being in his arms. Brandon¡¯s hands began cupping my breasts before he started to fondle them. I whimpered softly into our kiss, and he smiled a little at my reaction. His hands began kneading my breasts firmly, squeezing them a little roughly through my dress before his hand slipped into my v-neck dress. I moaned when I felt the heat from his hand directly on the sensitive skin of my breasts. My body throbbed with desire as the ce where he had touched started to burn with heat. Brandon withdrew his hand from my breasts enough to slide the thin straps of my dress off my shoulders along with the front of my dress. I felt his eyes on my naked breasts as the fabric of my dress slowly slid down to my waist to reveal my naked upper body to him. ¡°You¡¯re even more beautiful than I remember...¡± he said. I gasped before moaning loudly as he buried his face in between my breasts. He squeezed my breast roughly with one hand before pinching my erect nipple. The jolt of pleasure running through my body was unbearably delicious and I felt a pleasurable throbbing in my lower abdomen and in between my legs. My body felt hot and when his hot and wet mouth engulfed my other nipple and began sucking on it, I cried out as a gush of hot wetness spurted out in between my legs to wet my panties. ¡°Brandon...Ahhh...¡± I moaned and called out his name softly as my body started to melt in his impassioned embrace. I ran my hands through his hair as he continued to suck hard and nibble teasingly on my nipple. It felt so good that I couldn¡¯t stop myself from moaning wildly. Just when it felt like I would cum from him stimting my breasts, he stopped. ¡°You might as well enjoy this while we¡¯re at it,¡± he hissed into my ear seductively before he nibbled on my ear lobe and began licking my ear. I felt his hand pulling up the skirt of my red dress as he slowly pushed me down onto the sofa. Things were moving very fast, but I couldn¡¯t deny that I wanted him too. I felt the air on my exposed thighs before the heat of his hand covered my thighs as he began stroking them seductively. His touch made my body tremble, and my pussy began clenching in anticipation. His fingers stroked their way up my inner thighs after he had parted my legs slightly. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 13 Chapter 13: First Round of Pleasure His grey eyes watched me, and his intense gaze only served to turn me on even more. I called his name softly without knowing what else to say as his fingers slowly approached the wetness in between my legs. ¡°Brandon...maybe we should...stop...¡± I said hesitantly. ¡°When you¡¯re already this wet? Are you sure? You¡¯vepletely soaked your panties¡± he responded as his fingertips began stroking my wetness through my thince panties. ¡°Ahhh...no...don¡¯t touch me...there¡± I whimpered weakly. His fingertips stroking my love opening through the thin fabric of my panties felt so good. As if he knew how good it made me feel, his fingers applied more pressure as it pressed against me. ¡°You mean, you want me to touch you directly, don¡¯t you?¡± Brandon said knowingly before he chuckled a little at me. Suddenly, my panties were sliding down my legs and soon it waspletely removed from my body. His hands were on my thighs before he spread my legs wide apart. I cried out at the suddenness of my legs being yanked opened. His hands were quickly in between my legs and soon I felt the touch of his fingers stroking along the wet slit of my pussy. ..... ¡°Ahhh...ohh...¡± I moaned in ecstasy as I felt my pussy getting even wetter than before. ¡°I love your moans. Moan louder for me, Elena¡± Brandon said. I moaned louder as his skillful fingers began stroking the sensitive nub in between my legs. Intense currents of pleasure shot through my entire body as he stimted my swollen clit. I parted my legs wider as Iid under him on the sofa before thrusting my hips upwards invitingly towards his fingers. Brandon knew exactly what I wanted and was willing to give it to me. He thrusted two thick and long fingers into my wet hole, making me cry out his name loudly. His thick fingers stretched my love hole as he plunged them deeply inside of me. My hips jerked at his sudden entrance and then he was thrusting his fingers in and out of my hole. The fast and deep strokes felt so pleasurable that they made my legs feel weak. ¡°Your pussy is sucking in my fingers, Elena. Do you want me to fuck you right now?¡± Brandon asked as his fingers stirred up my wetness. It felt so good, I couldn¡¯t stop my hips from moving as it thrusted up and down wildly. I wanted to cum so badly already. My pussy clenched around his fingers as it hit my g-spot over and over. It was like he could remember where it felt good for me, and he was actively using that knowledge to make me his sex ve. ¡°Brandon...Ah! Ahhhh!¡± I cried out even louder than before as my pussy spasmed and I felt my orgasm approaching. Suddenly, Brandon jerked his fingers out of my love hole, and I cried out in frustration and disappointed. I was so close, and I bet that he knew it too. I heard Brandon unbuckling his belt and knew that he was undressing himself. When he returned to me, he only had his signature ck turtleneck sweater on. I didn¡¯t have the time to reminisce about our past love affair when I felt his hands on my waist. He flipped me onto my stomach before raising my hips up. I moaned softly as his warm palms cupped both sides of my hips. I could sense his presence close behind me and knew that he wanted to take me from behind. He pulled the skirt of my dress away to fully expose my ass to him and I sucked in a deep breath while I braced myself for the impact of his entry. Brandon moved even closer to me and then he positioned the thick head of his cock at my throbbing entrance. Brandon pounded his cock into my wet entrance in one forceful thrust that plunged his entire length into my pussy. I cried out at the sensation of his cock stimting the walls of my pussy. He felt so big and thick inside of me. Was he always this big? Brandon began moving his hips as he thrusted his cock in and out of my hole while his hand held my hips in ce. The force of his wild thrusts rocked my body as he rammed his cock deeply into my cunt. ¡°Ahhh! Ahhh! Ahhh!¡± I cried out loudly each time his thick rod prated me. He took me harder and faster from behind until I felt like I was going to lose my mind. It felt insanely good and then it got better when he began to prate me from various angles. His cock stretched my insides from different angles as the thick head of his cock hit against the pleasure spots deep inside of my love hole. He rammed his cock against my womb, and I cried out his name as lust and desire took over mepletely. The sound of our flesh pping against each other echoed throughout the living room of the penthouse suite along with the wet sounds of his cock stirring up my love juices. Brandon was groaning like an animal as he mated wildly with me. His cock got hotter and bigger inside of me and I clenched my pussy walls around his shaft tightly to suck him in even deeper. It wasn¡¯t long before I felt a very intense orgasm approaching. I was about to cum. Brandon must have noticed it as well because he began thrusting into me harder and faster as if he wanted to drive me towards the edge. He seeded. ¡°I...I¡¯m cumming! Brandon!¡± I cried out as my climax hit me and I flopped face first onto the sofa. Brandon continued to fuck me as he moaned louder and louder. I could tell that he was close to his release as well. It was when his cock twitched deep inside of me before it spurted endless streams of his hot seed into me that I realized that Brandon didn¡¯t even bother to wear a condom. There was nothing that I could do about it right now. My pussy clenched hard around his cock as if it were trying to milk him of everyst drop of his cum as his warmth filled my womb and spread in my lower abdomen. ¡°Did it feel amazing for you too? I bet your husband never satisfied you this much,¡± Brandon said with satisfaction as he slowly withdrew his thick shaft from my pussy. I hated to admit it, but he was right... ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 14 14 Second Round of Lust If I had thought that the night was over, I couldn¡¯t be so wrong. After he saw that I had rested enough and was able to catch my breath, Brandon was all over me again. ¡°No more...please. I can¡¯t take anymore...¡± I pleaded breathlessly. Stone-grey eyes just narrowed at me before his handsome face bent down and captured my lips in his. The heat of his lips seeped into mine before I felt the wet tip of his tongue wedging itself in between my lips, forcing it open. I moaned softly when his wet tongue slipped between my lips into the depths of my mouth. I sighed at the pleasure of his tongue mingling with mine. His kiss quickly became more demanding as our tongues grinding against each other passionately. His arms tightened around my body as he carried me princess-styled in his arms. With long and determined strides, I knew that he was taking me to the bedroom of this luxurious presidential hotel suite. My whole body felt weak, devoid of the energy and the will to resist him anymore. ¡°How can you be this tired after doing it only once? We used to do it all night, don¡¯t you remember?¡± Brandon said before a sadistic grin curved his beautiful lips. I felt heat rise to my face as I blushed at the memory of how it used to be between us. This man is a sex-maniac with an unsatiable sex drive, and I was his girlfriend for around two years before he dumped me so suddenly and we parted ways. Just like that. My pussy was still flooded with our love juices from the first time that he took me that night. The walls of my pussy clenched in anticipated as my mind wondered how many times, he would do me tonight. My body shivered at the thought, and I wasn¡¯t sure if I was scared or if I was looking forward to it. It wasn¡¯t like I had a choice, from my experience, there was nothing that I could do to stop this man once he had started. The night...was long. We reached the bedroom in no time, and he dumped me unceremoniously onto therge king-size bed. I felt the softness of the mattress against my back before he got on top of me. Hisrge and manly hands tore at the front of my thince dress, tearing it to bits and stripping it off my body. Laying there underneath him in only my light pinkcy underwear, I felt extremely exposed. ..... ¡°Don¡¯t cover yourself, let me see you...¡± he whispered tenderly, and I felt my heart skip a beat. His hands cupped and caressed my naked breasts seductively. The heat of his hands seeped into the sensitive skin of my naked breasts as he cupped and fondled them. When he kneaded my breasts and squeezed them roughly, I cried out and whimpered at the pleasure. ¡°Brandon...please...¡± I whimpered. ¡°Spread your legs, Elena, wider...¡± Brandon instructed as his hands helped spread my legs even wider. ¡°No...it¡¯s...so deep!¡± I cried out. He rammed his cock into my wet cunt so deeply that he hit my womb with his first thrust. Brandon rotated his hips against me, and his cock stirred up the wet mess inside of my love tunnel. When he began thrusting, I moaned loudly and wrapped my legs around his waist in an attempt to take him in even deeper. He began moving faster, shoving his cock rapidly in and out of my hole. The familiar smell of his skin, his perfume, the shampoo he uses. Everything about him feltfortingly familiar and it was all turning me on. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what your beautiful mouth says...your body still remembers me...¡± Brandon said before he groaned like an animal in heat. He was right; however, it wasn¡¯t just my body that remembered the pleasure of his touch, my heart also remembered the love that I once felt for this man and the excruciating pain I felt at our parting. When he left me, my heart shattered and so did my belief in myself. It was like I had lost a part of who I was and there was no way that I could get it back. Why did he dump me so suddenly back then? What did I do wrong? Did he find someone new? These questions, I never got the answers to haunted me for years after he hadpletely disappeared from my life. Why is he back now? Why am I meeting him like this? My body felt like it had caught on fire as he continued to pound his member into my wet hole. His massive cock was messing me up inside and it felt like my insides hadpletely melted into a hot mess. My hips moved wildly to meet his thrusts halfway. ¡°Admit it, Elena, you wanted me to fuck you hard like this...just like we use to...¡± Brandon groaned as our hip pped against each other. ¡°Brandon...ahhh...it¡¯s so good...so good...¡± I whimpered in between my lusty moans. ¡°Yeah...your pussy loves my cock,¡± Brandon said as he smiled down at me knowingly. ¡°Harder...harder!¡± I cried out in abandon. Brandon gave it to me fast and hard until it felt like he would never stop. My body enjoyed every moment of his cock fucking my hole until I lost myself in my own mind-shattering orgasm. ¡°I¡¯m cumming...I¡¯m cumming, Brandon!¡± I cried out like a woman possessed. I knew something was off when I got that text message. Why didn¡¯t I realize it sooner? I shouldn¡¯t havee here... That night Brandon made love to me until I cked out in between one of our heated sessions. I couldn¡¯t remember anything else after that and when I woke up the next morning, he was already gone. I was all alone on the bed. Brandon was gone and he didn¡¯t even leave a note or anything to say goodbye. It was so very like him. I didn¡¯t know back then that our supposedly one-night stand would lead to so much more. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 15 15 Fraud **Back to the Present** Morning arrived along with loud knocking sounds on my bedroom door. That was what woke me up from my restless sleep. I didn¡¯t mind much because I wasn¡¯t able to go to sleep anyways. This was the first time in a long while that I weed the arrival of the morning. I knew right away that it was my mother on the other side of the door and the fact that she was hammering on my door and screaming at the top of her lungs can only mean one thing: the news program beat me to it. They have probably seen, along with the other citizens of this nation, the news regarding my husband¡¯s suicide. I reached for my phone and saw that I had almost a hundred missed calls from myte husband¡¯swyer. That didn¡¯t surprise me. I felt bad for the old man, but I had to wait for a while before returning his call. First, I have to deal with my hysterical mother who was still banging her fists against my bedroom door. ¡°Good morning...¡± I said as I opened the door. ¡°This isn¡¯t the time for good mornings! Is it true? George took his own life? Do you know anything about this?¡± my mother fired her questions at me in rapid session. ¡°Oh please...¡± I muttered as I pushed passed her to walk through the bedroom door. ¡°You¡¯re going down to exin to us exactly what is going on!¡± my mother demanded loudly as she chased after me. Ignoring her outburst, I continued walking towards the stairs before heading to the first floor. Father was naturally waiting in the living room where he sat on the sofa right in front of the television. ..... ¡°What does that mean?¡± my father asked, referring to the news of my husband¡¯s suicide that was being shown on the television. ¡°You¡¯ll still...inherit everything that he has, right?¡± my mother asked with widened eyes. ¡°I guess...¡± I murmured. To be honest, I had no idea, and I didn¡¯t really care. ¡°You two are legally married. We were there when you two signed the marriage certificate. I saw it with my own eyes!¡± my mother said firmly. ¡°Well, if the police thinks that I had anything to do with it then...¡± I said before shrugging my shoulders. ¡°Oh no...don¡¯t tell me...¡± my mother said after gasping in shock. Great. My parents didn¡¯t even take a moment to think or hesitate before believing that I could have murdered George. What do they take me for? What do they see me as? I smirked at them. Why did I even need to ask when I already knew the answer? To them, I was nothing more than a girl that they adopted so that they could train me up and sell to a rich man under the socially eptable package called ¡®A Perfect Wife¡¯ through a contract called ¡®marriage¡¯. In my case, George was my purchaser. He bought me. ¡°Have you seen this?¡± my father asked, his eyes glued to the screen without looking my way. ¡°Seen...what?¡± I asked, not quite getting it. My father pointed to the television, and I sat down in the sofa next to him to watch. I didn¡¯t think that the news reporter would have anything to say that I didn¡¯t know. George took his own life and that was that. They can try to add in chili and sauce to the story to spice things up to get more public attention but that was normal business for them. ¡®The reasons behind Mr. George Westford¡¯s suicide are still unknown. The police are not willing to disclose the situation at the crime scene, but they did say that a suicide note, or letter was not left at the scene. Many are specting that his suicide has something to do with the exposure of his fraud scheme in multiple of the funds that he used to run before his passing. Along with news of his suicidees intense pressure from his clients and investors who are demanding forpensation from his fraudulent investment schemes,¡± a news reporter reported on the screen. Fraudulent schemes? People are demanding forpensation? What is going on? ¡°Is this true? Were you aware of this?¡± my father asked coldly. ¡°I don¡¯t know...I don¡¯t know anything...¡± I replied, honestly. ¡°You don¡¯t know that your husband was a fraud?!¡± my mother screamed at me. ¡°No...it can¡¯t be...¡± I muttered in denial. ¡°It¡¯s what the news is reporting. The investors are going to sue forpensation. They want their money back! Don¡¯t you know anything about this?¡± my mother asked in a shriek. ¡°No...I don¡¯t know anything. George never told me anything...¡± I replied truthfully. As if on cue, my phone started ringing. He was the man that I was about to call, George¡¯swyer. I stood up and marched off somewhere where I could talk to him in private. I felt my father¡¯s eyes on my back as I marched out of the living room. ¡°Madame, I¡¯ve been trying my best to reach you,¡± thewyer said sternly. I knew that I must have caused him trouble by not answering his calls. My mind was in too much of a mess for me to talk to anyone. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was...shocked and you know...everything is just a mess. George...he...¡± I said in frustration before I stopped talking. I realized that I wasn¡¯t making sense anymore. ¡°Calm down, Madame. Where are you now? I wille over to see you so that we can talk about everything,¡± thewyer said calmly. ¡°I¡¯m at my parent¡¯s house. You cane over, I¡¯ll be waiting for you here,¡± I said as I tried to keep my voice steady. ¡°I¡¯ll head over there right now. I should arrive within half an hour. Please hang in there, Madame,¡± thewyer said before hanging up. My hand clenched around my phone after the line disconnected. I shut my eyes tightly and sighed loudly. Lawrence was right, I have to hang in there. Now isn¡¯t the time for me to believe in news and gossip. I should wait to hear the truth about everything from ourwyer. I made my way back to the living room and found my mother and father sitting at the sofa with very stressful looks on their faces. I couldn¡¯t help but notice that since I stepped foot into this housest night, no one had offered me any kind words of condolences. No one asked how I was feeling or if I needed any help. Both my parents clearly didn¡¯t care about how I was fairing in this messy crisis. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 16 16 Dropping the Bomb Thankfully, I didn¡¯t have high expectations from them anyways and so I wasn¡¯t really disappointed. Avoiding their gazes, I sat down on the sofa while I waited for Lawrence to arrive. ¡°So? What really happened?¡± my mother asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know either, mum. Ourwyer is on the way. You remember Lawrence, right? He¡¯ll be here in less than half an hour. So please, save whatever questions that you may have for him...¡± I said emotionlessly. I felt cold and lost inside. If I could choose, I would choose to simply disintegrate and disappear from here. Their questions made me feel sick. Theirck of sympathy or feelings made me feel disgusted. It was obvious that all they were worried about was how much money I would walk away with from George¡¯s death. ... Lawrence was true to his word and arrived before the half hour mark. After politely reintroducing himself to my parents, he got down to business immediately. For his line of work, I knew that time was money. George paid Lawrence a lot and they¡¯ve worked together for a long time. If someone knew the truth about George and his business, then it was Lawrence. ¡°Let me start out by exining the current situation to all of you so that we are aligned. Then we can decide on how to proceed further,¡± Lawrence said, getting right to the point. ¡°Ok...¡± I mumbled softly. ¡°Mr. Westford has been having financial difficulties for the past year or so. As a result of poor financial performance in the hedge funds that he manages along with investments in real estate, he started misinforming his investors andmitted some fraudulent activities. The investors have sued forpensation while the banks are also suing to get the money that they loaned to him back. The court has ruled recently that Mr. Westford has to pay back quite arge sum of money...¡± Lawrence exined grimly. ..... ¡°How much? George has a lot of money so...¡± my mother jumped in immediately. ¡°Well, he did have a lot of money but in the past year due his spending...¡± Lawrence replied. ¡°You mean hispulsive gambling...not his spending...¡± I quickly corrected. ¡°Yes, that too. Let me skip to the end result. At his death, Mr. Westford¡¯s wealth is in the negative zone. In other words, even after ounting for his assets and all sources of wealth, Mr. Westford is around 700 million dors in debt,¡± Lawrence concluded. 700 million dors in debt... ¡°What?! Are you being serious?¡± I cried out in shock. Did I hear that right? George is in that much debt even after taking into ount all of his assets. Impossible. George has so many assets. Land, buildings, jets, gold, diamonds, and everything else. ¡°Yes, Madame. I regret to inform you that because of his gambling, he¡¯s been selling off his assets for a while now to fund his adventures. There isn¡¯t much left at the time of his death and when we take into ount his debt, wend at around 700 million dors without a doubt,¡± Lawrence reconfirmed the worse. ¡°Impossible...this cannot be happening to us!¡± my mother yelled loudly before she burst into tears. I was too shocked to react to my mother¡¯s outburst. My entire face felt numb, and the numbness was slowly spreading to the rest of my body. Am I about to faint? ¡°So that bastard killed himself to escape his debt?¡± my father asked in shock. ¡°I cannotment on that, sir,¡± Lawrence replied professionally. ¡°What happens to the debt now that George is dead?¡± my father asked as his eyes narrowed suspiciously at thewyer. Good question. If George is dead, then... ¡°I regret to inform you this but since Mr. Westford has passed away, his debt burden will be directly transfer to his living wife. Madame, that is you...¡± Lawrence said as he looked pointedly at me. ¡°Me? I have to repay the debt in his ce? That¡¯s crazy...¡± I said in disbelief. ¡°Wait. If his assets cannot cover it, then it¡¯s too bad for the banks and investors. They just won¡¯t get their money back; it should have nothing to do with my daughter...¡± my father countered. ¡°That would normally be the case, Sir. However, in this case, it isn¡¯t purely Mr. Westford¡¯s debt,¡± Lawrence replied readily. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, not quite following. ¡°Madame, you co-signed the documents to take on the debt along with yourte husband. The debt is a shared one and now that he is gone, you are the one solely responsible for paying it back,¡± Lawrence exined professionally and bluntly. ¡°But I didn¡¯t...¡± I started denying but then I had to stop mid-sentence. ¡°I think you may recall signing these documents. I don¡¯t think your signature was forged here...¡± Lawrence said regretfully as he ced some documents onto the coffee table in between us. My heart felt like it was going to stop beating as I recalled the many times when George came back homete at night. He asked me to sign some documents for him before I went to bed. He told me that they were necessary for him to invest in something with good return. He said that because we were married, I had to sign it too. I was so sleepy, and I signed it without question and without reading any of the documents. He was my husband and I just trusted himpletely. George was also smart and respectable in the investment field and so I never suspected anything at all. ¡°So now I¡¯m 700 million in debt?¡± I asked, incredulously. ¡°I¡¯m afraid so, Madame. I can try to negotiate with the investors and the banks in court, but I doubt the figure is going to change much,¡± thewyer exined before pursing his lips tightly together. ¡°This is insane! This is not true. It can¡¯t be! You¡¯re tricking us!¡± my mother shouted loudly as she jumped out of her seat. ¡°Calm down please...¡± my father said sternly. ¡°My daughter was supposed to get all of her husband¡¯s money. He¡¯s filthy rich so how can this happen?!¡± my mother wailed like a mad woman as tears rolled down her red face. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 17 17 End of All Lies My mother continued to yell nonsense at Lawrence as she refuses to ept what he had just said. All the while, my father was silent, and he seemed to be deep in thought. I was grateful that he didn¡¯t say anything to make the situation worst for me. There was no way that I could pay back 700 million dors of debt. I mean, I didn¡¯t even have a job. I was just a housewife that lived the high life as I acted out the role of George¡¯s perfect wife. While my mother bombarded Lawrence with her tantrum, my father pulled out his phone and started calling someone. I nced over at him and wondered what he was doing at a time like this. Perhaps he was calling someone that could potentially help us turn the situation around. Maybe if we can negotiate the debt down, we could pay the debt off slowly. As far as I was aware, my father¡¯spany was doing well and so he should have some money. ¡°I need your help. Yes, it¡¯s regarding my daughter. I want to disown her immediately. I would appreciate it if you could help process the documents required as soon as possible,¡± my father spoke calmly through the phone. From what he was saying I could figure out that it was definitely hiswyer on the other end of the line. However, that wasn¡¯t the most important thing that I should be caring about right now. ¡°You¡¯re disowning me?! Are you serious?¡± I spat at him in disgust. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m serious. You¡¯re aplete failure as a daughter. Aplete disgrace to this family,¡± my father spat at me in return. ¡°Are you doing this because of the debt?¡± I asked breathlessly. ¡°Yes. There is no way I am getting dragged into this shit. I¡¯m disowning you before it affects my wealth. I am not spending a single cent of my money to pay of your husband¡¯s debt!¡± my father shouted before he mmed his phone down on the coffee table in front of him. ¡°That¡¯s right. We married you off to a wealthy man and look what happened? You couldn¡¯t even manage your own husband. You were tricked by him into signing some papers and you didn¡¯t even know?¡± my mother turned and yelled at me. ..... ¡°How can you say these things to me? I married that man because you told me to. You chose him for me! I did everything that you wanted!¡± I cried out in my anger and frustration. This wasplete madness. How dare they me it all on me? When things were going well, they dly took George¡¯s money and sold me off. Now that things were not going the way that they wanted, they¡¯re readily abandoning me. I should have known that something like this was going to happen. This is all my fault for believing that they ever considered me as their daughter. ¡°Get out! You¡¯re no longer our daughter. Mywyer will send you the documents when it¡¯s done. Just sign it then. Now, just get out!¡± my father shouted as he pointed his finger at the door. ¡°This is so shameful. How am I going to exin this to my friends? This is insane...such an embarrassment,¡± my motherined as she ced the back of her hand on her forehead before sinking back onto the sofa. ¡°Madame...¡± Lawrence called me softly. Wordlessly, I returned to my bedroom where I grabbed my handbag before I marched back downstairs and out of the house without looking back. This life of ying their perfect daughter is now officially over. ... Without a ce to go, I returned to the penthouse that I used to share with my husband. It was hard to believe that just a few days ago, we were living there together. Although our rtionship was far from normal and far from peaceful, I had gotten used to it. I wondered if the cops are done with the penthouse. Honestly, I just wanted to grab something such as my clothes, bags, make up and stuff. After that, I should head to a hotel and stay there for a few days until I figure out my next move. To my surprise, there were many people in the penthouse, and they were busy moving and packing things. My eyes widened in shock and slight confusion at what was happening. The people were so focused on their work that they didn¡¯t pay any attention to me at all. Did they not know who I was? ¡°Excuse me. What are you doing here?¡± I asked. ¡°Oh...we¡¯re movers. We were hired to pack and move everything out of this ce,¡± a man replied. ¡°Sorry but...who ordered you to do this? This is my penthouse and the things that you are packing and moving away are my belongings,¡± I said as I gestured to the things that they have packed away. ¡°I see. So, you were the owner of this penthouse, right? I thought you were already informed but, this penthouse is going to be sold off along with everything that is in it after it has been appraised. You know, to pay off the debt...¡± the man exined before smiling tightly at me. ¡°What? They¡¯re forcing us to sell everything?¡± I asked in disbelief. ¡°Yes, Madame. Apparently, that is the case here...¡± the man said with a uneasy smile before he handed me some documents. ¡°This is ridiculous. I¡¯m going to grab my belongings. My bags, my clothes, all my jewelry...¡± I said heatedly as I shoved the document back into the man¡¯s hand. ¡°You can¡¯t do that, Madame. Everything here will be appraised and sold including your bags, clothes, jewelry, and everything else,¡± the man repeated. ¡°No! I will never allow that. You have no idea how rare these bags are or how much trouble it took for me to win the auction for these jewelries. These bags are all limited edition and for this brand, people wait years on the waiting list just to get their hands on one. You just don¡¯t understand...¡± I said quickly. ¡°I do understand that it is unfortunate for you, Madame...but I¡¯m just doing my job. Now, if you will please step aside so that we can get on with our work,¡± the man said before he got on with his job. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 18 18 Nowhere to Go I gasped in shock as my mouth hung open at the inconsiderate attitude of the man. Staring at his back as he walked away from me, I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs. Everything that I own is being taken away from me. My branded bags, shoes, clothes, jewelry, art pieces and everything else. The staff started shooing me out of the penthouse. It was such an embarrassing and depressing situation that I just couldn¡¯t bear staying in there any longer. Without getting my hands on anything, I called my driver so that he could drive me to a hotel. I didn¡¯t know back that that from that point on, my life was about to fall into ruins bit by bit. The car arrived and I got in before sighing loudly. I leaned my head into my hand as I watched the scenery outside go by. The ride was peacefully quiet as we headed to one of the most luxurious hotels in the city. I remembered that George likes this hotel a lot for their oriental oil massage. Not that he could enjoy any of that anymore. ¡°Madame...¡± the driver said. ¡°Yes?¡± I responded. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if yourwyer has informed you but today is myst working day here,¡± Liam said sounding regretful. ¡°Huh? Why is that?¡± I asked cluelessly. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve beenid off and although myst day is the end of the month, I cannot serve you anymore because the car will be gone tomorrow,¡± he said sadly. ¡°The car will be gone? What do you mean?¡± I asked in pure confusion. ..... ¡°I heard it¡¯s to pay off Mr. George¡¯s debt, Madame...¡± Liam replied softly. ¡°Oh...¡± I murmured. They¡¯re even taking away my driver and the car? I wasn¡¯t sure if I wanted to cry from stress orugh at the ridiculousness of it all. It¡¯s just like they say: One day you could have it all, then the next day you could lose it all. Thankfully, we arrived at the hotel soon after. I said goodbye to the driver and doubt that I would ever get to see him again. It was so sad for us to part like this, but I had other things that I needed to deal with. After getting out of the car, I headed for the hotel¡¯s reception to check-in. ¡°The presidential suite please...¡± I said as I passed the receptionist my credit card. The receptionist seemed nervous as she looked me up and down. I guess she must have seen the news about George and all that. Unfortunately, I attended public events with George a lot and many knew my face well. Failing to get my hands on a pair of sunsses from the penthouse was a fatal mistake. I could have used it to at least partially hide my face. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again, Madame. Thank you for your card, we will only charge the deposit as per the procedure,¡± she exined politely. ¡°Sure...¡± I replied as I yed with a strand of my hair. The receptionist worked to swipe my card as I yed around on my phone to pass the time as I waited for her. It was taking a while and when I looked up, I could see that she was fidgeting like something was wrong. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± I asked. ¡°Umm...this must be some kind of mistake or error, but the payment isn¡¯t going through,¡± she said with an apologetic smile. ¡°Huh? You mean my card is being rejected?¡± I asked as a sense of dread started to take root in my stomach. ¡°Y-yes, Madame...¡± she replied. ¡°Maybe the card is broken. Try this one...or this one...¡± I said as I gave her a couple more of my other credit cards. I watched as the young woman tried my other credit cards one by one just to see all my cards getting rejected. What is going on? The receptionist returned the cards to me with an apologetic bow. By that time, I had suffered too much humiliation and I could feel many pairs of eyes on me. I quickly took the cards back from her before exiting from the hotel¡¯s lobby. I needed to call my private banking agent. Why is this happening all of a sudden? ¡°What do you mean all my assets are frozen? I can¡¯t use my credit cards either? I can¡¯t use anything? I can¡¯t withdraw my money?! That¡¯s absurd...¡± I said in shock. ¡°That¡¯s the order from the court and we have toply as the bank. Also, for your next call, please reach out to the general contact number for the bank. I can no longer act as your private banking agent due to insufficient funds in your investment portfolio,¡± the banker said as he brushed me off. ¡°Yeah, sure. Just do whatever!¡± I snapped before hanging up. I swore fluidly underneath my breath as I closed my eyes. Staring up at the sky, I realized for the first time since this whole thing started that I probably didn¡¯t have anything left to my name apart from the clothes, shoes and underwear that I had on. Oh, and my luxury brand handbag and whatever was in it. I opened my handbag and saw that I didn¡¯t have a lot of cash left. This is probably enough for one or two taxi rides. Honestly, I never thought that I would reach a point in my life where I had to worry about not having enough money to get by. I don¡¯t even have a ce to stay for the night and barely enough money for taxi rides and a few meals. Walking away from the hotel, I walked along the sidewalk until I found a bench. I pulled out my phone and sat down while my fingers scrolled through my contacts. Now¡¯s the time to find out who¡¯s your real friend. Most of the contacts that I had I wrote them off as fakers. All there for the sake of building business rtionships and maintaining public appearances for George and his job. Now that he was gone and I was on the verge of bankruptcy, these people probably wouldn¡¯t answer my calls even if I called them. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 19 19 A Real Friend My eye rested on the name of a friend from my days in university. We had known each other since the first day of university and had gotten immediately close. He, or she as he would prefer to be referred to, was against the idea of me marrying so early in life and we lost touch since I married George. It¡¯s so ironic that the failure of my marriage is the reason why I¡¯m going to give him a call now. ¡°Hi...it¡¯s me. I know that it¡¯s been a very long while but...¡± I said timidly through the phone. ¡°Oh girl! I thought you would never call. I was going to call you, but I didn¡¯t know how things were on your end. Anyways, I¡¯m so happy that you called!¡± the voice replied. ¡°Thank you...honestly...I...¡± I said before my voice broke and I started crying. ¡°Where are you? I¡¯ll head there right now to pick you up, ok?¡± Justin saidfortingly. ¡°Yeah...ok...¡± I mumbled through my sobs. ¡°Hang in there, girl. I¡¯m here for you, ok? Just hang in there...¡± Justin said. ¡°Ok...¡± I whispered softly before hanging up. My throat and chest felt tight as I tried my best to hold in my tears. I sniffed repeatedly before wiping some tears away from my eyes with the back of my hands. Closing my eyes, I tried to take deep and long breaths to calm myself down. I need to be strong...I need to be strong... ..... ... A bright red sedan pulled up right in front of me. Looking up, I saw the friend that I had been waiting for. It felt like I had fallen down a wet and slippery well and no matter how hard I tried I couldn¡¯t climb up. While staring at the lighting in from the opening of the well, the silhouette of my dear friend appeared along with the hope that I could be saved. ¡°You look like a mess, my angel,¡± Justin said as he shook his head from side to side. ¡°I just fell out of heaven...¡± I muttered as I tried to smile bravely at him. ¡°Thending must have been tough from that height...¡± Justin said before pursing his lips. He got out of the car and came over to me before throwing his muscr arms around me. The sweet floral smell of his perfume enveloped me, and I hugged him back. If you have a friend who you can count on in times of crisis like this, the life you¡¯ve led wasn¡¯t aplete failure or so I would like to believe. ¡°Let¡¯s get in the car. I¡¯ll take you back to my ce for now so dry your tears, ok? You¡¯ll ruin your beautiful face, and we can¡¯t have that,¡± Justin said as he pulled me to my feet and led me to the car. While in the car, I tried to give Justin a download of what had happened in my life after my graduation from university. It was hard for me to keep talking without bursting into tears. However, I felt like I would go insane if I didn¡¯t keep talking. ¡°You don¡¯t need to talk about it if you don¡¯t want to...¡± Justin said before ncing over and smiling a little at me. I must have looked like I was in so much pain to him. However, I did owe it to him to tell him my version of the story. When I was married to George, he didn¡¯t like it when I spent time with my friends who weren¡¯t exactly from the high society. He would say that it would look ¡®bad¡¯ if I hung around ¡®those people¡¯. As a result, I didn¡¯t meet up with Justin and my other friends as often, but we did keep in touch. Clearly following George¡¯s advice as a huge mistake. Now that I¡¯m in the deepest dump ever, it¡¯s ¡®those people¡¯ that were willing to help me and none of the connections that I had formed in high society. What a rotten joke. We arrived at Justin¡¯s condominium after a while of driving. I followed him up to his room which I found out was muchrger and well decorated than I had imagined at first. Not like I was looking down on him, but I didn¡¯t know that he was doing this well for himself. ¡°Wow. This is a very nice ce,¡± I said as I looked around. ¡°Sit down and just rest, girly,¡± Justin said as he gestured to the sofa in the center of the living room. I wondered what Justin was doing for a living now. If I remembered correctly, his parents owned a mid-sizedpany that dealt with importing and exporting. Of course, I didn¡¯t know much beyond that. Last I heard the rtionship between him, and his parents were strained because of his career aspirations and to a certain extent, his sexual preferences. Personally, I loved the fact that he was gay. It made him feel like a sister that I never had. ¡°I¡¯m sorry...about everything...¡± I said softly as I hung my head low. I felt so ashamed of myself, and I didn¡¯t have any excuse to offer to defend myself. I was wrong. Period. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. I¡¯m not mad at all. Listen, who you choose to marry isn¡¯t any of my business, girl. It¡¯s ok. We all make mistakes and I¡¯m not here to rub it in. Plus, I know that most of this was your parent¡¯s idea anyways,¡± Justin said reassuringly. ¡°Still...I¡¯m sorry, Justin,¡± I said truthfully. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. We¡¯re friends. I love you. Just get some sleep, you look like you¡¯ve been through a hurricane!¡± Justin eximed in his booming voice. ¡°I think it¡¯s a lot worse than that...¡± I said teasingly. It did feel like it was a lot worst though... ¡°Oh...I can¡¯t say that I can imagine...¡± Justin said with a softugh. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know where to go from here,¡± I admitted. ¡°I know...you¡¯re crushed about losing George and everything else that came with it,¡± Justin said, sounding empathetic. ¡°It¡¯s not just that. The thing is...George left me a debt of around 700 million dors, and this is after selling off every single thing that we both have to our name,¡± I announced. ¡°What?! Are you...serious?!¡± Justin cried out in shock as he ced a hand over his chest. ¡°Yeah. Everything is gone. Even my handbags...my shoes...everything down to like my branded silk underwear...I guess...¡± I said sarcastically. ¡°Well, I did tell you that those thousand-dor panties were a bad idea...¡± Justin reminded me. ¡°You were right,¡± I said as I pped my hands together andughed at his joke. ¡°Holy...girl...what are you going to do now?¡± he asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not stupid and I realize that my situation is shittier than a pile of shit right now. I married George right after my graduation so although I have a degree in business, I have absolutely no work experience. Unless you count dressing up pretty and building up connections with the rich and famous a job...¡± I said followed by a depressing sigh. ¡°Actually...there¡¯s a job simr to that...and it pays...really fucking well,¡± Justin said as his eyes widened in excitement. What is he talking about? Is there really a job like that? ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 20 20 An Ordinary Day **Roughly Three Months Later** ¡°Ahh...Adrian...¡± I moaned passionately as my hands clutched at his auburn red hair. I bit my lower lips to stifle my lewd moans as I spread my legs a little wider while Adrian buried his face in between my legs. His skillful tongue and lips continued to pay loving attention to my sopping wet pussy. I felt my nipples hardening as he ran the tip of his hot tongue up and down the length of the wet slit in between my legs. He¡¯s turning me on so much. I¡¯m already so wet for him and the ces that he had touched, kissed, and licked felt like it was burning on fire. My legs felt weak, and my breathing wasbored as I panted and moaned loudly in his office. When I visited him at the hospital and met him in his office, we had other ns in mind that did not involve him passionately kissing me before lifting me up onto his desk and seducing me like this. His tongue on my pussy lips felt amazingly pleasurable and I couldn¡¯t wait for him to give me more pleasure. I whimpered his name and Adrian flicked the tip of his tongue on my swollen and sensitive clit before sucking on it roughly. ¡°Adrian! Ahhh!¡± I cried out his name loudly at the intense sensation of him sucking on the small sensitive nub in between my legs. His hands tightened their hold on my thighs, keeping them spread widely apart as I sat on his worktable. My pussy immediately got wetter at his rough attention. He continued to suck on my hard clit, and I continued to whimper at the pleasure. My hand pulling his face closer to my core as I thrusted my hips towards his mouth and face. ¡°Adrian...if we continued...we¡¯re going to bete...¡± I said breathlessly. My mind felt hazy with heat and desire, and it took all the sanity that I had left to remind him of our original purpose of meeting today. That¡¯s right, we¡¯re supposed to take his daughter to her friend¡¯s birthday party. I¡¯m supposed to meet with him here first before we picked her up from his house to take her to the party at her friend¡¯s house. ¡°Judging from how wet you are, this shouldn¡¯t take much longer...¡± Adrian said from in between my legs as he paused his licking and sucking. ..... ¡°Ahhh! Not...inside...¡± I moaned lustfully although it was a little embarrassing. Adrian had thrusted his tongue into my pussy hole. The texture of his tongue grinding against my pussy walls felt addictively pleasurable. I covered my mouth with the back of my hand as I closed my eyes and enjoyed the sensation of his tongue thrusting in and out of my pussy hole as he tongue-fucked my cunt. He¡¯s too good at this that it was unfair. I couldn¡¯t control my body any longer and my hips began moving wildly, thrusting up and down as my pussy worked to suck his tongue deeper into my love hole. Adrian gripped the sides of my hips in his strong andrge hands while his mouth sucked on my pussy. Then his tongue wriggled relentlessly inside of me. If he doesn¡¯t stop, I¡¯m going to reach my climax very soon. The pleasurable ache in between my legs and lower abdomen was starting to be unbearable. Adrian thrusted his tongue skillfully against my pleasure spots and I clutched at his hair while I lifted my hips, pushing my wet pussy towards his mouth. I¡¯m about to cum...already... ¡°I...I¡¯m cumming!¡± I screamed so loudly as I forgot about everything else but the pleasure that my lover was giving me. My mind went nk as my orgasm consumed me. I forgot about everything. Where we were and what we were supposed to be doing. Ah...I screamed so loudly just now; did someone hear me? I felt his tongue sliding slowly out of my love tunnel as I began to recover from my intense orgasm. I leaned back on his table, using my arms to support myself so that I could remain in a sitting position. That climax felt so crazily wild, and it left my legs feeling weak. I was still trying to catch my breath when I felt Adrian¡¯s eyes on my face as he watched my reactions intently from where he was crouching down below in between my spread legs. ¡°You came so much into my mouth...¡± Adrian said, sounding very satisfied. Thatment and the way his green eyes twinkled with mischief made me feel slightly shy and I felt blood rush to my cheeks a little as I started blushing. He was right, he made me cum so much into his mouth. As always, he tasted and ate it all up. I watched as Adrian seductively licked his wet lips as he enjoyed my taste. ¡°Don¡¯t say things like that...¡± I whispered shyly as I looked away from him in embarrassment. ¡°You always taste so sweet...¡± Adrian said as he got up. I felt his fingers on my chin as he held my chin in between his fingertips and turned my head to face him once more. His lips were on mine before I could say anything to him. His tongue quickly invaded my mouth and I gasped a little in shock before moaning into his hot and wet kiss. He¡¯s making me taste my own love juices. His tongue grinded along with mine as it danced wildly in the depths of my mouth. The musky smell and slightly sweet taste of my own release filled my mouth and my senses as he continued to kiss me. I sighed as I rxed and concentrated on enjoying his passionate and deep kiss. When he broke our kiss, my mind was in a daze once more. Adrian chuckled a little at the sight of my dreamy face as our lips parted. I opened my eyes to find his enchanting green eyes staring at me and I smiled sweetly at him. My name is Elena and at a young but no-longer-green age of 25, I¡¯m a widow sh divorcee with three rich and famous contract husbands. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 21 21 Contract Wife ¡°Shall we head out now?¡± Adrian suggested. Oh...that¡¯s right. Millie is waiting for us! My eyes widened at the realization. My shocked expression must have been clear since Adrian startedughing a little at me. His hands started pulling down my skirt from where it was hiked up around my waist down to its original position. Wait...where are my panties? Although my skirt was arranged to its normal position now, I didn¡¯t have my panties on anymore. If I recalled correctly, Adrian had removed them before he started touching and licking my pussy. Where is it now? ¡°Looking for this?¡± Adrian asked teasingly as he held up my hot pinkce panties. ¡°...Yes¡± I replied as I reached out towards my panties. Just as my hand was about to reach its target, Adrian pulled my panties away from me. I looked at him with confusion at what he was doing. Now isn¡¯t the time to y these games... ¡°Hand it over...¡± I said as I pouted at him. ..... ¡°They¡¯re dirty so I¡¯m going to trash them...¡± Adrian stated matter-of-factly. Huh? Then what the hell am I supposed to wear? ¡°Don¡¯t do that. What am I supposed to wear then?¡± I asked as I tried to grab the panties from his hand. ¡°You don¡¯t need to wear anything. You¡¯ll be fine...¡± Adrian said as he chuckled yfully. So, he says... ¡°No!¡± I eximed loudly as Adrian threw my panties into the bin. Is he serious!? ¡°Adrian!¡± I cried out his name, shocked at his action. ¡°We should head out now...we¡¯re running prettyte. Traffic could be bad too, you know...¡± Adrian said as his green eyes twinkled evilly at me. He¡¯s such a tease... With hisrge hands on my back, he carefully ushered me out of his office. I don¡¯t know whether I was feeling overly conscious about it or not, but it felt very cold there when I didn¡¯t have my panties on. Am I just imagining this or what? Because of the tall, super handsome and very talented doctor next to me, I am now walking through the hospital at his side without any panties on. ¡°Doctor Adrian, are you leaving for the day?¡± a beautiful nurse greeted him as he walked past. ¡°Yes, thank you for your continuous dedicated to our hospital,¡± Adrian replied smoothly as he smiled professionally at her. ¡°Thank you so much for your support the other day, Sir,¡± a doctor said as he bowed a little to show his respect to Adrian. ¡°No worries. I look forward to working more with you in the future too,¡± Adrian replied wlessly. The doctor smiled back brightly as if he had just seen an angel descend down from the heavens. While Adrian exchanged conversation with the various people, I stood next to him with my most beautiful smile on my lips and acted the role of his wonderful and supportive girlfriend. He¡¯s too good at this that it made me feel out of ce to be at his side. It¡¯s been a few months now since we¡¯ve made our ¡®fake¡¯ rtionship public. Everyone in the hospital now knows that we¡¯re dating ¡®with the intention of getting married in the near future¡¯. Well, that¡¯s the story that we gave them anyways. Finally, we managed to make it out of the hospital and to his car. That felt like it took half an eternity instead of around 15 minutes. Adrian, being the heir to taking over this hospital as well as the other hospitals in the hospital chain that is owned by his family, was extremely popr among the management and the staff. His genius skills as a doctor as well as his sharp management skills made him truly revered by his colleagues. That and probably the fact that he¡¯s so good looking and charmingly perfect as well. In my normal life, I wouldn¡¯t have dreamed that a guy like him would be dating me. Truthfully, someone like him probably wouldn¡¯t pay me any attention in the first ce. However, by some twist of fate, we are now in a formal rtionship. Formal in the strict sense of the word. Our rtionship is bounded by a contract. I¡¯m his contract girlfriend and soon-to-be contract wife and he¡¯s one of my contract husbands. ... ¡°You¡¯re doing this on purpose, aren¡¯t you?¡± I asked usingly as I sat in the passenger seat of his car. ¡°I¡¯ve gotpletely no idea what you¡¯re talking about...¡± Adrian replied before he smirked without looking at me. ¡°We¡¯re taking your daughter to her friend¡¯s birthday party...¡± I reminded him. ¡°It should be good fun,¡± Adrian replied casually. I rolled my eyes before deciding to look out at the scenery that was passing by outside of the car¡¯s window. Adrian was in a great mood as he started humming along to the song ying on the radio. When I first started dating him as part of my job, I never thought that he would turn out to be such a pervert. I mean, what would you call a guy who would make you go to a children¡¯s birthday party without panties on underneath your skirt? Fortunately, traffic wasn¡¯t so bad, and we managed to arrive at his mansion at little earlier than I had thought which meant that we were roughly on time. A little 5-year-old girl was waiting for us anxiously with her nanny in the living room. ¡°Daddy!¡± the girl cried out excitedly when she spotted her father walk in. Immediately, the girl got up from the sofa and ran towards Adrian. I watched as Adrian crouched down and opened his arms to wee her. The girl ran into his arms and hugged him tightly. It was a loving sight that always brought a tender smile to my lips. This girl is Millie, and she is Adrian¡¯s only daughter. Long wavy dark brown hair, matching chocte-colored eyes, and a cute round face. Surprisingly, Millie did not resemble Adrian at all. She must take after her mother. Of course, I didn¡¯t know what Adrian¡¯s ex-wife looked like and I didn¡¯t know anything about her either. Adrian didn¡¯t tell me anything about her and I didn¡¯t dare to ask. As always, Millie was dressed like a little princess and was carrying her favorite pastel pink rabbit plush toy. She was a really cute little girl and a smart one too. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 22 22 The Perfect Girlfriend ¡°Hi! Elena...¡± she greeted me before smiling sweetly my way. ¡°Hi, Millie. Looking forward to the party?¡± I asked as I smiled back at her. She¡¯s such a cute girl, really. It took quite a while for her to warm up to me ande to terms with the fact that I¡¯m dating her father. Now, I could proudly say that we are on very friendly terms. ¡°Yes! Let¡¯s go!¡± Millie cried out cheerfully. ¡°Right. Let¡¯s go!¡± I also cried out excitedly as I mimicked her cheerful pose. Adrian took her hand and together the three of us walked to the car. The nanny helped put her backpack in the bag seat of the car along with Millie while Adrian and I rode in the front seats. At times like these, I couldn¡¯t help but feel like we really were a family. Millie chatted away about some toys that she yed with and what was happening at school with her friends. Adrian made appropriatements here and there while I listened to their conversation. I felt a small tug on my hand and realized that Adrian had started holding my hand in his. His hand around mine was warm and I couldn¡¯t help but smile a little at him. The tender touch of his hand and the family-like atmosphere in the car reminded me that once, I too, had a family like this. It was a short drive to Millie¡¯s friend house where the party was taking ce. My job for today was to act as Adrian¡¯s girlfriend and Millie¡¯s new mother. From what I¡¯ve been told, Adrian and Millie¡¯s mother divorced when she was just a baby. From then on, Adrian had been raising Millie as a single father. Now that Millie is growing up and socializing more with the people around her, Adrian¡¯s family wanted him to remarry to find a new mother for Millie and to produce more children. The ssic rich and demanding family story. If your family isn¡¯t perfect, it was very hard for you to avoid dark gossips in high society. Adrian¡¯s divorce from his ex-wife was having many negative repercussions on Millie. Now that she has grown up enough to understand a bit of what was going on, she was feeling the negative impacts firsthand such as being teased at school for not having a mother. That was where I entered into the picture. ..... ¡°We¡¯ve arrived,¡± Adrian said as he got out of the car and opened the door for Millie. ¡°Yay!¡± Millie cried out happily beforeughing. I offered the girl my hand and she took it while smiling up at me. We led her inside the house where her friends were already there ying with some games. ¡°Adrian, so happy that you and Millie could make it,¡± a woman with blonde hair and a very beautiful smile greeted us at the door. This must be one of the hosts for today¡¯s party. The mother of one of Millie¡¯s friends, I quickly took mental note. She¡¯s a target for me to impress as Adrian¡¯s girlfriend and Millie¡¯s mother. ¡°We¡¯re d to be here. Thanks so much for the invitation. Millie has been excited and looking forward to this party,¡± Adrian replied before smiling politely at her. Her eyes were immediately on me, and I smiled at her while I waited for Adrian to introduce me. This is the first time that he¡¯s introducing me into Millie¡¯s world of acquaintances and failure on my part wasn¡¯t an option. ¡°This is Elena, she¡¯s my girlfriend,¡± Adrian introduced me with a proud smile before putting an arm around my waist. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you,¡± I said, my voice sweet and dripping with honey. ¡°Wow. I didn¡¯t know that Adrian had a girlfriend. I¡¯m Gemma, Isabelle¡¯s mother. You twoe inside,¡± Gemma said. By this time, Millie had already rushed into the house to join the rest of her friends. We both followed Gemma inside of her house. The kids had formed their own group to y games and the parents had formed another group to socialize while they waited for their kids to be done. It was a simple and clean set up that allowed both age groups to past the time enjoyably. ¡°This way,¡± Gemma said as she led Adrian and I to the sofa where the other parents were chatting. ¡°I¡¯m Adrian, Millie¡¯s father and this is my girlfriend, Elena. Nice to meet you,¡± Adrian introduced us wlessly as I stered on one of my most charming smiles. If nothing else, I knew that I was an easy sight on the eyes. It wasmon for people to think that I¡¯m nothing more than a beautiful face and that worked in my favor most of the time. Honestly, you have to look at least above decent to date billionaires and Adrian was definitely one of them. ¡°So, Elena, what do you do?¡± one of the women in the group asked. It was one of the mostmon questions that I would get whenever I went out with my clients. The way that everyone was looking at me made it clear that they were wondering how I managed to hook someone has handsome and rich as Adrian. The fact that he hasn¡¯t been in a rtionship for many years probably only added to the mystery. ¡°I¡¯m a designer. I own my own line of clothes and essories. I have a degree in business management, but I honestly feel more inclined towards design. So,bining my passion for fashion and my background in business, I somehow managed tounch my own fashion line,¡± I replied wlessly before smiling warmly at my audiences. It wasn¡¯t a lie. I did own a smallpany that sells clothes and essories produced based on my own original designs. Obviously, thepany was small and couldn¡¯t support my current lifestyle or the overwhelming amount of debt that I had on my shoulders. Obviously, these people didn¡¯t need to know that. ¡°Wow...that¡¯s amazing...¡± one of the men said as he smiled at me. Some men are easy to bewitch and this gentleman here is definitely one of them. They asked me a couple of other questions before the conversation finally steered in a different direction. I could feel Adrian¡¯s eyes on me as I conversed fluidly with the other parents. Whenever our eyes met, I would smile at him to assure him that I was fine and that everything was going ording to n. ¡°Why don¡¯t we all head out to the garden for some drinks? I¡¯ve already prepared everything outside,¡± Gemma suggested energetically. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea,¡± another parent said. ¡°Yeah...let¡¯s do that,¡± another woman readily agreed. ¡°We should have enough nannies to cover the kids,¡± another mother said before smiling brightly. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 23 23 Where We Left Off With that Adrian and I also made our way out to the garden where some cocktails were already prepared for us. I felt Adrian¡¯s warm hand on the small of my back as he stood next to me before he offered me a ss of pinkish-orange cocktail. ¡°Thank you, Adrian,¡± I thanked him while smiling sweetly. I took the ss from him and began sipping the cocktail slowly. It was sweet...perhaps a little too sweet but my sweet tooth didn¡¯t mind at all. I nced over at Adrian, feeling a little worried because I knew that he didn¡¯t deal with sweet things very well. It was always ck coffee...or shots for him. ¡°Too sweet for you?¡± I asked. ¡°You? Or the drink?¡± Adrian replied teasingly. I giggled at his cute joke before we clinked out ss together. The conversation among the parents was actually quite boring with a lot of it involving the children, the school, their development, nned family holidays and other topics of that sort. Adrian was clearly disengaged while I tried my best to stay engaged in the conversation. Suddenly, I felt something ssh a little on my shirt. Looking down, I could see a pinkish stain on my shirt. ¡°Oh...I¡¯m so clumsy. Sorry...we¡¯ll just head in to clean this off. We¡¯ll be back in a bit,¡± Adrian said hurriedly before he grabbed my hand in his and began dragging me back inside of the house. Just like the rest of the people, I was slightly confused at what was happening. I turned to smile and bow a little to excuse us from the other people as Adrian dragged me back inside. ..... ¡°Adrian...¡± I called his name softly once we were inside the house. Wordlessly, Adrian led me to the bathroom. I could feel the stickiness of the stain on the skin of my chest. However, it wasn¡¯t a big deal or anything. idents do happen after all. Adrian dragged me into the bathroom before closing and locking the door quickly behind us. I wasn¡¯t able to say a single word before his lips sealed mine in a heated kiss. His hand held the back of my head as his lips crushed hungrily against mine. My eyes widened in shock at the abruptness of his action before I closed my eyes and surrendered myself to the blissfulness of his kiss. He kissed me ardently before his hot tongue slipped in between my slightly parted lips into the depths of my mouth. Adrian skillfully teased my tongue with his, making me let out a soft moan as I started melting against his hard body. His hands were all over my body as he continued to taste my lips. His hands slid down my body to cup and massage my breast over my clothes. His squeezed my breasts softly at first before his touch became rougher. I kissed him back hungrily as I threw my arms around his neck, drawing him even closer to me. This made me remember that Adrian was probably holding back when we were at his office at the hospital. I wished that he could have hung on until this party was over and we returned back to his mansion but clearly that wasn¡¯t possible anymore. It was impossible to stop Adrian when he got like this. The best solution was to get this over with as fast as possible. I could feel the shape and hardness of his erect cock against my belly. Judging from how hard and ready he was, this wouldn¡¯t take too long. My body was also more than ready for him. I could feel my own warm wetness gushing out from the slit in between my legs. My wetness seeping out of my love hole and trickling down my inner thighs. Adrian broke our kiss and began nting kisses down the side of my neck before he started sucking on my sensitive skin softly. I moan in protest because I didn¡¯t want him to leave a mark. A mark on the neck would be easily spotted by other people and I didn¡¯t have a concealer on me at the moment. I whispered his name seductively as his hands ran down the length of my body from my breasts down the in of my stomach and down even further. He stroked my waist and then my hips before his hands dipped underneath my skirt and began stroking my thighs softly. My entire body trembled in anticipation as he ran his fingers up my inner thighs, inching towards the hot wet mess in between my legs. ¡°Adrian...¡± I whispered his name, and I wasn¡¯t sure if I wanted him to stop or to continued. It didn¡¯t matter either way. I knew that there was no way that Adrian would stop until he¡¯d had his way with me. I let out an impassioned moan when his fingers finally reached the wetness in between my legs and began stroking my flooded love entrance. His fingers running up and down the length of my wet opening felt amazing, and it made me want to feel even more of him. ¡°Your pussy is flooded again. Did walking around without your panties on turn you on?¡± Adrian whispered teasingly. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me...that you did all that on purpose...¡± I said in between my pants. I knew that he knew what I was referring to. He must have spilled the cocktail on me on purpose just to get me here. Adrian smiled sweetly and innocently at me as if he didn¡¯t know what I was referring to. Instead of answering my question, Adrian focused his attention on pleasuring me instead. Not that I thought that that was a bad alternative. ¡°Ahh...Ahhh...¡± I moaned louder before biting down on my lower lips to prevent even more moans from spilling out from my lips. Adrian thrusted one of his long and very thick fingers into my pussy hole. My pussy walls clenched around his intruding finger immediately as it tried to suck his finger deeper inside. It feels so good. I know it¡¯s just his finger, but it already feels maddeningly pleasurable. ¡°Your pussy is so hot inside...¡± Adrian said as his fingers started moving inside of my love hole. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 24 24 Satisfying My First Husband ¡°Ahh...Adrian...¡± I moaned as I began rocking my hips against his hand and finger. ¡°Shh...if you get too loud people are going to hear all the lewd sounds that you¡¯re making...¡± Adrian warned teasingly. There were so many people in this house right now. The children...the nannies... I covered my mouth with my hand as I closed my eyes and rode out the pleasure that Adrian was feeding my body. His finger began thrusting in and out of my hole mercilessly. His hand pping against my pussy as his finger stirred up my wetness, making lewd wet sounds echo throughout the bathroom. My legs started to feel weak from the pleasure and I had to use my other hand to grip the sink to remain standing. ¡°What about another one?¡± Adrian suggested. I didn¡¯t have time to respond before he screwed another finger inside of me. My pussy stretched to amodate the shape and size of his fingers as they began pumping wildly into my love hole. His fingers rubbed against my pussy walls and hit my pleasure spot deep inside. It was driving me wild with lust and desire. I cried out softly into the palm of my hand as Adrian thrusted his fingers hard and fast into my pussy. My hips began moving on its own again, thrusting my hips towards his fingers. Skillfully, Adrian felt around my insides until he found my sensitive g-spot and began thrusting his fingertips roughly against it. The pleasure quickly became too much for me to handle. If he doesn¡¯t stop, I¡¯m going to cum...very soon... ¡°Adrian...I¡¯m gonna...cum...¡± I said in a shaky voice as I felt my orgasm fast approaching. ¡°Just cum...¡± Adrian said as his fingers began moving even faster against my pleasure spot. ..... Just like I had said, I climaxed almost right away. My pussy squirting out my love juices onto his fingers and hand. My entire body trembled as my pussy clenched and spasm wildly around his fingers. I was still recovering from my climax when I felt Adrian slowly withdrawing his fingers from my body. ¡°Turn around...¡± Adrian instructed as he helped me turn my body away from him. I ced my hand on the wall as I bent down and stuck my ass out towards him. His hands quickly pulled my skirt upwards, exposing my naked ass to him. My pussy was so wet since I just came, and I could feel my juices running down my thighs as I waited in anticipation for him to take me from behind. I heard the familiar sound of Adrian unbuckling his belt and unzipping his pants. Since I had just climaxed, my pussy still felt a little sore and sensitive; however, I couldn¡¯t wait to feel Adrian¡¯s gigantic cock fill me up inside. I didn¡¯t have to wait for too long before I felt the heat of his thick cock position itself at my slippery entrance. ¡°I really missed you this week. I really couldn¡¯t wait to fuck you, Elena...¡± Adrian whispered seductively into my ear before he bit on my earlobe teasingly. It stung a little, but it didn¡¯t hurt. ¡°Ahhh! Ahhh! Ahhh!¡± I cried out, forgetting to muffle my cries. Adrian entered me in one forceful thrust that buried the length of his entire hot rod into me. It hurts...but it feels so good at the same time. It was a sensation that was hard to describe. Adrian¡¯s cock was very hard, thick and long. Although we¡¯ve made love many times by now, I still found it difficult to take him in without feeling a slight stinging pain as he prated me. ¡°Bite on my fingers...you¡¯re getting too loud...¡± Adrian instructed as he positioned his fingers at my lips. I nodded slightly before taking two of his fingers into my mouth and began sucking on it. Soon I had to bite on them, when Adrian began moving his massive cock inside of my hole. He reared his hips back, pulling his cock out of me before thrusting it back in deeper than before. I bit on his fingers to keep myself from crying out loud as he began pounding his cock in and out of my love hole. I could hear distant sounds of the childrenughing and ying from the other side of the wall where we were busy mating like wild animals. I prayed silently that no one would hear us. Adrian hitting his cock against my womb robbed me of any further thought or prayer on that topic. His massive member stroked the walls of my pussy with his movement as he thrusted wildly into me. He must have been holding back for too long because he was goingpletely crazy right now. He gripped my hips with his other hand as his hips moved to ram his cock into my pussy from behind. His hips pped against my ass as he pumped his cock fast and hard inside of me. It took a lot of effort me to stay standing at the force of his thrusting. Our bodies made pping sounds as his cock plunged into my wetness from various angles. It felt too good to be true and I wanted him to continue pounding his massive member into me forever. The wet sound of his cock beating into my wetness filled the bathroom as we coupled passionately. His cock stretched and filled me up sopletely and it felt extremely satisfying. I¡¯m about to cum again. He¡¯s moving too fast and he¡¯s hitting all the right spots deep inside of me. I couldn¡¯t take it anymore...I¡¯m about to climax again... ¡°About to cum? Your pussy is clenching around my cock so tightly...¡± Adrian whispered knowingly. ¡°I¡¯m...cumming...¡± I whimpered as my climax imed me again. My pussy clenched harder around his cock as I struggle to feel even more of him. Adrian continued pounding his member into me. I could tell from his wild thrusting and low groans that he was close to his release as well. I thrusted my hips backwards invitingly as he continued to take me fast and hard from behind. After a few more deep and hard thrusts, Adrian groaned my name when he reached his own heights. His cock twitched inside of me as it shot his hot seed deep into my love tunnel. I closed my eyes and sighed with satisfaction at the feeling of his warmth flooding into me. He¡¯s cumming so much inside of me. He¡¯s filling me up with so much of his seed. It¡¯s endless... We were both panting hard when we were done with our passionate tryst. Adrian withdrew his cock from my wet hole as he supported me to make sure that I could still stand. I nodded at him, signaling that I was ok. I was fine but I wasn¡¯t sure if my pussy was or not. Just like always, I would probably be sore tomorrow morning. My pussy was flooded with the mix of our love juices that had gushed out when Adrian withdrew his cock from my body. I could smell the mix of our sex juices. This is such a mess. I better clean up quickly so that we can rejoin the others. They were probably suspicious already since we¡¯ve been gone for a while now... ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 25 25 My Second Husband **sh sh sh** ¡°EROS please look this way. Perfect...¡± ¡°Just rx your upper body a bit...look into the camera...that¡¯s it...give us a sexy look,¡± ¡°nce over there. Yup...ok. A couple more full body shots with some essories over here and we can probably call it a day,¡± I stood to the side in a navy suit and a matching skirt as I watched EROS work on thest job on his busy schedule for today. From early in the morning until now, EROS had been working on various jobs. Starting from an interview for a magazine early in the morning. Followed by amercial shoot that ran fromte morning to early afternoon with only a short lunch break in between. Another interview recordingte in the afternoon. Without a break for dinner, we had to drive all this way to this studio for him to do a fashion photoshoot for one of the leading brands that had decided to feature their products in the album cover and bonus booklet that would apany theunch of his new music album that was expected tounch at the end of the month. I nced at the cock on the wall which showed that it was already close to midnight. Once again, I wondered how many hours of sleep EROS would be getting tonight. I wouldn¡¯t be with him tomorrow since I had to take care of another client and that made me quite worried about him. Although he would probably just snap at me if I told him that. My eyes returned to the sizzling hot man posing in front of the camera, his piercing golden eyes reminded me of the wild lions running in the yellow grass field of the savanna and so did his glossy mid length blond hair and his matching long blond eyshes. ¡°He¡¯s so hot...¡± ..... ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m seeing him in person...¡± ¡°EROS is the best...¡± ¡°I love his songs...¡± ¡°His new movie is great too...¡± Endless whispers of praise from the staff that had gathered not too far from me were quite disturbing. I¡¯ve gotten used to hearing thesements by now and just hoped that EROS couldn¡¯t hear them. Everyone would think that he would be happy to hear people shower him with praises, but in reality, he was annoyed with anything that would distract from his work. ¡°Shh...¡± I whispered softly as I put a finger up to my lips. The staffs turned towards me before lowering their voices. It was only for two days a week but for those two days, I was officially the manager of one of the most famous superstars on this continent: EROS, the lead singer of the band EROS Wings. Although he started off an a rockstar his career has now evolved to take on other challenges such as modelling and acting. My eyes returned to him again and I think for a split of a second our eyes met. Perhaps I imagined it, but I think he just grinned at me. That brought a little smile to my lips. He¡¯s so hard to manage and I don¡¯t know why I¡¯ve put up with him after all this time. EROS, he¡¯s my second contract husband. ¡°That¡¯s a wrap. Thank you, EROS. Thank you everyone,¡± the director in charge of the photoshoot called out loudly. The lighting was switched off and the staff started reviewing the photos while the other team members started packing up. EROS, or rather Sean, which was his real name, got up from the chair that he was sitting on. He looked pointedly at me, and I quickly snapped out of my thoughts. My legs were taking me towards him even before my mind could process what I was doing. I could tell by the look of annoyance in his eyes that he was about to reach his breaking point. Of course, no one can ever find out what the real EROS is really like. If they did, EROS will never be the same again and that will destroy the profitability of thergest entertainmentpanies on this continent. Since I couldn¡¯t be held responsible for such a huge crisis, I had to get him out of here before his fa?ade cracks. ¡°Excuse me! Please back away...¡± I cried loudly as I pushed through the people that have crowded around him. Unnecessary attention...is not...good... ¡°Please step back. I¡¯m so sorry about this but EROS needs to head to his dressing room now. Please step aside!¡± I yelled loudly now to make myself heard over the crowd. Before I took on this job, I never imagined that being a manager for a superstar could ever be this tough. Thankfully, there were other people in the team that helped EROS out with his work. With the help of everyone, we managed to part the crowd to create a path for EROS to walk peacefully from the shooting scene to his dressing room. ¡°Hang in there...please...¡± I whispered as I walked by his side. EROS kept his head hung low and his eyes on the floor all the way to the dressing room. He must have looked like a very humble artist to the staff who were also his fans. In this industry where many stars developed ugly personalities after gaining fame, EROS was wlessly humble and pure. Despite his fame, he was nice, respectful, and professional to everyone. Everyone who came into contact with him couldn¡¯t help falling in love with his charismatic personality. However, the truth was... EROS and I entered his changing room and he quickly closed the door behind us and locked it. EROS¡¯s dressing room is off-limits to all staffs unless they had permission from his regr manager, EROS or me. The main reason for that was... I sucked in a breath and held it as I watched EROS throw the scarf that he had around his neck on the floor before he headed for the table, grabbed a bottle of water and started pouring water onto his blond hair. I had to admit that EROS dumping water onto his hair and shaking his head about was a very sexy sight to behold; however, that wasn¡¯t the key issue here. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 26 26 His Real Self ¡°Hell. Those fucking bitches were so annoying. They were chatting all the way through the whole fucking shoot. I could hear almost every word that they said, and they fucking thought they were fucking whispering...¡± Sean growled through clenched teeth as he ran his fingers through his wet hair. Shit...I knew it. He heard them. I let out the breath that I had been holding. When we are alone, EROS is gone. The man standing in front of me is Sean Herman, the real man behind EROS. The only son of the Herman family and sole heir to thergest entertainmentpany, GH entertainment. ¡°You did well. I¡¯m sure the photos will look great,¡± I said as I offered him a little smile. ¡°Of course, it will...but who cares...¡± Sean said with a shrug before he plopped down into a chair in front of the mirror. ¡°Let¡¯s pack up and head back?¡± I suggested. It was veryte, and no one gets off work until Sean does so truthfully, we were holding up the entire team. By the time the shoot had ended, it was way past midnight, and I was sure that everyone was looking forward to calling it a day. ¡°You won¡¯t be here tomorrow, right?¡± Sean asked. ¡°Yea...I won¡¯t be...¡± I replied quietly. I heard Sean click in tongue in annoyance. Tomorrow, I have to work for another client, meaning my other contract husband so I won¡¯t be working as his manager. ..... ¡°Your hair and your shirt are all wet. You should change or you¡¯ll catch a cold...¡± I warned as I pointed a finger at his chest. ¡°Help me...¡± Sean said softly. ¡°What?¡± I asked in confusion. ¡°Help me...change my clothes...¡± Sean requested once again. ¡°No. You can do it yourself,¡± I refused directly. ¡°Hmm...I guess everyone will have to sleep in this shitty studio tonight then,¡± Sean said casually before smirking at me. ¡°Huh?¡± I let out a sound of surprise. ¡°I¡¯m not moving from this chair until you do as I say...¡± Sean said, sounding very much like a spoiled kid. ¡°Stop ying games with me, Sean!¡± I snapped at him immediately. I stormed towards the closet in the room where his clothes were. Grabbing his shirt, his jeans, and his ck leather jacket, I quickly brought them out and dumped them on the dressing table right in front of him. ¡°Change your clothes...now...¡± Imanded as a scowl creased my brows. I need to stop this. Botox and facial lifts are expensive, and I need to save up money. My beautiful face is part of my trade so I must maintain it as best as I can. With that thought in mind, I sucked in a deep breath and rxed my face into a polite expression. ¡°I hate how fake your face looks right now,¡± Sean stated with distaste. ¡°Stop pissing me off and just do as I say...please...¡± I said in a tight voice as I stered a smile on my face all for the sake of preventing lines from creasing the skin on my face. Suddenly I heard soft knocks on the dressing room door. It must be someone from the team of staff. ¡°Yes? What is it?¡± I called towards the door. ¡°Umm...the car is ready...¡± the staff informed us. The message was clear. Everyone was ready to go, and they were just waiting on us. While Mister EROS here refuses to change his own clothes! ¡°Sean, change your clothes ande outside, ok? I¡¯ll be waiting for you,¡± I instructed as I gestured to the clothes that I had ced on the table in front of him. Sean looked at the clothes on the table with emotionless eyes. It was like he didn¡¯t see them at all. I sighed loudly as I turned on my heels and started to walk away. Suddenly, I felt his grip on my wrist and then my arm and body were being pulled backwards. ¡°When did I say that you could leave?¡± Sean asked but it wasn¡¯t really a question. ¡°Sean...¡± I whispered his name in shock as the grip on my wrist tightened slightly. His golden eyes narrowed at me as he slowly stood up from his seat. I could tell from the look in his eyes that he was quite angry right now. Instinctively, I took a step back as he came closer, his hand still holding my wrist. He took another step towards me, and I took another step back until I felt the hardness of the table behind me bumping into the flesh of my buttocks. That was when I realized that he had me cornered. ¡°Sean...not here...¡± I said softly as I brought my other hand up and touched his chest. I felt the wetness of his shirt on the palm of my hand. His shirt is wet, and he still refused to get changed. His eyes stared deeply into mine and it was impossible for me to look away from the captivating beauty of his eyes. These eyes that have captivated the countless souls of his fans, I¡¯m getting to see them up close. Honestly, I wasn¡¯t a fan of his at all. Slowly his hand reached for my hand and removed it from his chest before he slowly leaned in closer and started kissing the side of my neck softly. His hands held both of my wrists to prevent my escape as his body trapped me in between the dressing table and his tall andrge frame. His lips felt warm and demanding on my neck as his soft kisses quickly turned into firm sucking. When he ran the tip of his tongue along the arch of my neck, my body shivered, and I heard myself let out a soft moan. Sean moved even closer, pining his hips against me, trapping me between him and the table behind me. My eyes widened in surprise at how hard his cock had already gotten. I could feel his hardness press against me as he pressed me against the table. Without saying anything, his hands released mine and began unbuttoning the small buttons of my white shirt. One by one he undid the buttons before he parted the fabric covering my body to the side. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 27 27 Honest Desire I moaned softly as his hands slid underneath my bra before he pushed them upwards to expose my naked breasts to his hungry eyes. His gaze felt like it was burning my body and I felt my nipples hardening just at his touch. Sean cupped my breasts with his hands before he started squeezing them softly, making me moan at the pleasurable sensation. ¡°Your breasts are so beautiful...so soft...¡± he whispered as his hands started applying more force. He massaged my breasts and my breathing quickened. He¡¯s turning me on so much already, if this continues, we¡¯re going to end up having sex right here in the dressing room. I could feel his hard on against my belly and I knew that he also needed his release. Sean had a very strong sex drive, and I knew that from personal experience although I haven¡¯t been working with him for that long. As a result, we¡¯ve ended up doing it in many random ces that suited his work schedule. ¡°Sean...maybe we should wait till we¡¯re back at your ce...¡± I suggested weakly. ¡°I hate it when you¡¯re not being honest. I¡¯ve told you that twice already today...¡± Sean replied coldly. ¡°Sean...¡± I whispered his name. He ignored me as he dipped his head lower and engulfed one of my erect nipples into his hot and wet mouth. The warm and wet sensation of his mouth on my nipple turned me on even more. Without wasting any time, Sean began flicking the tip of his tongue against my nipple before he sucked on it hard. I threw my head back and cried out at the sudden pleasure as my hand clutched at his head. I thrusted my chest towards his face invitingly and he sucked on my nipple even harder than before. After that he switched to pay loving attention to my other nipple. While his lips were busy sucking on my nipple, his hand started its journey down the curves of my body from my chest down to my waist before dipping lower towards my hips. Finally, his hand disappeared under my skirt. I whimpered his name softly when his fingers pressed up against the crotch of my panties. ¡°Your panties are soaked, and you were telling me to wait until we got home...¡± Sean said followed by an amusedugh. ..... His fingers quickly pulled my panties to the side before he ran his fingertips along the wetness in between my legs. I could feel his fingers stroking my slippery wetness and I knew that I was soaking wet down there. I bit my lower lips and began moaning louder as his fingers continued to stroke my wet pussy until his fingers brushed against my swollen clit. ¡°Ahh! Ahhh...¡± I let out a cry at the intense pleasure that ran from where his fingers were actively stimting my clit. It¡¯s so good that I couldn¡¯t help crying out. His fingers stroked my clit faster and harder before he pinched it in between his fingertips and rolled it. My legs immediately felt weak from desire, and I had to lean back against the table behind me. ¡°Admit it, Elena, you can¡¯t wait for me to fuck you...¡± Sean whispered seductively. ¡°I...ahhhh...¡± I couldn¡¯t reply to him. All I could do was moan to keep myself from going crazy from the pleasure that he was making me experience. Without warning, Sean rammed two of his thick and long fingers into my pussy hole. I cried out loudly at the suddenness of his entrance. Sean began moving his fingers right away, thrusting them in and out of my hole from various angles. He made sure to hit my pleasure spots and I hated how he knew how to please my body so well. ¡°You¡¯re flooding down here, Elena,¡± Sean cooed into my ear. ¡°Ahhh...Ahhhh...¡± I continued to moan as my hips began moving to match the thrusting rhythm of his fingers. ¡°This is your honest expression, Elena. Look carefully...this is what you look like when you¡¯re honest with me,¡± Sean hissed in my ear as he turned my body around to face the mirror. The erotic look on my face shocked me. My face was flushed, and my lips were swollen with my mouth agape as I moaned and panted like a woman in heat. His finger curled up to stimte my G-spot and my face contorted into an even more erotic expression. ¡°Sean...please...¡± I pleaded although I wasn¡¯t sure what I was pleading for. ¡°You¡¯re about to cum...so you¡¯re begging for it...¡± Sean said knowingly. His fingers began moving faster and harder inside of my hole. He pushed me forward softly so that I leaned on the dressing table with my ass turned in his direction. His fingers continued to ram in and out of me from behind. ¡°Don¡¯t close your eyes. I want you to watch yourself when you climax...¡± Sean instructed as his other hand dipped in front of my hips. I cried out and my breath fogged up a part of the mirror. His other hand began pinching my clit while his other hand continued fingering me. The double stimtion quickly drove me towards the edge and soon enough, I climaxed magnificently as Sean watched my face from the reflection of the mirror. ¡°Time for you to undress me and help me change,¡± hemanded as he pulled me around to face him once more. I was so unsteady on my feet that I bumped right into his chest when he pulled me around. My orgasm left me feeling dizzy and a little disoriented, but I was slowly recovering. Quickly, my hands reached for the hem of his shirt before pulling it up to remove his shirt. Sean lifted his arms above his head and helped me pull the shirt over his head. Great, at least he¡¯s willing to help me out. The sight of his beautifully toned body took my breath away. The shirtless photos of him on billboard and magazines looked great but nothing beats the feeling of his muscles flexing beneath my hands as I ran my hands on his chest before stroking my way down to his firm six pack. Sean sucked in a breath, and I knew that I was turning him on pretty badly too. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 28 28 Spoiling Him My hand reached for his belt and began unbuckling it as he pulled me into a wild and passionate kiss. His lips crushing against mine before he bit softly on my lower lip. I parted my lips invitingly and he readily took my invitation by thrusting his hot tongue deeply into my mouth. Our tongues danced around wildly while I unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants. To my utmost surprise, Sean broke our kiss and sat down on the chair before he beckoned to me with his hands and eyes to join him. My eyes went to therge upstanding pole in between his legs. His cock was huge, thick, and very erect. ¡°Come and ride me. I want to see you go wild...¡± Seanmanded. I honestly didn¡¯t think that he would pick this position out of all the other options that were feasible in this situation. However, he had made his choice and I had to go along with it. I approached the chair and slowly spread my legs to straddle him. This position is quite embarrassing because I had to take the lead in taking in his cock and moving. I nted my feet on the ground and spread my legs before carefully positioning his hot and thick cock at my throbbing entrance. His cock was hard and hot in my hand as I held him. Sean moaned softly at the feel of my hand on his sensitive member as his eyes watched my face intently from below. He watched my every reaction as I positioned his cock at my wet entrance. ¡°Take my cock inside you, Elena¡± he whispered to me seductively. ¡°Ahhh...it¡¯s so...big...¡± I moaned and whimpered softly as I slowly lowered my hips onto his upstanding shaft. The thick head of his rod stretched my entrance and began to slowly prate my wet love hole. I gripped his shoulders with both hands as I lowered my hips further down, taking in more of his length inside of me. His cock felt hot and very thick as more of him slid inside of my pussy. Instinctively, my pussy clenched around his massive cock as if trying to remember his shape and size. I tried my best to rx my pussy around him as I continued to take in more of him inside of me. His hands held the sides of my hips as he stared at my face. I moaned softly as he slowly filled me up deeper and deeper. ..... ¡°A bit more. It¡¯s notpletely in yet,¡± Sean said before smirking at me. He¡¯s such a troublemaker but for some reason, I couldn¡¯t really get mad at him for anything. I sat down further onto him until his entire length was buried deep into my hot cunt. Sitting on hisp skin-on-skin, I sighed as I finally managed to take his entire cock into me. I could feel his cock twitching inside of me and I knew that he wanted me to move and ride his cock. ¡°Can you move?¡± Sean asked as his hands moved up to caress my breasts. I panted a little, but I nodded to him. Flexing my legs, I began lifting my hips up slowly. Instantly, I felt the sensation of his cock rubbing along my pussy walls as his cock began moving out of my pussy. It felt so good already and we had just started. I wasn¡¯t sure how long I couldst before I cum. Lifting my hips just enough to slide his cock partially out of my hole, I squatted down and sat on hisp again. His cock pounded into me from the movement of my hips, and I cried out at the intense pleasure. ¡°Feels good? You¡¯re clenching around my cock...¡± Sean said, and I could hear the satisfaction in his voice. I knew that he was feeling good too and the hardness of his cock that seemed to be getting harder and hotter inside of me was more than enough proof than I needed. ¡°Ahhh...Sean...Ahhh...¡± I moaned and cried out his name as I began to move my hips up and down faster. Our sex made lewd wet sounds as his cock rammed in and out of my hole faster and harder. The crazy addictive pleasure that I was feeling was taking over my mind and body. I couldn¡¯t control myself anymore, my body moved wildly as I rode his cock fast and hard. I locked my arms around his neck as I bounced my body up and down the length of his cock. My pussy clenching hard around him as I rocked my hips to ensure that the swollen head of his cock hit all the right pleasurable spots deep inside of my wet hole. His cock felt so good inside of me. He¡¯s so big and he¡¯s already getting bigger and hotter. My breasts bounced up and down more intensely than before as I sped up my wild humping. My cries had gotten shamelessly louder as I lost myself in my desire for him. ¡°That¡¯s so sexy...lift your hips. Yes, right there...¡± Sean instructed as his hands helped support my hips and lifted it up to the level that he wanted it to be. ¡°Ohh! Ahhhh! Sean...¡± I cried out as his cock thrusted sharply upwards into my eagerly awaiting hole. Sean thrusted his hips upwards from below, ramming his cock into my pussy and I cried out at the sensation of his cock pounding forcefully into me. Hisrge hands held my hips in ce as he thrusted faster and harder from below. It felt different from when I was the one moving, it¡¯s much more intense. Sean thrusted harder and faster than I could manage when I rode him. I threw my head back and moaned wildly as he continued to pump his cock into me. His sexy groan of lust turned me on so much and my pussy quickly got wetter than before. I cried out as I felt a gush of hot wetness spurt out and flooded my pussy hole. ¡°Want to move together?¡± Sean suggested and I knew that it wasn¡¯t really a question. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 29 29 End of Tonight His hands loosened around my hips a little as he urged me to move. My hips began moving automatically to match with his thrusting movements. I met his thrusts halfway by lowering my hips when he thrusted upwards. His cock was hitting me deeper than before. ¡°It¡¯s so deep...so good...¡± I managed to say in between my passionate moans and heavy breathing. It¡¯s so rough that it felt like he was messing up my insides with his wild thrusts. Sean groaned louder as our hips pped against each other in our attempt to get even closer. It felt so hot inside of me, and my core throbbed with desire and need. I wanted Sean to fuck me harder until I lost my mind to the pleasurepletely. As if he could hear my plead, Sean plunged his cock deeper into me, hitting my womb so deeply inside while I cried out and closed my eyes tightly. My mind felt hazy, and I couldn¡¯t focus on anything. As my mind let go, my body began moving in abandon as I rode his cock madly. I could feel my orgasm fast approaching. It felt like something was about to explode from my pussy... ¡°I¡¯m cumming! Sean...I...ahhh...¡± I cried out against his shoulder as my climax consumed me whole. I saw white and then I didn¡¯t see anything at all. Sean continued pounding his enormous member into me and I knew that he was also close to his release. As I tried to catch my breath, I clenched my pussy walls around his cock to bring him even closer to his climax. Sean called out my name before his hips jerked wildly against mine and soon his cock was twitching deep in my wet cunt. In the next instant, his hot release shot out of his cock into me. He¡¯s cumming so much inside of me, I thought as I felt his warmth fill my lower abdomen. His body stilled and I hugged him close to me while his cock continued to nt his seed into me. I rested my head on his shoulder as I tried to catch my breath. By the time we were done, we were both panting hard. Carefully, I began getting off him. I felt his cock slide out of my quivering pussy before thebination of our love juices gushed out of my wet entrance like a dam had burst when his cock unplugged my love hole. I stood up and the wetness ran down my legs, it was such a dirty yet sexy mess. ¡°I need to clean up...¡± I whispered as I staggered towards the dressing table to grab some tissue. More like a lot of it. ..... ¡°You¡¯re still able to walk...maybe we should go for another round,¡± Sean said before smiling at me suggestively. ¡°No more...we have to get you back home,¡± I said, sounding responsible. ¡°I would worry about cleaning my pussy first before worrying about other people if I were you,¡± Sean teased me beforeughing softly. ¡°Can you just get dressed please?¡± I snapped lightly at him in reply. ¡°I¡¯ll start but you¡¯re going to help me when you¡¯re done fixing your clothes...¡± Sean said beforeughing a little. At least he headed for the clothes and started changing. It was like a small miracle when he listened to me. I couldn¡¯t believe that I was the slightly older one here. He¡¯s so hard to manage that I wondered how his usual manager manages him. I should ask him for some tips that might make my life easier. After cleaning myself up decently enough to leave the room without obviously giving it away that we had just had sex, I returned my attention to Sean. He was half done...great. ¡°Can¡¯t you dress up any faster?¡± I muttered in annoyance as I yanked the shirt from his hands and began helping him dress. ¡°You should have helped me the first time that I asked...¡± Seanined as he pouted yfully. ¡°Whatever. Let¡¯s go back. So many people are waiting for us,¡± I said sternly. ¡°Should we go for another round back at my ce?¡± Sean suggested once again. He never gets tired of sex, I swear. ¡°It¡¯s past midnight, I already worked too much overtime,¡± I said without looking at him. My hands were busy buttoning up his shirt. He¡¯s a superstar but the way he likes to be pampered makes him feel like a kid sometimes. ¡°What about spending the night? I don¡¯t mind paying extra...¡± Sean said, and I could tell that he was quite serious. ¡°I don¡¯t spend the night,¡± I said as I looked directly into his golden eyes. I was finally done dressing him up and my hands fell down to my side from his chest. Our passionate tryst is now over. We¡¯re heading back and going our separate ways...for tonight. After sending off Sean at his penthouse, the team and I were finally free to head back. I quickly thanked everyone in the team for their hard work today. It had been a long day and I could tell that everyone was exhausted; however, everyone was in good spirits and extremely proud of our achievements for the day. That was how the day always ended when we worked with EROS. The days with him were tough because of his tight schedule and many unexpected problems could pop up to challenge us at any time but at the end of the day, the output that he produces was always beyond our expectations. That was why everyone was so invested in supporting him and that was probably why he also had many fans. When I arrived back at my small and humble studio apartment, I flopped down on the floor next to my bed and stretched my legs. It feels so amazing toe back to this small and slightly run-down apartment. It feels so like home. This is it. After a long day,ing back here where everything felt simple and basic always saved me. I removed my contact lenses and put on my thick ck frame sses. After resting a little, I headed for the small bathroom where I removed my fake eyshes, my makeup and clothes. Then, I finally felt like I had returned to being myself. Just the in me where I wasn¡¯t anyone¡¯s contract wife or girlfriend. Right now, I¡¯m just me. I¡¯m just in Samantha. ¡°Wee back, Samantha,¡± I whispered to my own reflection in the mirror. One day, when all of this is over and I¡¯ve paid back all the debt that I owe, I¡¯ll get rid of my current name and return to being in old Samantha Smith. Then I will leave everything behind and move somewhere where no one knows who I am. That is my dream. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 30 30 My Third Husband ¡°Why do you have to attend an opening party for a hotel? You don¡¯t own this hotel, do you?¡± I asked, not ignoring the possibility that my guess could be right. ¡°I don¡¯t but one of my closest friends does. On top of that, the security system of this hotel was designed by mypany,¡± Brandon replied casually. ¡°Oh, right...I keep forgetting that you also own a cyber securitypany,¡± I said as I nodded my head. Just as our conversation died down, we arrived at the grand opening of a new luxury hotel that was smack in the middle of the shopping district in the city center. I felt like the dress that I had on was slightly too tight around the waist but there was nothing that I could do about that now. The slick ck limousine that we were riding had arrived at the entrance of the event. I could see the familiar red carpet on the floor right in front of the car door. Brandon got off the car first before leaning down towards me to offer me his hand. ¡°Your hand, My Lady,¡± Brandon said as his grey eyes met mine and held it. Cameras were shing all around us and I knew that I had to make sure that this scene was picture perfect. If only he was a gentleman like this when we were alone as well, life would be close to perfect. I smiled a little at him as I ced my hand into his and he helped me out of the car. Now that we were standing side by side, the reporters and cameramen went wild. Brandon and hispany¡¯s representative had just announced that we are in a rtionship. Since that day, everyone wanted to get a piece of us. Reporters quickly surrounded us while Brandon¡¯s bodyguards made sure that they didn¡¯t get too close. The shes of the cameras were blinding, and I made sure that I had a perfect smile on at all times as I stood very close to Brandon¡¯s side. I felt Brandon¡¯s arm around my waist as he pulled me even closer to him. We were so close that my body was literally pressed up against his side. The reporters started bombarding us with questions about our rtionship. As agreed beforehand, I would let Brandon take most of the questions unless a question is explicitly directed at me. ..... ¡°We¡¯re engaged so obviously we are heading towards marriage,¡± Brandon answered calmly. ¡°Wow and when will the wedding be?¡± the reporter inquired. ¡°We still don¡¯t have a date in mind, but it shouldn¡¯t be too long in the future,¡± Brandon replied confidently. ¡°Will you be finally taking over the entire group after your marriage?¡± another reporter asked. ¡°My marriage has nothing to do with thepany,¡± Brandon stated matter-of-factly. As always, he¡¯s such a good liar and he looks so serious and convincing too. The reporters all looked at him with zed eyes as if they were under some sort of spell. They don¡¯t know that he¡¯s got them all wrapped around his fingers like puppets on a string. ¡°What about ns for a family in the future?¡± one of the reporters turned to address the question directly at me. Hell, seems like I have to take this one. ¡°It¡¯s a little too early for us to think about that...¡± I replied softly as I smiled at the reporter. Seriously, they should just mind their own business. We¡¯re not even married but they¡¯re already asking about kids. I wanted tough and roll around on the floor as I thought about the fact that we weren¡¯t even really engaged. ¡°Of course, we will be having kids soon after our wedding. I can¡¯t wait to build a family with her,¡± Brandon replied with a confident smile. How can he say that with a straight face? I bet he could make it as some superstar actor if he chose to do so. His arm around my waist tightened, pulling me closer to him. I ced a hand on hist chest as I turned to sh a happy and radiant smile towards the group of reporters and cameramen. So many shes went off and I started feeling that I could better rte to how animals probably feel in the zoo. After that we sessfully shook of the crowd of reporters and entered the main venue of tonight¡¯s event. Many famous people were here tonight including moving stars, famous sport yers, business tycoons and various other celebrities. It was one hell of a red-carpet event. I stood by Brandon¡¯s side with my hand in the crook of his arm as he made small talk with the many people that greeted him. I knew well that Brandon didn¡¯t particrly like these events, but he was extremely talented in handling them. He once told me that it was all about efficiency and he proved it again tonight. Within a short amount of time, he had spoken to everyone that he wanted to speak to and we were ready to just rx and enjoy the event. Whatever business objective that Brandon had in mind was already taken care of. ¡°Yo Brandon, you have to stay over at my hotel tonight. I¡¯ve prepared a special suite for you...and your beautiful fianc¨¦e,¡± Greg came over and pped a hand on Brandon¡¯s shoulder. Greg is the owner of the new hotel that was opening up today. He was also one of Brandon¡¯s good friends. I couldn¡¯t believe that he¡¯s offering for us to stay the night though. That was against my policy. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯m sure my fianc¨¦e is looking forward to it,¡± Brandon said before winking at me. I wanted to roll my eyes at him. Instead, I stered on a radiant smile as I smiled at him and then at Greg. ¡°Thank you for thinking about us. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re very busy today. Congrattions on your newest hotel,¡± I said as I gestured to the buzzling party around us. ¡°You¡¯re such a sweetheart. It¡¯s no wonder that you won Brandon over,¡± Greg replied with a joyous smile. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 31 31 Our Engagement I actually felt that I liked him. He¡¯s friendly and kind. Best of all, it seemed like he had no hidden agendas, unlike the man that was standing very close to my side. ¡°I¡¯m not staying the night. It¡¯s against my policy...¡± I whispered resolutely once Greg had left us alone. ¡°What if I pay you extra?¡± Brandon whispered into my ear as he pulled me closer to him by the waist. ¡°That¡¯s not the issue. Oh, you can¡¯t buy everything and solve every problem with your money by the way,¡± I said as I narrowed my eyes at him. ¡°Yeah, right...¡± Brandon scoffed. Some people believe that they can solve every single problem with money and Brandon was proudly one of them. After Brandon had had enough of the party, he pulled on my hand, and we began our journey to the special suite that Greg had prepared for us. I knew that it would bepletely horrible manners to turn down Greg¡¯s offer and it would appear unnatural as well. We arrived at the suite, and I had to say that I was impressed by the view of the night cityndscape that can be seen from the room. ¡°Not too shabby, huh?¡± Brandon said as he came to stand close behind me. ¡°It¡¯s a nice view...¡± I said honestly. ..... ¡°The view from my bedroom is way better...should we go there?¡± Brandon asked teasingly. I turned around and rolled my eyes at him in annoyance. Finally, we were alone, and I no longer had to hold my urge to roll my eyes anymore. Freedom! ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll sneak out of the room and leavete into the night so that it won¡¯t look suspicious. All the reporters should be gone by then too,¡± I said as I brought his attention to the situation at hand. ¡°Why bother? Just stay the night...¡± he said casually. ¡°No thanks...¡± I replied without a second thought. ¡°We have so much time from now till then...shall we...¡± Brandon said before smiling at me suggestively. ¡°No...¡± I said firmly. ¡°I¡¯m joking. I won¡¯t do you until you beg me for it,¡± he teased. ¡°I will never beg for it,¡± I spat as I red at him. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that...¡± he said casually as he walked away from me. ¡°I still don¡¯t think using my real identity to pose as your fianc¨¦e is a good idea...¡± I mumbled in concern. Although we have discussed this various times before and he had reassured me that it was beyond fine, I still had my doubts. I wasn¡¯t sure why my agency agreed to this as well. I mean, if I¡¯m publicly engaged to Brandon, wouldn¡¯t that impact my business with the other clients? ¡°I talked to your manager. He¡¯s fine with it. I don¡¯t see any issues,¡± Brandon replied like it was nothing. ¡°Still...I don¡¯t have the best background...¡± I said softly. ¡°You¡¯re perfect for the job. The fact that you¡¯re my ex-girlfriend is perfect. The story of us falling back in love together after being reunited is credible and everyone loves it,¡± Brandon said as he looked straight at me. I havepletely no idea where he gets all his confidence from. I sighed loudly and started ying with my hair, a habit that was hard to break when I got frustrated. ¡°Your parents were against our rtionship even from back then...¡± I countered. ¡°Which is perfect for when we want to put an end to this. It¡¯s a convenient way out,¡± Brandon replied unfazed. By this time, I had started to believe that Brandon had everything figured out. Letting out another sigh of defeat, I ran my fingers through my long hair and decided to let the whole thing slide. ¡°Ok...¡± I mumbled,pletely in defeat. ¡°Great. Go to bed...¡± Brandon said. ¡°No, I¡¯m leaving soon...¡± I protested immediately. ¡°I was suggesting for you to take a nap until you leave. Don¡¯t worry...I have more interesting things to do than to y with you right now,¡± Brandon said as he plopped arge hand on my head and walked past me. Despite his suggestive teasing, Brandon pulled out hisptop and entered straight into work-mode. It was amazing how he could switch gears just like that. One moment he was teasing me and the next he was staring at hisptop screen with intense concentration. This reminded me of the time when we used to live together, he was pretty much like this back then too. I wondered if he¡¯s changed or was it that I was the only one that grew up and got so jaded by reality. I enjoyed a warm bath with aromatherapy to pass the time while Brandon continued working in the living room of the suite. A few hours flew by in a blink of an eye. I had gotten dressed and dried my hair already and was ready to head home. Seeing that Brandon was still busy working, I decided not to disturb him. I grabbed my bag and was about to slip silently out of the room when he spoke up. ¡°I¡¯ll drive you,¡± he said. He closed hisptop and stood up immediately. ¡°No need. I can see that you¡¯re busy. I can go back by myself,¡± I said as I rejected his offer. ¡°It¡¯ste. I¡¯ll drive you,¡± Brandon stated as he walked past me towards the door of the suite. ¡°Ok...¡± I said softly as I followed behind him. It was hard to change Brandon¡¯s mind once it¡¯s already made up. He was right, it waste and perhaps it was better if he drove me home. It was a quick drive from the hotel to my apartment building despite the slightly long distance thanks to theck ofte-night traffic. ¡°You can park here,¡± I said as we neared my building. As per my personal policy, I never tell any of my clients where I was living. To the best of my ability, I tried to keep my work life and my private life separate whenever possible. When the guys wanted to drive me home, I would get them to drop me off nearby and from there I would walk back to my ce. ¡°If you say so...¡± Brandon muttered. I smiled and thanked him before reaching for the door handle. All of a sudden, he grabbed my arm and pulled me back. I turned around to face him to find his face very close to mine and then he was kissing my lips. The warmth of his lips on mine left me slightly surprise. Slowly, my eyes drifted closed as our kiss deepened. He kissed me from various angles as his tongue thrusted into my mouth and intertwined with my own. By the time that our lips parted, I was breathless. His beautiful grey eyes sparkled at me as he offered me one of his charming smiles. ¡°Goodnight, Elena,¡± he said softly. ¡°Goodnight...¡± I said grudgingly. I quickly got out of the car before he sneaked another attack against me again. He¡¯s not ying fair at all. I couldn¡¯t help the heat that rushed to my cheeks as I started to blush slightly. Brandon rolled down the window and waved goodbye to me. He smiled at me, and I thought that he looked extraordinarily handsome. It must be the streetlight or the moonlight...or something... I watched as he drove away until his car rounded a corner and disappeared out of sight before I turned and walked along the street towards my apartment building. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 32 32 Tempting Job Offer **Back to the Present** ¡°Why don¡¯t you work for my agency? You know that I run an agency for high-profile contract girlfriends or wives, right?¡± Justin asked. I guess I heard something about it before, but I didn¡¯t know the details. Frankly, I wasn¡¯t interested in these sorts of things and isn¡¯t it sort of like a shady business? I was also finding it hard to believe that Justin was suggesting for me to work as a ¡®contract wife¡¯ or whatever it was called. ¡°You mean like...be an escort? Or like a...prostitute?¡± I asked, unable to find a better word to use. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I had no issues with the profession per se, but I was quite certain that I didn¡¯t want to get into that whole business, no matter how desperate or dire my current situation is. ¡°No! Not like that. I mean, you can sleep with the guys if you want but that¡¯s not the main objective here. Plus, they¡¯re asking for a contract rtionship. If you haven¡¯t realized it yet, the key is the word rtionship,¡± Justin said before rolling his eyes at me. I blinked nkly a couple of times at him. Despite what he had just said, I still had a hard time picturing and understanding what the job entailed. ¡°Sorry...but I don¡¯t quite follow...¡± I admitted honestly. ¡°Let me exin from the top. The client of my agency are mostly men but there are women as well. Basically, we provide women or men for rent who fits what the client is looking for to form a contract rtionship between the two parties with the agency acting as the middleman. The demands of the clients are truly case-by-case and can be very unique,¡± Justin exined. ..... ¡°For example?¡± I couldn¡¯t help jumping in to ask for more details. ¡°For example, a man might be looking for someone to be hispanion because he feels lonely since his wife just passed away. A woman might want to hire a man to pose as her son¡¯s father to make her family seem moreplete and for the man to act as the father figure to her son, a role that she might feel like she cannot adequately fill. Another man might want to hire a superhot and younger girl as his girlfriend so that he can show her off to society and his friends. He might want to have awesome and steaming hot sex with her too. Of course, if both parties are ok with it, sexual uses can be added to the contract,¡± Justin exined various examples. ¡°So...not all clients demand for a sexual rtionship?¡± I asked, surprised at this new piece of information. ¡°That¡¯s correct. You will be surprised that most contracts that my agency deals with are non-sexual rtionships. Most rtionships are primarily rooted in providing emotional support to the client or creating a situation that is more socially eptable or advantageous for them,¡± Justin exined before nodding seriously. ¡°By socially eptable or advantageous, you mean like...it helps them progress upwards?¡± I asked, trying to make sure that I understood correctly. ¡°Right. For example, a man needs to have a wife to inherit his father¡¯s property. He doesn¡¯t have one and doesn¡¯t want to have one, what can he do? Simple, he hires one,¡± Justin said as he snapped his fingers as if conjuring a wife by magic. ¡°Isn¡¯t that...hical?¡± I asked suspiciously. ¡°Since when were you such an ethical person, honey?¡± Justin asked sarcastically. ¡°Since...never...but still...¡± I replied hesitantly. ¡°I still think that we are the better alternative. Back to the case of that man who needs a wife to inherit his fortune. If he can¡¯t hire one, what do you think he¡¯ll do? Just forget about his fortune? Never, men are greedy creatures. He¡¯ll probably end up tricking some poor girl into bing his wife and when he gets his money, he¡¯ll dump her and kick her out. That¡¯s what the bastard is going to do,¡± Justin said before rolling his eyes. ¡°I guess...¡± I mumbled. ¡°The other thing is that these so-called fake rtionships sometime lead to real ones. There are some cases of my girls actually marrying the client and quitting their job because of it. Of course, if that makes her happy then I¡¯ve got no more to say. That being said, you should be careful with these...men...¡± Justin said before puckering his pink lips up jokingly. ¡°I¡¯m a widow and if I had submitted those divorce papers before George died then I¡¯ll be a divorcee. No rich guys in their right mind would want someone like me...¡± I stated matter-of-factly. I wasn¡¯t being emotional about it or looking down on myself. That was just the facts. ¡°You have to stop thinking and saying things like that about yourself. You¡¯re beautiful, smart, and very sexy. You graduated from the school that produces perfect wives and you went to a leading university. You have a brilliant story. You have no idea how many men would be interested to date you, right now,¡± Justin said before beaming a smile my way. ¡°Haha...like no one?¡± I replied with augh. ¡°Only one way to find out...¡± Justin said as he stared at me. ¡°You¡¯re not seriously suggesting...¡± I said. ¡°Want to make a bet with me? If I can¡¯t find you a suitable client within two weeks, I¡¯ll pay for your living expenses for three months,¡± Justin challenged. ¡°Is this your n to get me to ept your help? I¡¯m not going to leech off you for three months!¡± I dered with whatever pride I still had left. ¡°No, girl. You¡¯ll make it big, and I¡¯ll be leeching off you by taking my share of your price for my agency fees,¡± Justin said with certainty. ¡°That¡¯s crazy,¡± I mumbled. ¡°Trust me, girl. This is my job. I know a sess case when I see one. The question is, are you willing to do this?¡± Justin asked with his eyes on me. Am I willing to do this? Truthfully, I wasn¡¯t sure. I didn¡¯t have any confidence that I could pull this off right now. My self-confidence had beenpletely crushed with all that had just happened. ¡°I don¡¯t know...¡± I replied honestly. ¡°There¡¯s no rush. You should just sleep on it and at the same time, I can share with you some sessful cases that I¡¯ve handled in the past for your inspiration,¡± ¡°Sessful cases?¡± I asked curiously. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 33 33 Falling in Love Again ¡°You may not believe it, but many have found true love or something or the sort and have gotten married. Some even got married even before the contract expired. I was there at their wedding, and I cried of joy...¡± Justin said as he pretended to wipe tears away from his eyes. ¡°Really?¡± I asked dubiously. ¡°Who knows maybe you¡¯ll end up falling in love again...¡± Justin said wistfully. Falling in love...what kind of sick joke is that? ¡°Love? What is that...exactly?¡± I whispered as if I was talking to myself. I thought I was in love more than once before in my life but was I really in love? Even if that was love, does it even matter? If this is where love would lead me then, I¡¯d prefer not to know or feel it at all. Before I knew it, I had startedughing. ¡°Haha...I don¡¯t believe in love...¡± I said whileughing. ..... ¡°Well, you don¡¯t look very convinced at all. You might not realize this, and I didn¡¯t want to say this to you like this but...there¡¯s not a lot of jobs out there that¡¯s going to make you 700 million dors. Most people live and die without even seeing that amount. I¡¯ll probably be one of them, seriously,¡± Justin said as he red at me from across the coffee table. I knew what he meant. Even in my messed-up state, I realized that I didn¡¯t have a lot of options. The only way to make that much money is to firstly associate myself with people who had that much money in the first ce. I rolled my eyes at the absurdity of my reality. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± I said like it was no big deal. I had made up my mind just like that. ¡°Really?¡± Justin eximed in disbelief. ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t have a choice. If you can find filthy rich guys that will have me, then...let¡¯s do it,¡± I said with renewed motivation. ¡°First billionaireing right up, babe!¡± Justin cried out in his high-pitch excited voice. As we clinked champagne sses filled with cheap wer that night to celebrate our renewed friendship and future partnership, the semi-official start of my life as a contract wife began. ... Despite the enthusiasm and excitement that apanied my agreement to work at Justin¡¯s contract wife agency, I didn¡¯t really know what I needed to do or what was expected of me. Based on Justin¡¯s encouragement, I¡¯ve been spending the past few days just chilling and adjusting to a normal down-to-earth life. ¡°You seem to be in a better mood...¡± Justin said observantly. ¡°Really? How so?¡± I asked before smiling at little at him. He was right. I was beginning toe to terms with my new reality now. Embracing the change with fully opened arms because I didn¡¯t have any other choice. ¡°You¡¯ve been humming that same melody again,¡± Justin replied. ¡°Really? I¡¯ve been humming?¡± I asked, cluelessly. ¡°You don¡¯t even realize it? If I remember correctly, you were always humming it back in university too,¡± Justin recalled. ¡°I don¡¯t remember. Maybe I¡¯m just doing it unconsciously. But you¡¯re right, I¡¯m feeling slightly better about everything,¡± I responded. ¡°I remember asking you about it before and you said that you didn¡¯t remember where the melody came from,¡± Justin said lightly. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just something that I heard, and it sort of stuck?¡± I said spectively. ¡°Anyways, ignore me and my randomness, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re feeling better,¡± he said as he waved his hand to dismiss the whole thing. ¡°So, what am I supposed to do in the meantime?¡± I asked. The countdown for the first two weeks starts today. I was extremely curious to see if Justin could find clients for me. ¡°Just rx and spend some time enjoying normal activities in life. Don¡¯t stress. I want you to be fit and ready for when the real job starts,¡± Justin said as he grinned at me. ¡°Enjoy normal activities...like what? Going to the spa? Go Shopping? Get my nails done? All of that requires money...something that I don¡¯t have,¡± I said as I crossed my arms over my chest. I never truly understood that being broke could be such a pain. Maybe that was because I¡¯ve never been broke before, at least, not since I got old enough to use money. ¡°No. Those are not normal activities. You should go to the supermarket and the park. Then take a night stroll along the street where people hang out. Get out of that socialite lifestyle and just rx...¡± Justin exined before beaming a smile at me. ¡°I¡¯ll try...¡± I said softly. ¡°I have to go to the office. You go out and rx and I¡¯ll meet you back here for dinner,¡± Justin said with a tired sigh. ¡°You have a cook?¡± I asked excitedly. Since we¡¯re eating in then that means that someone is cooking for us, right? ¡°No, I don¡¯t. We¡¯re ordering in...¡± Justin replied before rolling his eyes at me. ¡°Oh...¡± I replied. ¡°Good luck adjusting to the real world, princess. See youter,¡± Justin said as he headed out the door. Now that he was gone, it was time for me to get dressed and go out to live a ¡®normal life¡¯. Sitting here and worrying isn¡¯t going to turn things around for me. So first, I¡¯m going to do exactly as Justin suggested, I¡¯m going to go to the supermarket at a nearby mall. Actually, there was something that I needed to do before that. I picked up my phone and started dialing a number. ¡°Hi...I¡¯m looking to sell a bag. Are you guys open for today?¡± I said once the line connected. ... After heading out of the house, the first ce that I dropped by was one of the most well-known branded fashion traders. I didn¡¯t have anything left and I was very low on cash. My credit cards didn¡¯t work anymore but I still had the bag that I was using that fateful day. Thankfully, that bag wasn¡¯t confiscated too. ¡°Is this the best you can do?¡± I asked as I stared down at the number on the calctor. The youngdy smiled tightly at me as she turned the calctor around and started typing in another number. I knew that the bag was worth much more than she had just offered, and I knew that she knew that as well. I¡¯m desperate for money so I wasn¡¯t look for a fair price but something a little more decent would be good. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 34 34 My Attractive Savior ¡°What about this? Unfortunately, the bag doesn¡¯te with its storage bag or box anymore so...¡± She said before trailing off. 12,000 dors...I could live with that. Goodbye my dear bag, we will never meet again. ¡°Thank you. Could you please transfer that money to this ount? Oh, can you give me a thousand dors in cash and the rest please transfer to this ount,¡± I said. I jotted down Justin¡¯s bank ount number. Putting the money in my personal bank ount might lead to it getting frozen of confiscated. I didn¡¯t know how that worked at all but better to be careful. ¡°Sure,¡± the woman said before she handed me cash. After checking that the money was settled correctly, I parted with thest brandname bag that I had and was on my way to immerse myself in a ¡®normal life¡¯ by heading to the supermarket. To save up on costs, I decided to take the train instead of a taxi. Surprisingly, I enjoyed walking along the busy street and the busy station along with everyone else. The people were in a hurry and very busy. The best thing was that no one noticed or recognized me at all. It wasn¡¯t long before I started to feelfortable in my own skin. No one was watching me, and no one cared who I was. I could do things the way I wanted. I could walk with a slight slouch. I could run my fingers through my hair and mess it up or put my hair up in an ugly bun. It felt like I had found some freedom and I weed the feeling. When I walked past a shop window and saw my own reflection, I stopped and checked myself out. I didn¡¯t look horrible, but I didn¡¯t look presentable either. It was clear that I wasn¡¯t ready to have my photos taken for a magazine shoot but that waspletely fine. Maybe when I get my first client, I¡¯ll revert back to ying the perfect wife once again. The mall was just on the other side of this crossing. I stood at the crossroad as I waited for the crossing signal to turn green. Suddenly, in the corner of my eye I spotted an olddy walking along as if she was oblivious to the oing traffic. I wasn¡¯t sure if she couldn¡¯t see very well or if she couldn¡¯t hear but what I knew for sure was that it was extremely dangerous. As I watched her, I realized that she was about to cross the road with all the oing traffic. ..... Without thinking, my body started moving on its own and the next thing I knew, I had jumped right into the middle of the road to help her. The sound of the car screeching as it came to an abrupt stop along with the loud honking filled my ears as I closed my eyes tightly. I lost my bnce and fell to the ground. I felt a stinging pain on my knees and the hands that I used to break my fall. This is it...I¡¯m going to die... After what seemed like years, everything was silent around me. I breathed out the breath that I hadn¡¯t realized that I had been holding. The olddy seemed safe although quite shocked at what had happened. I looked down and started to move a little when I figured out that I was still alive. My body was in pain, but I was still alive. ¡°Are you, ok?¡± I heard a man¡¯s voice calling out to me and then arge hand with beautiful and long fingers was thrusted into my face. Slowly, I nced up at the face of the hand¡¯s owner. The slightly panicked face of an outstandingly handsome man greeted me along with his red hair and piercing green eyes. I couldn¡¯t move or speak and for a moment I wasn¡¯t sure if that was from shock or from the fact that I was awestruck by his good looks. ¡°Miss are you, ok?¡± the man asked again since I haven¡¯t replied to his question. Elena, get a grip! ¡°Yes...yes...I¡¯m fine. Thank you...so sorry...about that...¡± I said as I tried to get up by myself. ¡°You¡¯re hurt, aren¡¯t you?¡± the man said, and it wasn¡¯t really a question. I felt hisrge hands on my arms as he carefully pulled me up to my feet. Raw stinging pain shot through my legs from the wound on my knees. It hurts but now isn¡¯t the time to worry about that. ¡°Are you, ok? You need to be more careful. Is there a way for me to contact your family?¡± I asked as I turned to the olddy. Thankfully, she wasn¡¯t hurt at all. She didn¡¯t even fall down like I did. After a short while, a woman came running towards us and introduced herself as the olddy¡¯s daughter. She exined that her mother had Alzheimer¡¯s before apologizing profusely. I watched as the woman escorted her mother off the busy road. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. I didn¡¯t mean to run in front of your car like that...¡± I turned to apologize to the man. ¡°No worries about that. You saved me from hitting the olddy, I guess,¡± the man replied with a kind smile. He has a very attractive and genuine smile. ¡°Well, then...have a nice day,¡± I said as I began turning away. Time to get off the road and find a pharmacy in the mall to give my wound some first aid attention. ¡°Wait! Let me take a look,¡± the man called and ran after me. I looked down and saw that his hand had reached out and grabbed my wrist. His hand felt warm against my cool skin and somehow, I found thatforting. I held up my hand and stared at his hand around my wrist as if mesmerized by it. What is going on with me all of a sudden? It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve never seen a man¡¯s hand before... ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 35 35 His Gentle and Caring Warmth ¡°Oh, sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to grab you...¡± he said as he quickly released my wrist. We were safe on the sidewalk, but his car was still parked there in the middle of the road. I wondered why the cops were not here yet or why every car that was passing by wasn¡¯t honking their horns. That was when I realized the model and the probable price tag of his limited-edition sports car. Now it all made sense. What he did after made me scream. While I had my eyes on his car, the man had bent down in front of me and was starting to lift the skirt of my dress up. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± I cried out in shock as I pulled the fabric of my skirt out of his hand. How dare he?! ¡°Sorry! This isn¡¯t what you think it is...¡± he started making excuses. ¡°What I think it is?¡± I asked as I narrowed my eyes and red at him usingly. ¡°I¡¯m a doctor. I was just going to see your injuries. You fell so I assumed that you skinned your knee...¡± he exined calmly. That wasn¡¯t what I was expecting. Maybe good guys that drove around expensive sportscar still exists in this day and age? Not that I¡¯ve met one before...although he does look somehow familiar... ..... ¡°Oh...¡± I whispered. That was all I managed to say. Instead of getting mad, the man justughed cheerfully before he smiled charmingly at me. I would be lying if I said that I didn¡¯t feel my heart skip a beat just now. ¡°I¡¯m actually on the way to the hospital...for work. If you¡¯d like, I can drive you there and get you patched up...¡± he offered kindly. ¡°Ok...thank you...¡± I heard myself say in a daze as I found it hard to tear my eyes away from his vivid green eyes. ¡°Great then. This way,¡± he said as he gestured for me to follow him to his car. My knees hurt and I couldn¡¯t walk properly although I did try to deal with the pain. I guess the pain must have showed on my face because he stopped to offer me his arm to lean on. He supported me all the way to his car and helped me get in. ¡°Thank you for helping me,¡± I said when he got into the driver¡¯s seat. I guess we should really be on our way so that his car would no longer block the road. Now that we were alone in the enclosed space of the car¡¯s interior, the atmosphere started to get awkward. Just a few days ago I was so good at talking to strangers; however, I felt so tongue-tied now. ¡°I guess I haven¡¯t introduced myself yet. I¡¯m Adrian,¡± he said before he started driving. ¡°I¡¯m Elena...¡± I said before smiling a little at him while conveniently leaving out myst name. That reminded me that I had to get myst name changed now that George is gone. My parents have disowned me too, so I guess I¡¯ll have to go back to using thest name of my birth parents. The thought of that made me feel good about myself. Returning to my roots, finally. ¡°Nice to meet you, Elena,¡± Adrian said warmly as he smiled over at me. I found myself smiling back and it wasn¡¯t for politeness¡¯s sake. After a short drive, we arrived at the hospital that he was working at, and he helped me out of the car. To my surprise, I found myself in the emergency room while Adrian told me to take a seat before turning to give some instructions to a nurse. ¡°Excuse me, I can handle the case for you...¡± a middle-aged man said humbly as he came to Adrian¡¯s side. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. I¡¯ll take care of her. You can deal with your other cases,¡± Adrian replied with a kind smile. The nurse from earlier returned with some tools and medicine that Adrian probably requested for earlier. He crouched down in front of me and began inspecting the wounds on my knees. I lifted my skirt a little above my knees for him to get a better look. For some reason, I felt slightly embarrassed at having him looking and treating my injuries. His hand on my legs were gentle and he seemed very focused on delivering the best treatment. ¡°It¡¯s going to sting a little...¡± Adrian saidfortingly, as if he was addressing a child. ¡°I¡¯ll be ok. Thank you...¡± I replied softly. I watched from above as he took care of my wounds attentively. To be honest, I never knew that patching up some scrapes like this would take so many steps and so much time. Since I had all the time in the world to burn now, I didn¡¯t mind him taking his time at all. While he was working on my wounds, my mind started to wonder where I had seen him before. He does look familiar but...I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve met him before so... ¡°There you go. All done,¡± he announced proudly. ¡°Wow. Thank you, really...¡± I said as I smiled up at him. Slowly, I got up from my seat and suddenly, there was an awkward moment between us as we stood facing each other without knowing what to say. I should go pay for my treatment and leave. Adrian looked like he wanted to say something but when he opened his mouth, we were disturbed by a young girl¡¯s voice calling out to him. ¡°Daddy!¡± Adrian turned around at the sound of a small girl¡¯s voice. I turned to see a small girl dressed in a fluffy light purple dress running over his way. Adrian bent down to her level as she ran into his open arms. ¡°Millie...how was your sleep over? Did Nina¡¯s parents drive you here?¡± he asked as he patted her head adoringly. ¡°Yup...¡± she replied in a sweet voice. Adrian has a daughter. I see, so he¡¯s married. He isn¡¯t wearing a ring though. Why are you observing him, Elena? It doesn¡¯t matter whether he¡¯s married or not. It¡¯s got nothing to do with you. Your mission for the day is to go to the supermarket! ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 36 36 Wee back, My Ex ¡°Thank you for helping me. I¡¯ll make my payment first then,¡± I said as I started heading towards the payment sign. ¡°That¡¯s ok. I¡¯ll handle it,¡± Adrian quickly said. I felt the girl¡¯s curious eyes on me, so I turned to smile down at her before shifting my attention back to Adrian. ¡°It¡¯s ok. You¡¯ve helped me enough. I should go now,¡± I said before walking out of the emergency room. After providing my personal information to the hospital so that they could process my case and making the payment, I left the hospital to head to my original destination. While waiting for a cab in front of the hospital building, my eyes caught sight of therge metal sign of the hospital¡¯s name. Amsworth General Hospital. It only took me a split of a second to connect the dots together. Howe I didn¡¯t realize it the first time that I heard his name? No wonder he looked familiar. Adrian Amsworth, sole heir to thergest hospital and healthcare chain in this country and probably in all other developed nations as well. Thatpletely exined the sportscar. Iughed a little to myself thinking that perhaps, I really should have let him take care of my medical bills. Turning around, I tilted my head and stared up the sky-high building of the hospital. That man owns this ce as well as many others. Perhaps a year earlier, I would have been interested in associating myself with him. Now, however, staying away from people like him might be better for my peace of mind. By the time I made it to the supermarket, I hadpletely forgotten why I wanted toe here. ... **A few dayster** ..... I woke up in an unbelievably good mood after an amazing night of deep and undisturbed sleep. That was a very rare urrence for me. I got out of bed and entered the living room where I could smell some coffee brewing, it must be Justin working his magic. ¡°Good morning...¡± I said sleepily as I sat down on a chair at the dining table. Just like magic, a cup of coffee was ced in front of me. I smiled as I sniffed the aroma of the coffee before Justin sat down opposite to me. ¡°Morning sleepy head. A request came in for you early this morning,¡± Justin announced with a proud face. ¡°A request? From a client?¡± I asked to make sure that I had heard him correctly. ¡°Yes,¡± he confirmed. ¡°For me?¡± I asked again to make sure. ¡°Yes,¡± he replied with a firm nod. Justin ced some papers on the table, and I knew that it must be the contract that clients submitted to his agency when they are requesting for a contract wife. I heard the sound of paper flipping as I watched Justin scan through the contract. ¡°I knew that you would attract many clients but I didn¡¯t think that it¡¯ll be this fast¡± Justin said, sounding impressed. ¡°That¡¯s unexpected...¡± I said honestly. ¡°I gotta say, from my years of experience, I have never seen a condition quite like this one on a contract before...¡± Justin said with interest. ¡°What does it say?¡± I asked curiously. Justin turned the contract paper my way before sliding it across the table towards me. I raised my eyebrows as I picked up the contract paper with the terms and requests from the client. All information had to be reviewed and agreed upon by both parties before we could start our contract rtionship. ¡°Looking for someone who would absolutely not fall in love with the counter party. Special consideration will be given to candidates with reasons to dislike or hate the client,¡± I read the terms that Justin had highlighted on the paper. ¡°Weird right? I mean, asking you not to fall in love with him because that willplicate things for you both is quite normal. Not every guy or girl is buying this service because they¡¯re looking for love but it¡¯s like...another level entirely to be asking for someone who might hate him,¡± Justin exined. ¡°Yeah...well...¡± I muttered. ¡°It¡¯s not part of the contract but the client did submit a request for you specifically,¡± Justin added as his eyes watched me intently. ¡°For me?¡± I asked again. ¡°Correct. Oh...the rate he is offering is crazy off the chart too. I suggest you read the contract and what he wants properly. You¡¯ll be making some good progress on paying off that debt of yours if you take this job,¡± Justin advised. ¡°Who is the guy?¡± I asked, my hands flipping the contract to the first page where the client information is. ¡°The burning hot bachelor that everyone¡¯s been trying to get their filthy paws on. The CEO of Renox, Brandon Byronhill!¡± Justin announced excitedly. At the exact same moment, my eyesnded on the name and photo of the man in question. I gasped in shock and dropped the contract onto the table like it was made of burning hot metal. My heart jumped into my mouth, and I felt a wave of nausea. ¡°How much is he willing to pay?¡± I asked in a whisper. ¡°Ten times to normal rate. His representative said that he¡¯s willing to push it up more if required. The man is loaded, I¡¯m impressed but not surprised,¡± Justin replied with a squeal of delight. I held a hand up in front of me to stop Justin from saying anymore. All of this was getting to be too much for me. I couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. My whole body shook before I threw my head back and roared inughter. The exact man that dumped me all those years ago first gambled all he had just to have sex with me for one night and now he wants to employ me as his contract wife. Elephants will start flying tomorrow. ¡°What¡¯s so funny? Sorry, I don¡¯t quite follow...¡± Justin said as he stared at me in confusion. ¡°You remember the guy I dated in university, right?¡± I asked. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 37 37 Raising My Worth ¡°Yeah...I didn¡¯t see him that much, but I knew you two were dating. What happened to him? I remember you guys broke up abruptly and you said something about him disappearing. Now that I think about it, there was a time when I thought you two would get married for you sure after graduation...¡± Justin said as he recalled his memories from the past. ¡°He¡¯s our man,¡± I stated before winking at Justin. ¡°Huh? What?! Are you saying...¡± Justin said before gasping and covering his open mouth with his hands. ¡°Yes. Brandon, the current CEO andrgest shareholder of Renox, is my ex-boyfriend,¡± I stated. The reason why he wants me for the job is probably because... ¡°And he probably wants me for this job because he knows that I hate him. Falling in love with him for me is out of the question. The same can probably be said about him. He¡¯ll never fall in love with a girl he dumped before,¡± I surmised soundly. ¡°Oh...now that you put it that way, it does make a lot of sense,¡± Justin muttered. ¡°Umm...I see. So, he¡¯s looking for someone to act as his fianc¨¦e to appease his family so that they can stop trying to pair him up with avable female socialites. Marriage apparently is a prerequisite for him to take over thepany after his father...¡± I said as I went through more details in the contract. ¡°The ssic of the ssic...¡± Justin mused. ..... The case is super ssic, Justin was right, but he could only say this because he doesn¡¯t know Brandon and how hard it is to be around let alone manage him. This isn¡¯t going to be an easy job at all. Ten times the usual rate seems like a lot at first but... ¡°What about we negotiate for twenty times the usual rate?¡± I asked before winking at my good friend. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious...that¡¯s crazy. Oh my god...¡± Justin eximed with his eyes popping out of his sockets. ¡°You can pull this off, Justin,¡± I said with an encouraging nod of my head. ¡°A girl¡¯s gotta do what a girl¡¯s gotta do...or so they say...¡± Justin said as he pulled up his phone and began dialing a number. I closed my eyes and prayed that I was making the right decision. With the debt, I needed the money for sure. I just hoped that everything will turn out fine. Needless to say, I still remembered that wild night I spent with Brandon because of George screwing up his bet. Why am I always getting looped into these crazy situations with these insane men anyways? ¡°Oh yes, she will definitely be worth it. I¡¯m sure that the client knows that as well...great. Amazing, that would be all. I will send you the details for settling the deposit. Of course...have a wonderful day,¡± Justin spoke in his professional voice through the phone. I could tell from the direction that the conversation was going and also the bright smile on Justin¡¯s lips that the deal was as good as done. Justin was a genius at negotiating and also selling the services of his agency. He really was a top-tier salesman...or saleswoman. ¡°Where do you want to go out for dinner, girl? We did it! Twenty folds, baby!¡± Justin cried out loudly as he jumped up and down. ¡°Calm down...¡± I said while giggling a little at his over-the-top reaction. ¡°I need a drink...this is unreal...¡± Justin said as he continued jumping up and down. I watched him going around like a crazy chimpanzee around the room as I shook my head at him. Elena, you can do this! It¡¯s going to be bad, that¡¯s for sure bute on, how bad can it be, right? Back then I didn¡¯t foresee what I was about to get myself into... ... ¡°I don¡¯t feel so ready to start. Is it possible to postpone the start to the first of next month? I mean, that¡¯s in only a week¡¯s time so it should be ok, right?¡± I asked hopefully. The truth was, I wanted to sort out my life a little before I began working. Within a few days of concluding the payment rate, the contract was signed by both parties which meant that now I had one contract husband already. On the pay scale that was equivalent to having twenty contract husbands because he is paying twenty times the usual rate. I rolled my eyes as I thought that the money was probably close to nothing for someone like Brandon. Honestly, I wasn¡¯t looking forward to meeting him again. Mywyers had been calling me frequentlytely to provide follow-up updates on my variouswsuits. The outlook didn¡¯t seem positive, and I knew that I had to work hard to rake in some real cash to pay off my debts. ¡°I can negotiate the start date for you, no problem. What are you going to do between now and then?¡± Justin asked. ¡°Well, since I have a little money now from my first contract, I¡¯m thinking of moving out and getting my own ce,¡± I replied. ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to rush on that. I don¡¯t mind you staying here with me...¡± Justin said. ¡°I appreciate it, truly...but I can¡¯t leech off you forever. So, I¡¯ll go out looking for a ce,¡± I said with determination. ¡°I wish I could go with you, but I need to go to the office,¡± Justin said regretfully. ¡°That¡¯s ok. I¡¯ll sort it out. Hopefully, I can find a free ce that I can move in within next week before I start working,¡± I said hopefully. ¡°Good luck with that. Let me know if there¡¯s something that I can help with,¡± Justin chimed in before heading for the door. ¡°Sure. See youter!¡± I called after him. I waved goodbye to Justin as he exited to go to his office. Since I¡¯ve been thinking about moving out for a few days now, I¡¯ve already done some online searches for rooms avable for rent that was within my budget. Now I just need to visit those agencies that I¡¯ve set up appointments with to go see the property. Fortunately, there were a few options not too far from Justin¡¯s neighborhood. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 38 38 New ce and a Stranger The first ce that I visited was aplete bust. There was nothing wrong with the room itself but the man living next door was a heavy smoker and frankly, I could smell all his tobo. Plus, I didn¡¯t want to live with a heavy smoker always smoking on the balcony right next to mine. The second ce was not bad, so I noted it down as a possible option. After thanking the agent, I headed to my appointment with another agent at the third andst ce for the day. By the time that I arrived at the third apartment building for the day, the sun was about to set. I spent a few minutes gazing up at the sky as it turned orange while I waited for the real estate agent to arrive. Honestly, I don¡¯t remember thest time that I appreciated the small joys in life like this. Spending money on retail therapy was what I was really good at during my marriage to George and that was what I considered joyful. Now that I think about it, admiring nature and the various things around me wasn¡¯t so bad either. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I¡¯m a littlete...¡± a tall thin man appeared. He was panting a little and I could tell that he had ran here in a hurry. It wasn¡¯t like I waited for very long. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Shall we?¡± I replied. ¡°Please follow me this way,¡± he said as he gestured for me to follow him into the building. As far as locations go, this ce was the best. It wasn¡¯t too far from Justin¡¯s ce and was walking distance from a bus stop and the subway station. The building was older and more run down than the other options, but the homey vibe fits well with what I had in mind. There was no elevator, and the room was on the fourth floor. This will force me to exercise a bit walking up and down which was perfect. The room wasrger than the other options and was priced slightly lower due to theck of an elevator and probably the age of the building. The studio room was decent with arge balcony and window that would probably let in adequate wind and sunshine. It was unfurnished but I could envision fitting in a bed, a sofa, a coffee table and a small closet. That would probably fill up the entire room and make it feel homey and functionable. ¡°What do you think? With your budget you can probably get a bigger room if you want or one in a building with an elevator...¡± the agent suggested. ..... ¡°That¡¯s ok. I think I¡¯ll go with this room,¡± I replied decisively. ¡°Oh really? That¡¯s great. The contract terms are mainly like I exined to you over the phone and here¡¯s the rent contract. So, if you¡¯ll just sign here and you can transfer the moneyter...¡± the agent said excitedly. I could tell that he was ecstatic to rent out this room. On my end, I was extremely happy in taking my first step to an independent life even though it was vastly different from the one that I led before this. Moving from a penthouse suite in one of the most luxurious buildings in the city to this small studio in an old and slightly run-down building was a big change. However, although it was small, I could call it my own. I smiled a little to myself as I signed my name at the dotted light on the rent contract. Next would be moving myself in here and getting some basic furniture. Since I didn¡¯t have anything to my name anymore, moving in should be a breeze. Completely baggage free. ¡°Thank you so much! I¡¯ll process everything and you can move in right away after the payment has been made,¡± the sales agent informed me as we headed down the stairs from the building. ¡°Sure. Thanks to you too. Have a nice day,¡± I bid him farewell as we parted in front of the building. The salesman disappeared round the corner, and it was starting to get a little dark. I should head back to Justin¡¯s ce. It was walking distance from here so if I start now, I should get back before it gotpletely dark. I turned around and was immediately knocked over. Stunned, I let out a loud scream. Everything happened so fast that I wasn¡¯t sure what or who had run into me. As I put my hands reflexively behind me to break my own fall, I felt a force hurling be back to my feet. Inded against something hard but warm with a loud thump. ncing up, I could make out a man¡¯srge and very tall frame along with his partially obscure face hidden behind a ck face mask. In the streetlight, I could make out his golden light brown eyes and light blond hair. ¡°Let...Mhhmmmm!¡± I cried out in panic for him to let me go but his hand covered my mouthpletely. What is this crazy guy doing?! Am I being kidnapped? Is it because of my debt?! Immediately, I began struggling against him as his arm wrapped around my waist. My struggling proved useless as he began quickly dragging me into the dark alley next to the building, hisrge hand muffling my desperate cries for help. My eyes widened in shock as he pressed his back against the building and pulled my body hard against his. I could feel the heat of his body through our clothes and the hardness of his firm body against mine. What is he doing? ¡°Shhhhhhh...¡± he hissed in my ear from behind for me to remain quiet as his arms tightened around my body. I could hear my heart beating loudly against my chest and wondered if I was going to pass out from the panic and fear. The alley was dark, and I doubt anyone would pass by or spot us and that meant that help naturally wasn¡¯ting. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 39 39 My Superstar Captor Suddenly, arge crowd of people came along causing a ruckus in front of the building where we were standing just now. I could feel the man tense against my body as his hand tightened over my mouth needlessly. It wasn¡¯t like I could call for help like this. As the crowd came closer, I could make out what they were saying. ¡°Where did he go?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he came this way...¡± ¡°We need to find him!¡± ¡°Oh my god! Where did he go? I wanted to see him up close...¡± ¡°Are you sure that it¡¯s even him?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m sure. It¡¯s definitely him!¡± ¡°Sorry, boss...I think we lost him...¡± Is this guy some criminal on the run? Am I being held hostage right now? ..... After a while of standing there in confusion, the crowd continued walking past the sidewalk in front of the building until their voices died downpletely. My captor let out a long sigh, but he still had his hands on me. ¡°Mhhmmm!¡± I made a protesting sound. ¡°Oh...sorry...¡± he said as if he had just realized that he was still holding onto me. His hand fell from my mouth and his arm loosened around me. I jumped away in shock as I began coughing to catch up on some breathing. ¡°What was that? Are you crazy!!¡± I screamed at him in my anger. ¡°Shhh...don¡¯t be so loud. Those people mighte back,¡± he said softly as he looked nervously towards the main road. ¡°What?¡± I said in confusion at how guiltless he was acting. Suddenly, I felt the hardness of the wall against my back and before I could let out a cry, his warm and soft lips were pressed firmly against mine. Shocked and unable to understand exactly what was happening, my entire body froze as he pressed his body closer to me. Hisrge frame trapping me between him and the wall as he continued kissing me from various angles until finally his tongue found its way into my mouth. Why is he kissing me? His tongue danced around with mine and I let out a protesting moan as my hand started beating on his back for him to let me go. I was breathless when the hot and very wet kiss ended. He backed away and I red at him in disbelief as I wiped the mix of our saliva from my lips with the back of my hand. ¡°What the fuck...¡± I growled in rage. ¡°Why are you so upset?¡± he asked as he raised an eyebrow at me. ¡°What is wrong with you?!¡± I cried out loudly. ¡°What is wrong with you? Every woman would die to get a kiss like that from me. Shouldn¡¯t you act more appreciative?¡± he asked, sounding as shocked as I felt. ¡°Huh?! I never asked for a kiss from you! What the hell are you talking about?!¡± I fired back. He¡¯s not making any sense...everything about him is not making any sense. ¡°Oh...you¡¯re not one of my fans?¡± he asked, as if he finally got it. ¡°Fan? What fan?¡± I asked,pletely clueless. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me...you don¡¯t know who I am? I even took my mask off...¡± he said clearly stunned and confused. Aren¡¯t I the one who¡¯s supposed to be confused here? ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who you are! You can¡¯t just randomly kiss me!¡± I yelled. Why am I wasting my time dealing with a hot-looking creep like him? ¡°Come here with me for a bit...¡± he said calmly as he grabbed my wrist and started dragging me after him towards the main road. ¡°No...let go!¡± I protested as I tried to yank my arm away. ¡°Stop shouting...and use your eyes...¡± the blond man said. I narrowed my eyes at him before my gazed followed where his finger was pointing. ¡®EROS new solo album¡¯ My eyes stared at therge billboard on the opposite building from where we were standing. Of course, I¡¯ve seen billboards like this and other media advertising theunch of EROS¡¯s new solo album. It¡¯s his first solo album after his various sessful releases as part of the band EROS¡¯s wings, where he¡¯s the lead singer. So what? ¡°You still don¡¯t know who I am?¡± he asked in evident shock. I saw the lost look in his eyes, and it made me want tough my head off. Of course, I knew who he was now that I¡¯ve seen a photo of him on a billboard the size of a building. You had to be dumb, deaf, and blind not to know who EROS is. He¡¯s literally everywhere so whether you liked it or not, you¡¯re going to know or hear about him at some point. I stared at therge billboard on the building and then shifted my gaze back to the man standing right in front of me. Yup, unfortunately, it¡¯s him alright. ¡°Oh...so you think you can molest and kiss anyone just because you¡¯re a superstar?¡± I asked, not amused. I should sue this guy forpensation! ¡°I¡¯m sorry,dy...I didn¡¯t mean to offend you. I thought that you were one of my fans and a kiss like that would make you feel like your life had special meaning to it,¡± the guy said brazenly. His overly confident words left mepletely speechless. I stared at him and blinked my eyes rapidly in shock as he ced the ck face mask back on to disguise his appearance. I thought that I lived in a different world from most people, but this guy lived in apletely different universe. Having had enough of him and his narcistic self, I decided to just run away from this lunatic. Turning on my heels, I was about to walk away when he started following me. ¡°Why are you following me?¡± I hissed in annoyance. ¡°Are you still mad?¡± he asked. I rolled my eyes at him and decided to just ignore him as I continued on my walk in the direction of Justin¡¯s ce. Because of this man walking next to me my trip back was dyed and now it was getting darker and darker. I continued walking and he continued to walk by my side as if he had nothing else better to do in life. What is his deal anyways? Why is a superstar like him just walking around here? ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 40 40 A Client with Mysteries ¡°Stop,¡± he said all of a sudden as he reached for my hand. ¡°Let go...¡± I said immediately. I tried to pull my hand away, but he only held on to it tighter than before. ¡°Hi there, can I have the usual? Oh, make that double the usual...¡± he called out at a shop. ¡°Sure thing! You hardly drop by anymore...¡± a man¡¯s voice replied. ¡°Shit got busy...sorry...¡± he called back. I looked in confusion at the store that we had stopped in front of. Apparently, it was a patisserie with its disy window filled with macarons, cakes, tarts, and the like. ¡°Thanks, bro...¡± EROS said as he took two bags from the man and paid him. I watched in confusion at the exchange and wondered to myself what I was still doing here and why EROS was still holding my hand. ..... ¡°Here. This is for you...¡± he said calmly. I raised an eyebrow at him as I stared dubiously at the cute little pink bag that he held towards me. ¡°What is this for?¡± I asked. ¡°For you. It¡¯s an ¡®I am sorry¡¯ gift,¡± he said and I could tell by his eyes that he was smiling beneath his face mask. ¡°Aha...¡± I muttered, not quite impressed. ¡°Just take it. The macarons here are the best, especially the ones in raspberry vor. I had to skip out on my practice just to pick it up...and then I got chased on the street by my fans and the guys that my manager sent after me...¡± EROS startedining like he had the worst life in the world. ¡°Thanks. Goodbye,¡± I said as I took the bag from him and walked away. This time, to my relief, he didn¡¯t follow me. I continued walking away although I could feel his eyes burning into my back. Honestly, I never thought that the superstar EROS would be such a creepy and weird guy. After a while, I turned back to the spot where we had parted and to my surprise he was still standing there. Seeing that I had turned around, EROS lifted a hand up and waved a little at me. I quickly spun on my heels and began walking faster away from him. Later that night after I had a rxing dinner with Justin, I took out a piece of raspberry macaron and took a bite. The sweet and slightly sour taste filled my mouth as the macaron melted on my tongue. EROS was right, it tasted wonderfully fulfilling and sweet. The corners of my lips turned upwards before I ced the remaining piece of the macaron into my mouth. Once again, the sweet and satisfying taste filled my mouth as it melted and for brief moment, it reminded me of the taste of his kiss. ... It was a sunny and bright day when I woke up to be greeted by a smiley Justin who was waiting on the sofa with a cup of coffee in his hand. I bet I had a very ugly bedhead right now, but I was sure that Justin didn¡¯t care. I woke up slightlyter than usual because I didn¡¯t have much to do today apart from going out to buy some cheap and basic furniture to fill in my new and empty apartment. The fact that Justin was still here and not yet in the office meant that he probably needed to talk to me about something. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked as I ran my fingers through my long hair. My fingers glided smoothly through my silky hair without the interruption of any tangles. I guess standard shampoo and condition off the shelf from the supermarket wasn¡¯t too bad after all. ¡°You¡¯re humming again. In a good mood?¡± Justin asked. ¡°I got my own apartment, so yes,¡± I repliedzily. ¡°I¡¯ve got even better news for you. Sit down, girl,¡± Justin said as his eyes twinkled at me. ¡°Another client?¡± I made an educated guess. ¡°A very big and wealthy fish,¡± Justin said proudly. ¡°You know, I had a hard time believing it at first that I¡¯ll be getting clients. I guess you¡¯re really a pro at what you do...¡± Iplimented him honestly. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m in this business, you know...give me some credit,¡± Justin replied before winking at me. ¡°So, who is it?¡± I asked, getting straight to the point. ¡°You¡¯re not going to believe it. Adrian Amsworth, heir to the Amsworth healthcare empire!¡± Justin announced proudly as he threw his arms up in the air. Adrian Amsworth, that¡¯s a name that had a very familiar ring to my ears. Of course, it did. I just met the guy after running in front of his car and after that he healed my wounds. Not that I wanted to tell Justin that. The main issue for me was... ¡°He¡¯s married, so he¡¯s out. I won¡¯t do married men, not sorry,¡± I pointed out as I shook my head in disapproval. I am not entering into a contract with a married man. It doesn¡¯t matter how urgently I need the money, fooling around with a married man was just off limits to me. It would probably only add to my problems, and I didn¡¯t need that right now. ¡°What are you talking about? Adrian¡¯s not married,¡± Justin countered. ¡°He has a daughter,¡± I stated firmly. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean that he¡¯s married. He¡¯s a widower, his wife is dead,¡± Justin quickly corrected. ¡°She passed away?¡± I asked in disbelief. ¡°Yes, she¡¯s dead. He has a daughter, you¡¯re right about that. Does the fact that he has a daughter bother you?¡± Justin asked before rolling his eyes at me. ¡°Umm...no...¡± I mumbled. I¡¯m actually quite fond of kids but it wasn¡¯t like I had a lot of experience dealing with them. I ran into the girl in question recently too. If I remember correctly, her name is Millie and she looked quite cute. ¡°Great. Why don¡¯t you take a look at the contract first then?¡± Justin suggested as he handed me the papers. ¡°Adrian Amsworth...¡± I read out his name. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 41 41 Compatibility Test ¡°He wants a contract wife to act as a mother to his daughter andplete the appearance of a perfect family. Well, that¡¯s the story that he¡¯s giving us...¡± Justin said with a hint of suspicion in his voice. ¡°What do you mean? Is there something else that I should know?¡± I asked dubiously. ¡°Well, this isn¡¯t confirmed so it¡¯s off the record but there are strange rumors about his ex-wife and how she passed away,¡± Justin said before he pressed his lips into a thin line. ¡°What happened to her?¡± I asked as I was starting to get a really bad feeling. ¡°No one knows. The official disclosure says that she was terminally ill and passed away a short while after giving birth to their daughter,¡± Justin exined before sighing softly. ¡°I see...¡± I said softly. ¡°Will you take him on?¡± Justin asked as he stared at me hopefully. ¡°Are all cases in your agency asplex as this?¡± I asked curiously. ¡°Nope but then again, the other cases don¡¯t pay as well,¡± Justin replied before pouting his lips at me. ..... ¡°I see. I guess I can give it a try. If things don¡¯t work out then...¡± I said before trailing off. ¡°You¡¯re right. We can terminate the contract,¡± Justin said reassuringly. ¡°Right. Let¡¯s try it,¡± I agreed after some thought. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Adrian even remembers me from our previous encounter. If I had to guess, then probably not. ¡°He¡¯s requested to have dinner with you and you two can decide whether to go ahead with the contract then,¡± Justin exined. ¡°So, it¡¯s like an interview of sorts?¡± I asked as I cocked my head to the side. ¡°Not really. More like apatibility test?¡± Justin replied. ¡°He requested for this?¡± I asked just to make sure that I understood correctly. ¡°Apparently so. Of course, if it doesn¡¯t work out, you¡¯ll get paid for your time,¡± Justin replied. ¡°Sounds like a blind date...but ok...¡± I murmured before shrugging my shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ve got just the dress for you!¡± Justin cried out in excitement. ... Although I remembered Adrian to be such a gentleman, I still felt extremely nervous to meet him again. The first time we met was by ident but this time things were different. He had requested to meet me to see if we werepatible to form a fake rtionship and family for the sake of his young daughter. The dress that Justin picked out for me was slightly over the top. It made me feel too overdressed even if this is a very romantic and high-ss restaurant. The rooftop restaurant boasted a beautiful night view of the city from a very tall hotel building. It was the perfect ce for couples with more than a little extra money to burn to have a date. As for me, this is the ce that Adrian had chosen for my job interview of sorts. The light blue dress that Justin had chosen did nothing to hide the curves of my body or my cleavage. Dress to impress indeed. When I arrived, Adrian was already there. When he spotted me, he got up from his seat at once and came to my side. I¡¯m not sure if it was just my own imagination but he seemed very happy to see me again. To my surprise, I found myself smiling quite naturally at him. We exchanged a few words of greeting before he offered me his arm and guided me to the table. A candle-lit dinner with excellent wine was really the best way to kick off our first ¡®date¡¯. I wondered what he wanted to talk about. This was my first time having a formal interview for a contract wife job and I wasn¡¯t sure what to expect. Justin just told me to be myself and go with the flow. I had no idea why he had so much confidence in me when I didn¡¯t have much confidence in myself right now. ¡°You look stunning in the dress. I almost didn¡¯t recognize you at first,¡± Adrianplimented me before he shed me a charming smile. Although it was partly ttery, I knew that there was some honesty in his words and smile. I found myself smiling back at him with ease. ¡°Thank you. I guess I do look quite differentpared to when we first met...¡± I replied, recalling how I was dressed the day that we met. Trying to live casually and heading to the supermarket turned into quite an adventure on that day. ¡°Should we order?¡± Adrian asked after I had had enough time going through the menu. ¡°Sure...¡± I replied. Honestly, I felt too nervous to feel hungry. I couldn¡¯t care less about the food. While we ced our orders with the smartly dressed waiter, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if my nervousness showed. The waiter left us, and we were alone once more. ¡°Thank you foring today. I know that it¡¯s quite sudden and all,¡± Adrian began saying. ¡°Not at all. Thank you for inviting me here. It¡¯s a nice ce with a great view,¡± I replied politely. ¡°Do you like ces like this?¡± Adrian asked. The truth was... ¡°I do but I guess when you¡¯ve been to romantic ces like this often, it does lose its charm,¡± I replied truthfully. Adrian smiled and thenughed at my blunt and honest response. I would be lying if I said that I wasn¡¯t used to these overly expensive and romantic ces. In my life, I¡¯ve dated millionaires and billionaires for all of my adult life. Nothing about ces like this really excites me much anymore. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean that I don¡¯t appreciate you...and the gorgeous night view though,¡± I added, and Adrianughed even harder than before. I beganughing at myself and along with him as I watched himugh carefreely. His smile and how his face lit up when heughed was very charming. He was many years older than I am, but I felt like he had a hint of childishness in him that I found refreshing. Just like before, I found talking to Adrian easy and it wasn¡¯t long before the ice between uspletely melted. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 42 42 Touched ¡°You¡¯re so honest. I really like that about you,¡± Adrianplimented me. ¡°Thank you, I guess...¡± I replied humbly. Adrian smiled at me, and I could feel that he was suddenly quite serious. I guess this is where the real talk starts. I smiled a little at him to encourage him to start. ¡°Well, you¡¯ve probably heard from your manager about my request. That day that you were at the hospital, you met my daughter briefly,¡± Adrian said with his gentle eyes on me. I nodded as I remembered the little girl that ran up to Adrian. ¡°My daughter¡¯s name is Millie. Her mother, my ex-wife, passed away shortly after giving birth to her so Millie doesn¡¯t remember her mother at all. I¡¯ve tried my best to raise her up properly for the past five years but, I guess...it¡¯s hard being a single father. To be honest, it¡¯s been harder than I thought,¡± Adrian told a summary version of his story. ¡°I won¡¯t lie and say that I¡¯ve got experience with kids, but it does seem like a tough job to be a single father,¡± I chimed in. ¡°It is but I really love Millie and I want the best life for her. I try my best to spend time with her, but my job does get in the way. The fact that she¡¯s a girl also makes it more difficult for me. Each day that she grows up, the more I feel like it would be better for her to have a mother,¡± Adrian said and I could see the determination in his eyes. His goodwill and his effort to put in ce the best for his daughter was very admirable. It was such a pity that his ex-wife left this world too soon. ..... ¡°I understand. Honestly, I¡¯ve never had children before and I¡¯m not sure if I can properly y the role of her mother...¡± I confessed honestly. ¡°I still think that you¡¯ll do better than me though...¡± he said with a shyugh. ¡°Maybe...¡± I mused. ¡°The truth is Millie has been asking about her mother and why our family isn¡¯t like her friend¡¯s. I guess they¡¯re just at that age when kids start talking,¡± Adrian exined. ¡°I see...¡± I murmured while deep in thought. ¡°You know what our society is like. Everyone is expected to be perfect and not having a mother is probably bothering Millie. Her friends and the people around her are probably making her question the fact that she doesn¡¯t have a mother a lot more than before,¡± Adrian said solemnly. ¡°I think I can understand that. It¡¯s hard when you¡¯re different from what society expects of you. However, I don¡¯t think Millie should feel bad about not having a mother. She¡¯s got you and I¡¯m sure you¡¯re an awesome father,¡± I said while trying to sound encouraging. ¡°I wished I¡¯m that great of a father. I try my best, but I probably have a lot to work on and it¡¯ll be great if you can work together with me to figure it all out,¡± Adrian said hopefully. My eyes widened at his unexpected words. I had always thought that I would be tested when I met him, but it seemed like he just wanted to convince me to help him out. ¡°I would like to help you but...I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m cut out for the job,¡± I replied honestly. If Adrian is worried about how people around Millie is viewing her then I¡¯m probably not the best candidate for the job. Apart from the fact that I had no experience with children, my personal history isn¡¯t exactly perfect. It would beplicated for Millie to have a mother who was recently married to a con man who recently justmitted suicide too. ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate, what happened with your ex-husband,¡± Adrian said as his hand reached for mine from across the table. ¡°Oh...¡± I mumbled. So, he knows... Of course, he knows. Everyone knows... ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t think I should take this job after all. You may not think so, but I believe that my past will present more problems for Millie if I pose as her new mother,¡± I apologized before smiling regretfully at him. ¡°What if you just start by being my girlfriend? I mean, we don¡¯t have to be engaged or married or anything. You can be her mother informally. You¡¯ll just be dating me,¡± Adrian suggested as his hand tightened over mine. ¡°Then people can say that you have bad taste in women?¡± I teased as I shook my head at him. ¡°Why would you say something like that? Is it because of what your ex-husband did? His crimes are his and you are you, you should not confuse the two things together. I think that you¡¯re a kind and honest person. Your beauty is also a good bonus to have by the way,¡± Adrian said so seriously that I was tempted to believe him. I blinked at his words before Iughed quite loudly at him. Quickly, I tried to collect myself as I ced a hand over my mouth. ¡°I¡¯m not as great of a woman that you¡¯re trying to make me out to be,¡± I replied while stillughing lightly at the ridiculousness of his words. ¡°I disagree. What kind of woman would run out in front of a car to save a stranger in need?¡± he asked, and the earnest look in his eyes scared me. ¡°A stupid one...¡± I replied softly as I stared into his beautiful green eyes. It¡¯s weird. I came here with the objective to get hired but now that I¡¯m here in front of him, I didn¡¯t want to take on the job anymore. It wasn¡¯t because I didn¡¯t like Adrian, but it was probably because I had started to take a liking to him that I feared that I may cause trouble to him and his precious daughter. ¡°Won¡¯t you consider my offer?¡± Adrian asked. I couldn¡¯t reply to him straight away. Instead, I looked down as I thought hard about what I should do. The truth was that I wanted to help him, but I wasn¡¯t sure if I could do it well enough. I felt Adrian¡¯s eyes on me, and I hesitated to look up to meet his kind green eyes. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 43 43 I¡¯ll Take Care of You ¡°I appreciate the offer, really. However, I think you should consider someone else. Perhaps Justin can introduce you to other women from his agency,¡± I politely refused his offer. ¡°I have considered other women before, but I don¡¯t feel like any of them has what I¡¯m looking for. If you don¡¯t ept the offer, I guess I¡¯ll have to continue on as a single dad,¡± Adrian said sounding defeated. He looked so sad and deted that it made me feel so guilty for being the source of his distress. ¡°Why do you want me to take this job so badly?¡± I asked curiously. ¡°I think you¡¯ll do great at it, and I also want to help you out. I think your situation is unfortunate and there are many things that happened that was beyond your control. Why don¡¯t you help me and allow me to help you out?¡± Adrian offered passionately. It was like his kindness and earnestness struck a chord within me. The way his eyes held mine as he waited patiently for my answer reminded me of someone that I knew from my childhood days. Perhaps that was why I made the decision that I did. ¡°You remind me of someone...very kind...¡± I replied softly after some thought. ¡°You also remind me of someone that I used to know...young and full of life,¡± Adrian replied before offering me a gorgeous smile. ¡°I look forward to working with you...and Millie...¡± I said before smiling at him. ..... Adrian¡¯s face lit up as his green eyes widened in slight disbelief at my words of agreement. The look of happiness on his face gave me some confidence that I had made the right decision. When he shed a radiant and captivating smile my way, I knew that I had only seen a brief sample of Adrian¡¯s charismatic character and that there was a lot more toe. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of you,¡± Adrian promised. The rest of the evening that I spent in hispany passed by in a blink of an eye. We rxed into eachpany, and I had to say that I enjoyed my time talking to him immensely. Although we didn¡¯t discuss anything serious, the small talk we made gave me quite a lot of insight to the man that he was. Adrian offered to drive me home, but I turned him down. I was still staying with Justin, and he had promised to pick me up when I wanted to head back. ¡°Thank you for the kind offer but Justin is here to pick me up,¡± I declined politely. ¡°Is that the case? That¡¯s unfortunate. I would have loved to spend more time with you,¡± Adrian said and I could hear regret in his voice. ¡°We¡¯ll probably have a lot of time when I start working for you,¡± I said reassuringly. ¡°You mean when you start dating me,¡± Adrian quickly corrected with a teasing smile. ¡°Yeah...you can put it that way too,¡± I replied with a smallugh. ¡°I look forward to it. I¡¯ll be in touch,¡± he said. ¡°Sure...me too...¡± I readily agreed. Adrian was perfect in every way and if I was any younger or less experienced, I think I would have fallen for his charms right away. He walked me to where Justin was waiting for me in his car. After opening the door for me, I got into the car, and we said our polite goodbyes. ¡°That doctor is smoking hot in that grey suit!¡± Justin cried out excited as he drove away. He brought a hand up and started fanning himself like he was in heat. It was so funny how he always exaggerates things in his own way. ¡°You sound disgusting...¡± I teased. ¡°Never mind me and how disgusting I sound. How did it go? You two love birds were hitting it off right in front of me, so I don¡¯t even know why I¡¯m bothering to ask,¡± Justin asked and then started answering his own question. ¡°It¡¯s all good. I¡¯m hired,¡± I dered proudly. ¡°Oh, yes! Yes! First official clienting right up!¡± Justin yelled at the top of his lungs. ¡°Calm down...¡± I hissed at him. ¡°I¡¯m going to send him the contract first thing tomorrow morning and make sure that the deal is properly signed and sealed!¡± Justin continued yelling. Justinughed and sung in the car loudly until we made it back to his ce. His happiness seriously rubbed off on me and I found myself smiling even long after I had gotten into bed after taking a rxing shower. Adrian and I had exchanged numbers so that we could keep in touch at his suggestion. I smiled a little to myself as I felt heat rush to my cheeks. It had been many years since Ist felt this way as I stared down at the text message that had just popped up on my phone. It was short and simple, but it made my heart skip more than a beat. ¡®Goodnight¡¯ was all that the message said but it was signed with his name, Adrian. ... The next day, I moved into my new apartment. The furniture that I had ordered will be arriving today. Any moment now, the delivery guy should turn up with my delivery. I spent almost the entire day supervising the delivery guys ensemble all the furniture that I had ordered and put them in ce where I wanted them. It waste in the afternoon by the time everything was done, and the delivery guys left. Looking around the sparsely decorated room, I was quite satisfied with the result. All the essentials were there, and the room was tidy and clean. If I spent a few days here, the ce should look lived in and homier. The curtains were installed already too. I walked over to the curtain covering the ss sliding doors that led out to the balcony and pulled them to the side. My excitement suddenly vanished at the view that I saw from my room. Smack on the building opposite the one I was in, was the building with therge billboard promoting theunch of EROS¡¯s new album. Of course, it had a huge photo of him on it. I wonder when they¡¯re going to take it down... ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 44 44 Lessons About Love Laughing a little at my cursed fate, I wondered how long I¡¯d have to live with it before it got taken down. Quickly, I closed the curtain and headed out with the intention to explore my new neighborhood a little. After all, I had apletely free day today and I worked so hard in moving in. I truly deserve a break. Heading out was the right decision. The weather outside was perfect for a casual stroll. The location of the apartment building was very convenient with many shops lining the streets. There were convenient stores and restaurants. My feet came to a stop when I arrived at the patisserie where EROS dropped by to buy some macarons for us. Just like that day, the shop disy was lined with many pretty treats, and they seemed to sparkle like jewels. While I was admiring the pastries and their lovely pastel colors, my phone started ringing. Of course, it was Justin who was calling. ¡°They want a contract wife for EROS?¡± I asked in shock after hearing what Justin had to say. ¡°More like a contract girlfriend. The very ssic fake girlfriend rtionship stuff,¡± Justin confirmed. ¡°Why would he need a fake girlfriend? I bet he has a lot of girls,¡± I asked in wonder. ¡°I think the issue is he has too many that it¡¯s like he doesn¡¯t have one,¡± Justin replied with a dryugh. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that Ipletely get it but ok...¡± I mumbled as my brows knitted together. Justin had told me that EROS¡¯s agency got in contact with him for a project. They would like Justin and me to meet up with them at their headquarters tomorrow to discuss it. ..... ¡°We¡¯ll find out more tomorrow. That¡¯s all I was told,¡± Justin said helplessly. ¡°I¡¯m backing out of this one if it gets too messy,¡± I stated upfront. ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t want to get too involved with celebrities either,¡± Justin concurred. ... Tomorrow came much faster than I had hoped, and it seemed like I didn¡¯t have enough time to prepare for my encounter with my potential client and employers. Justin drove me to therge skyscraper where we were supposed to have our meeting. I stood next to Justin in front of therge ss building as I tilted my head back and looked up. The headquarters of GH Entertainment looked even more impressive in real life than it did whenever I saw it in the news on television. Since this entertainmentpany acts as the agency of many famous people from actors, musicians toedians, it wasn¡¯t rare for this building to appear in the news when the famous are caught in front of it by the reporters looking to interview them. GH Entertainment is also the agency that manages EROS and his band EROS Wings, having supported him since the start of his career way back when he was still a young teenager and a music prodigy. If you want to ask me why I knew so much about him and his career, well, I did my homework. This wasn¡¯t just a casual meeting; it was a business meeting where I had to win a business deal. Knowing the basics about my potential client is a must. I read up on many articles about EROS and his band that Justin had provided and also some other materials that I found myself online. Even though I wasn¡¯t a fan, I had to admit that his professional records and passion for music and whatever he does were extremely impressive. ¡°I¡¯m going to get straight to the point. As you know, EROS is a highly sessful musician, actor, and celebrity. Lately, he¡¯s gotten into films and acting a lot more than before. Maybe you¡¯ve seen histest movies and such. Of course, he¡¯s still very much active in music which is still his core,¡± a manager from GH Entertainment said. He was probably in his fifties and his hair and beard was a mix of white and grey. I could tell from the way he spoke that he truly valued EROS as an artist, but he also sounded extremely strict. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve seen his films. His acting is amazing!¡± Justin said and it was clear that he was a die-hard fan. The same couldn¡¯t be said about me though. ¡°The problem is that all his films are action and sci-fi films. The real problem is that EROS can¡¯t act in any romance films or series...¡± the manager confessed with a concerned sigh. ¡°That¡¯s a real big problem because romance is a very big market and the market that his female fans are looking forward to seeing him in. You know, all those women and girls waiting for him to star in romantic heart throbbing movies, series,mercials, and the list goes on and on,¡± Mark, EROS¡¯s manager added in. ¡°So basically, we¡¯re missing out on all that big money,¡± the manager concluded before he pursed his lips tightly. ¡°If he can¡¯t act then shouldn¡¯t you just send him to acting school or get him to take acting courses?¡± I asked, not quite understanding the issue. ¡°You say that as if we haven¡¯t tried. Trust me, we¡¯ve tried all those things, but he can¡¯t interact with women romantically on...or off camera,¡± the manager said before closing his eyes like he had just seen a living nightmare. ¡°What do you mean...exactly?¡± Justin asked suspiciously. ¡°EROS views women as nothing more than something that he can have sex with. He¡¯s never wanted and has never had a romantic rtionship with women before. For him, it¡¯s just...physical...sex,¡± Mark said as he shifted ufortably in his seat. ¡°Love isn¡¯t a concept that EROS can understand or express...¡± the manager chimed in with a nod. ¡°So, we were thinking that if he can start dating a woman like yourself, he might understand how rtionships between a man a woman is supposed to work,¡± Mark finally arrived at his conclusion. ¡°You want me to teach him...about love?¡± I asked, trying to summarize the task at hand. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 45 45 15 Minutes with Him If that was what they wanted, then I¡¯m saying goodbye to this client and this case. Asking someone who doesn¡¯t believe in love to teach another about love is too much of a stretch and I¡¯m not about to take on a task that I know is impossible. ¡°Precisely,¡± the manager said resolutely. ¡°Of course, we¡¯re not asking you to parade around publicly as EROS¡¯s girlfriend. No one can know about your rtionship even if it¡¯s a fake one because it will obviously affect his poprity if people found out that he has a girlfriend. Instead, we¡¯ll have you date him in secret while posing as his assistant manager,¡± the agency representative said. ¡°Rest assured, you don¡¯t actually have to be his real manager. You just need to act like one enough so that the people around us will believe it. I¡¯m his real manager so I¡¯ll still do my job,¡± Mark exined. I was starting to see what they wanted but the more I understood, the more impossible this whole task just seemed to me. ¡°Sorry but...I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to be possible. I¡¯m very sorry but, I can¡¯t take on this request after all,¡± I said, trying to sound regretful. The truth was, I wasn¡¯t regretful at all. I knew that I had to avoid this case like a minefield. ¡°Why don¡¯t you have a talk with him before you decide? EROS hasn¡¯t been open to the idea until very recently,¡± the manager said with a polite smile. ¡°Yes, we went through many potential candidates with him, but he turned them all down. This is the first time that he¡¯s agreed to meet with a candidate,¡± Mark quickly added. ..... ¡°I see...¡± I murmured. ¡°He should be here soon. He¡¯s wrapping up his dance practice as we speak,¡± Mark said as he checked the time on his watch. Huh? He¡¯s going to be here?! As if on cue, the door to the room opened and a tall man walked in wordlessly. He was dressed very differently from how he¡¯s shown in public and in the media. EROS was dressed in very casual andfortable looking clothes. ck baggy pants, thin and white sleeveless shirt that did nothing to hide his muscr arms and well-toned body, a light blue towel around his neck. His hair was wet, it was clear that he just came out of the shower. His blonde hair looks a few shades darker now that it¡¯s wet. ¡°He¡¯s so hot...oh my god...¡± Justin whispered as he nudged me with his elbow. I guess that¡¯s the standard reaction that people have towards EROS. Justin¡¯s reaction as he fanned his hot face with his hands was enough to convince me that EROSing out of the shower wasn¡¯t a scene that should be seen by the public. It could cause serious public disturbances amongst the female poption. So much for all that ¡®I don¡¯t want to get too involved with celebrities either¡¯ stuff. ¡°You¡¯re here...¡± EROS said as his eyes met mine. I bit my lower lip and it felt like it was just us alone in the world in that moment. EROS did not pay any attention to the other people in the room. Not knowing how to greet him, I just nodded. No one should find out that I¡¯ve actually met him before... Does he...recognize me? ¡°I have 15 minutes. Let¡¯s go,¡± EROS said as he gestured for me to follow him. I could feel everyone¡¯s eyes on me as I got out of my seat and followed EROS out of the room. Our destination was the room right next door. It was a meeting room with arge table and a set of leather sofas. The moment that I stepped into the room, EROS closed the door and locked it. Surprisingly, I was more curious than scared. Without a word, EROS plopped himself down on the long sofa and rxed into it. Slowly, I headed for the sofa opposite him. ¡°Not there. Come sit next to me here,¡± EROS said as he waved me over to him. ¡°I¡¯m fine here,¡± I replied tly. ¡°Are you scared? Of me?¡± EROS asked with a softugh. ¡°Of course, not...¡± I muttered as I red straight at him. ¡°Come...¡± he said invitingly as his hand patted the empty spot on the sofa next to where he was sitting. I headed over to where he was sitting and sat down next to him, ignoring the fact that he looked more than ready to wrap his arm around my shoulders. ¡°So, were the macarons from the other day yummy?¡± EROS asked before smiling brightly at me. Is that what he wanted to ask me in private? ¡°Yes, it was. Thank you...¡± I replied honestly. ¡°Are you still mad about the other day?¡± he asked as he shifted his weight on the sofa to turn towards me. To my own surprise, I couldn¡¯t find it in myself to be mad at him at all. ¡°No. The macarons worked so I¡¯m not mad anymore,¡± I replied with a small smile. ¡°When they showed me a photo of you, I was really surprised...¡± EROS said with a gleam in his eyes. ¡°Is it because you didn¡¯t think that I¡¯ll be working a job like this...?¡± I asked directly. It¡¯s amon reaction so I wouldn¡¯t be surprised or offended if that was what he thought. ¡°Not that. You looked so beautiful in your photo that I didn¡¯t recognize you at first. You look very pretty today too but I still think the you from the other day looked better...¡± EROS said as he seemed to recall some memories. ¡°How so?¡± I couldn¡¯t help asking. ¡°Hmm...you looked more real,¡± he replied before winking at me. ¡°Your manager and agency rep told me that you were not interested in this before and it¡¯s a shame for me to do this when you¡¯ve finally shown some interest, but I¡¯m going to have to turn down this job after all,¡± I said solemnly. ¡°Why?¡± he asked although he didn¡¯t seem shocked about my refusal. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m cut out for this job. I won¡¯t be able to do it well...¡± I tried to exin before trailing off. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 46 46 His Dislike of Women EROS looked directly at me, but his golden eyes were nk like he didn¡¯t understand or didn¡¯t give a damn about what I was saying. ¡°I have a problem, you see. I don¡¯t like women and I don¡¯t want to have anything to do with them. Except for sex that is. I love sex with women, that¡¯s all,¡± he stated bluntly. ¡°Aha...¡± I murmured, not quite sure how to react to his honest and straight forward confession. ¡°But you¡¯re different...¡± he said, and his eyes zoomed in on me. Is this the part where I¡¯m supposed to turn and make a run for it? ¡°...how so?¡± I asked, fullyposed. ¡°You smell...very nice...¡± EROS replied after some thought. ¡°Umm...¡± I made a thoughtful sound because I wasn¡¯t sure how to react to that. ¡°Shall we give it a try?¡± EROS asked casually. ..... ¡°Give what a try?¡± I asked, although I started to have a pretty good idea of what he was referring to. ¡°Sex...¡± he replied without hesitation. I was beginning to understand why his agency had major concerns on how he develops rtionship with women. The real issue was that he wasn¡¯t interested in developing any rtionship with them. All he wanted from them was sex. I sighed loudly and he immediately gave me a confused look. ¡°You see, asking straight up for sex isn¡¯t how you build a rtionship with a girl,¡± I said dryly. ¡°Is that a, no?¡± EROS asked, sounding more confused than disappointed. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a no!¡± I cried out loudly. ¡°That¡¯s strange. Are you ill today? Or is it that time of the month so you don¡¯t want to do it?¡± EROS asked as his eyes widened innocently. I furrowed my eyebrows and I felt like I was about to get a massive headache. This guy, he just doesn¡¯t get it at all. No wonder he can¡¯t act out any boyfriend roles in any movies. It¡¯s like hecksmon sense on this topic, and I was having a hard time imagining how he grew up to have this type of attitude. ¡°No. I don¡¯t want to have sex with you. Do you understand?¡± I repeated. ¡°No, I don¡¯t. Girls are always over me. I get it. I mean, with this face and this body plus the fact that I¡¯m EROS. Everyone wants to sleep with me,¡± EROS said like that was a problem for him too. ¡°I don¡¯t...¡± I confirmed my preference again. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought. You¡¯re different...and I want to know why...¡± he said as his eyes narrowed at me. He¡¯s so close... Well, we could start with this. ¡°What¡¯s your real name? It¡¯s not EROS, is it?¡± I asked. His eyes widened in slight surprise before he narrowed them and watched me closely. ¡°I¡¯m Sean,¡± he replied. How he spoke just now seemed quite different from how he spoke before. That was when it urred to me that my guess was probably spot on. EROS and Sean are not exactly the same person. EROS was strictly his public persona and Sean was probably his true self. Now, the question was, who am I supposed to be dating? ¡°I¡¯m Elena,¡± I replied without breaking eye contact. ¡°Elena, don¡¯t you want to know if two people who don¡¯t believe in love like us cane to understand it?¡± Sean asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can fall in love and I¡¯m that¡¯s not what I¡¯m looking for. Unfortunately, because I don¡¯t know anything about love, there is nothing that I can teach you,¡± I said decisively. ¡°You were married right? It said so in your profile,¡± Sean said as rolled his eyes up as if recalling something. ¡°Yes,¡± I replied inly. ¡°Did you love him? Your ex-husband, I mean...¡± Sean asked sounding extremely interested. Well, if he really wanted to know then... ¡°No, I didn¡¯t love him,¡± I replied smoothly. ¡°Did you have sex with him?¡± he probed further. ¡°Of course, I did,¡± I replied truthfully. I slept with him until he didn¡¯t want to anymore. ¡°Great. So, you can sleep with guys you don¡¯t have any feelings for,¡± Sean said excitedly. ¡°Huh?¡± I said in confusion. ¡°That¡¯s great. You and me, we¡¯re the same,¡± Sean continued as his eyes lit up. ¡°What are you saying?¡± I asked suspiciously. ¡°If you¡¯re waiting for me to beg you to date me because I¡¯m looking for romance, you¡¯re about to be sorely disappointed. I don¡¯t give two fucks about that crap. But you see, I have my own reasons for making it big in the entertainment industry and if I have to be able to act as some romantic love-striken bloke on screen to get there, then I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to make it,¡± Sean said and everything about him seemed to darken. ¡°I see. So, I guess this is Sean...¡± I said with a nod of my head. ¡°That¡¯s right. This is Sean. I have my own reasons and you have yours. It¡¯s money that you want, right? Name the price and my agency will pay it. It¡¯s not every day that I find a girl who¡¯s pretty to look at that doesn¡¯t want me to screw her on the spot. Yet you can sleep around with guys that you have no feelings for. We¡¯re so alike that it¡¯s funny. Faking a rtionship with you would be perfect for me,¡± Sean said before he smiled a little at me. I arched a brow at him, unable to process what I was hearing. By some twisted logic, he now views me as the perfect candidate to be his fake girlfriend. I nced down as I thought about what he had just said. Partly, I had to admit that he was right. We both had our reasons and our own objectives and if our needs just happen to match then what¡¯s the harm of entering into a contract with each other? ¡°My 15 minutes is almost up. What will you decide, Elena?¡± Sean asked softly. ...shit. ¡°One question. Why do you dislike women so much?¡± I asked just out of pure personal curiosity. He smiled a little at me, but his smile did not reach his eyes. If anything, he seemed slightly angry. ¡°They¡¯re all troublemakers...that¡¯s all,¡± Sean replied, and the smile did not disappear from his lips. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 47 47 Gobbling Me Up I wasn¡¯t sure what he meant but I was party appreciative of the fact that he wasn¡¯t dodging my question. At least, he was willing to be honest even if he did not provide me with a lot of details. Plus, his dislike or liking of women had nothing to do with me. ¡°I look forward to working with you, Sean,¡± I said as I held out a hand towards him for a shake. Sean burst outughing before his muchrger hand enveloped mine in a firm handshake. However, that wasn¡¯t all that he had in mind. Suddenly, my body was pulled forward against his and the smell of his shampoo, soap, cologne, and everything else filled my senses. I felt his arm around my back and his hand holding the back of my neck. His soft blond hair brushed against my cheek softly before I felt the warmth of his breath against my neck. I felt goosebumps on my skin when I realized that he was sniffing my scent. ¡°Sean...¡± I said his name, stunned at his sudden action. ¡°Elena...¡± he whispered my name close to my neck before I felt a warm and wet sensation run along the sensitive skin of my neck. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± I asked coldly. Instead of replying to my question, Sean chose to start sucking softly on my neck instead. The sensation felt strangely pleasurable although I could sense that Sean wasn¡¯t doing this out of sexual desire. If I had to describe it, it felt like he was hungry and eager to taste me. ¡°You smell and taste so sweet...I can¡¯t wait to gobble you up, Elena,¡± Sean said after his lips stopped sucking on the side of my neck. ..... ¡°Are you done?¡± I asked. ¡°For today. My 15 minutes are up,¡± Sean said with apparent regret in his voice and for a moment he looked like a disappointed child. Sean was right about his time running out. There were loud knocks on the door and the sound of his manager calling for him quickly followed. ¡°EROS! We have to leave now!¡± the manager shouted as he continued to pound on the door. ¡°He¡¯s so annoying. Everyone¡¯s so annoying,¡± Sean said as he got up from the sofa. When the door opened, Sean had reverted to the very professional EROS once more. It was outrageously impressive how the air and everything about him changed when he made the switch. The manager nced over at me as if to check that I was still alive and in one piece. I smiled reassuringly back at him to tell him that I was fine. ¡°You have an interview to go to now. Get dressed immediately. The stylist team is waiting for you. We leave immediately when you¡¯re done,¡± the manager said sternly. I watched EROS follow behind his manager with both hands tucked in the pockets of his baggy pants. While my eyes were on him, Justin quickly approached me. ¡°How did it go? What did he say? Are you going to take the job? Is he ok with you?¡± Justin bombarded me with a rapid flow of questions. ¡°It went well. It doesn¡¯t matter what he said. I¡¯ll take the job and yes, he¡¯s ok with me,¡± I replied to all of his questions in one breath. ¡°Really?¡± Justin asked with apparent shock. ¡°Yes. Put some outrageous number for the fee please. This guy...he¡¯s not normal...¡± I said as I shook my head from side to side. ¡°I bet none of them are,¡± Justin said as he faked an overly shiver of fear. ... It was a Sunday and just like how Sundays are supposed to be spent, I was rxing on my bed when the doorbell to my apartment rang. Only three people knew that I lived here, one was the real estate agent, the other was the building manager, and thest one was Justin. Therefore, it was definitely Justin. ¡°Wow. Honestly, didn¡¯t expect you to drop by my ce on a Sunday,¡± I saidzily. ¡°It¡¯s not about whether or not it¡¯s Sunday. This ce is...I don¡¯t even want to start,¡± Justin said before closing his eyes as if in pain. ¡°Stopining. Are youing in or not?¡± I asked as I leaned against the doorway and squinted at him. ¡°Why don¡¯t you get a bigger room in a newer building? Don¡¯t tell me that you can¡¯t afford it because you can afford it now...¡± Justin asked in wonder. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I like this ce. It¡¯s so small and homey,¡± I replied unfazed. ¡°It¡¯s too small...there¡¯s not even a sofa in this room. Where do I sit? On the bed? On the floor?¡± Justin asked as he wringed his hands about in apparent frustration. Iughed at him before he finally decided to settle on the floor next to the low coffee table that I had bought. In the end, I didn¡¯t end up buying a sofa to trade off with having more free space. ¡°Sitting on the floor is rxing, you know...¡± I told him and he immediately rolled his eyes at me. ¡°I usually don¡¯t work Sundays but since you¡¯re my friend, I¡¯m taking this opportunity to visit you,¡± Justin said with a smile. ¡°Aha...¡± I mumbled. ¡°And! I brought you the three signed contracts for your rich and awesome billionaire husbands!¡± Justin announced so loudly that I was afraid that the ceiling would copse on top of us. ¡°They all signed it?¡± I asked as my hands flew to cover my mouth in disbelief. ¡°Yes! Look here...here...and here!¡± Justin cried out in joy as his fingers quickly pointed to the three signatures on the contracts. I did it. I justnded three jobs. Wow! I swear that Justin had tears swimming in his eyes as he came around and pulled me into a tight hug. It felt like my bones were going to be crushed by hisrge and powerful arms. ¡°Enough...enough...¡± I said as Iughed along with him. ¡°We did it, girl. We did it!¡± Justin said before pulling me into his arms again for another hug. I patted his back with my hand as he struggled topose himself. It was like a miracle. I wasn¡¯t sure what working for the three guys would be like, but it was better to be employed than to be unemployed, I guessed. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 48 48 First Day of Work ¡°Ok. So, this is how it¡¯s going to work. You¡¯re going to have to juggle all three guys, which is going to be very tricky. However, don¡¯t worry, they know that they¡¯re not the only one using your service,¡± Justin exined. ¡°What does that mean? They know that I have other clients?¡± I asked. ¡°Exactly. Although by confidentiality, you and I can¡¯t tell them who the other clients are. That¡¯s a rule...by the way...¡± Justin warned. ¡°I see...¡± I replied with an understanding nod. ¡°You will split your time in each week between the three guys. 2 days per guy, Mondays to Saturdays and you have Sunday off. How you split the days is up to you and your guys but to start off you will spend 2 days with Adrian, then 2 days with EROS and then 2 days with Brandon, in that order,¡± Justin exined. ¡°Is there a particr reason for the order?¡± I asked curiously. ¡°No. That¡¯s just the order that the contracts were signed. Firste first serve basis. Fair and square,¡± Justin replied with confidence. ¡°Right. That works,¡± I agreed. ¡°Your work ends at midnight, and they pay extra for overtime over that mark. Of course, your work can end early too if they don¡¯t need you anymore for the day. It¡¯s like being in a rtionship you know...¡± Justin said before trailing off. ..... ¡°What about the condition that I asked for?¡± I asked with concern. ¡°That¡¯s taken care of. All three contracts have a use prohibiting sexual activities just like you requested,¡± Justin said with a slight nod. ¡°Ok. That¡¯s a relief,¡± I said before letting out a long breath. ¡°Don¡¯t let the contract constrain you and the rtionship that you develop with your client. Be yourself and do whatever you feel is right andfortable to you. If you don¡¯t want to have a physical rtionship with them, you don¡¯t need to. However, if you do, the contract can always be amended. Of course, the guys will pay a higher price than they do now. They are aware and now you too, are aware,¡± Justin exined with a slight warning in his tone. ¡°Alright...¡± I replied softly. ¡°Well then...the game is on!¡± Justin announced proudly as he raised both arms up in the air above his head. ¡°You¡¯re getting too excited about this...¡± I mumbled before I began tough at him. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see what the future has in store for you and your three husbands,¡± Justin said with a dreamy look in his eyes. ... ¡°This is your official first day of work. Are you nervous?¡± Justin said as he stood behind me. I stared into the mirror as I applied the final touches of my make up while seated. Opening my eyes wider, I applied a little more eyeliner and then a touch of light pink lipstick to my lips. ¡°Not really. How do I look?¡± I said as I inspected the reflection of my face in the mirror. Justin bent forward and stared into the mirror as well. ¡°If you looked any better, it¡¯ll look like you¡¯re out to seduce the man,¡± Justin joked with augh. ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m aiming to do but you gotta dress to impress,¡± I said as I stood up. The light pink knee-length dress that matched the shade of my lipstick hugged my body perfectly, showing off my curves. After putting on high heel shoes, my look was perfect. Since signing the contracts came with some advance payment, I had more than enough money to go shopping for the necessary things that I needed for my assignments. The most important were clothes, essories, make up and shoes. Basically, everything that would make me look the part of being these rich and famous men¡¯s girlfriends. The shoe that I had on felt funny on my feet. This is what I get for being born with unequal-sized feet. Usually, I get my shoes tailored to fit me but since my financial crisis started that wasn¡¯t an option anymore. ¡°When I have some money to spare, I swear the first thing I¡¯m going to do is get some shoes tailored...¡± I mumbled to myself. ¡°Survive your first day first before you start dreaming of shoes and shopping. Never ever lose a client, please...¡± Justin warned as he squinted his eyes at me. ... Justin was awesome as always and his agency provided me with a car that was luxurious enough to fit my role. Today is my first day on the job and I am scheduled to spend the day with Adrian at the hospital. ¡°Hey...¡± I said when I answered Adrian¡¯s call. ¡°Have you arrived?¡± he asked, and I could hear concern in his voice. ¡°I¡¯m parking the car right now. Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t get lost,¡± I said, teasing him a little. ¡°Where did you park? I can pick you up there...¡± he suggested. ¡°There¡¯s no need. What about we meet at the hospital¡¯s entrance or lobby?¡± I suggested instead. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll wait for you there,¡± he readily agreed. ¡°Ok. See you soon,¡± I said before I hung up. I applied a touch of lipstick to my lips once again and checked my reflection in the mirror. If this look doesn¡¯t turn some heads, then I¡¯m going back to school to retake my courses. When I arrived at the lobby of the hospital, Adrian was already there waiting for me just as he had promised. Honestly, I¡¯ve never found myself attracted to men inb coats or doctor¡¯s uniform before, but I had to say that the way Adrian had his uniform on top of his sweater and white shirt was quite attractive. Maybe dating a doctor would be an interesting experience. ¡°Adrian...¡± I called out to him softly as I approached him. Adrian lifted a hand and waved at me. His charming smile made me feel warm inside just like the perfect amount of sunlight in the early morning. ¡°Good morning, Elena. Is this time too early for you?¡± Adrian asked casually. He¡¯s so easy to talk to. If I didn¡¯t know who he is, I would find it hard to believe that this easy-going man is the heir of such arge fortune. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 49 49 Rescued Again ¡°Not at all. The time is perfect,¡± I said before smiling at him. ¡°Great. Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll show you around. This hospital isn¡¯t unique or anything and the work that I do might be boring for you...¡± Adrian said. I appreciated the effort he was putting in to manage my expectations. However, I was eager to learn more about him and I was sure that there would be many interesting new things for me to learn. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I like learning new things and I¡¯m sure that your day isn¡¯t as boring as you make it sound,¡± I replied cheerfully. Adrian led me around the hospital, and I could tell by the way that the staff stopped to greet him that he was well respected and well-liked by everyone. Adrian attracted a lot of attention and because he seems so humble, he probably doesn¡¯t even realize it. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m a woman but I was more than conscious of the eyes of the other women on us as we walked side by side through the hospital. I wouldn¡¯t say that the cold stares from the nurses and other female hospital staff made me feel nervous, but I had to say that it made me feel slightly ufortable. I nced over at Adrian who was busy introducing me to the various parts of the hospital. The way that he was talking enthusiastically about the ce clearly showed that he was passionate about his work and his business. I had to say that I liked that in a man. Adrian was oblivious to the stares and attention that we were attracting to us. The way the women¡¯s eyes lingered on him made me realize that Adrian is extremely popr here. Things probably won¡¯t go very well when we make our fake rtionship official. ¡°That¡¯s roughly it. Now, I¡¯ll show you where I work,¡± Adrian said. ¡°You mean like...your personal office?¡± I asked, sounding interested. ..... ¡°Yes. My office,¡± Adrian replied with a smallugh. We walked past a part of the hospital that was quite busy. I guess this means that business is going well if there are so many patients here and all the staff were fully upied with their work. I watched with genuine interest at the people racing around to help take care of the patients. I didn¡¯t know that so many people got sick or needed medical attention in a day. ¡°Watch out! Elena!¡± Adrian called out to me suddenly. I whirled around and almost came face to face with a trolley that was being wheeled by a nurse. I was certain that the trolley was going to run into me. Since the equipment stacked on the trolley was high, she probably didn¡¯t see me on the other end of the trolley. It¡¯s going to hurt... Suddenly, my body was pulled to the side as I felt my body press up against something firm and warm. I let out a panic cry as the trolley ran past. Somehow, I had avoided getting hit. That would have been a disaster and it¡¯s my first day of work too. ¡°Elena, are you alright?¡± Adrian spoke from very close to me. ncing up, I realized that Adrian was looking at me with intense worry from above. I knew that he was very tall, but I didn¡¯t think that he was this tall. Maybe I¡¯m slightly on the small side but even in these heels, he¡¯s still towers over me. For a moment, I didn¡¯t know what to say as his beautiful green eyes gazed intensely into my own. ¡°I...I¡¯m fine. Thank you...for saving me...¡± I managed to say in a shaky and breathless voice. Then I realized that the warmth that I felt was his arms around me and the length of his body pressed against mine. He pulled me into a hug? ¡°I¡¯m ok now...so...¡± I said softly. ¡°Oh...sorry about that,¡± Adrian said in sudden realization that he was still holding me tightly in his arms. His arms loosened from around me as he let me go and I settled back down on my own two feet again as I stood next to him. My heart was beating very fast, and I wasn¡¯t sure if it was from the trolley almost hitting me or the fact that I was just in Adrian¡¯s arms. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Thank you for helping me. I guess I¡¯m such a klutz,¡± I said shyly, ending with a slightly nervousugh. ¡°You should be more aware of your surroundings and be careful. I might not be around to save you next time,¡± Adrian said sternly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± I whispered, actually feeling very guilty. ¡°I¡¯m not mad. Let¡¯s go,¡± Adrian said with a reassuring smile. I could feel the eyes of countless people on us as they watched our exchange. It was obvious that they witnessed that scene and had seen Adrian holding me in his arms just now. If I was concerned with any of that, I forgot all about it when Adrian extended a hand towards me. I looked up into his face as I slowly ced my hand into his muchrger one. His fingers really are pretty, I thought as his fingers grasped my hand firmly in his. His hand is so warm, and it made me feel so safe and secure. It was a strange feeling. I¡¯ve only met Adrian a few times but since the first time that we met, I felt so assured being with him. It was like I could trust him to take care of me. Maybe it¡¯s because that he¡¯s a doctor and he¡¯s many years older than me that made me feel that he was dependable. ¡°Thank you...¡± I whispered. I¡¯m already losing track of the times that I¡¯ve thanked him today. ¡°It¡¯s safer this way, right?¡± Adrian said as he began leading me by the hand. Soon enough, we arrived at his private office. I didn¡¯t know that there was such arge office building joint to the hospital like this. The office building where the office work was done to manage the hospital wasn¡¯t asrge as the hospital, but it was still impressive in size. Adrian¡¯s office was on the top floor of the building. Unlike the hospital¡¯s main building that was filled with doctors, nurses, medical staff and patients, the office building was filled with office workers dressed in smart suits. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 50 50 Thinking of Marriage ¡°This is my office. Sorry if it¡¯s a little messy...¡± Adrian said as he led me into his office. Although he mentioned that his office is messy, his office is anything but. It was clean and well organized. As I was looking around therge room, Adrian had shrugged off his doctor gown and ced it on a coat hanger. I turned around and saw him putting on a grey suit that matched his pants instead. ¡°Switching modes?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes. Maybe you¡¯ve already figured but my main job here is managing the business. I do work as a doctor sometimes, but I rarely get to do that anymore...¡± Adrian said with slight regret in his voice. Adrian had a different vibe now that he was in a suit instead of the doctor uniform. It was a pleasant change. I wondered how he juggled between the two hats, and I had a feeling that I was about to find out. ¡°I have a couple of meetings today with the management team and thente in the afternoon a VVIP patient ising in,¡± Adrian exined his schedule for the day. ¡°So...what am I supposed to do here? What can I help you with?¡± I asked enthusiastically. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything. Just keep mepany,¡± Adrian said about a short moment of thought. ¡°Is it really that easy?¡± I asked as I cocked my head to the side. ..... ¡°Yes, you just have to keep mepany. Your job is simply that easy,¡± Adrian reaffirmed with a smile. ¡°Isn¡¯t there something that I can help out with? I¡¯ll feel quite useless and guilty if I¡¯m not doing anything useful¡± I said, meaning it. After all, I¡¯m being paid quite a hefty sum to be here. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you can help me with some work and attend some meetings with me. How¡¯s that?¡± Adrian suggested. ¡°Sure. I¡¯m happy to do that,¡± I quickly agreed. ¡°Then let¡¯s go...¡± Adrian said as he led me out of his office. The management meeting was held in arge meeting room where senior looking men and women sat at a long meeting table. When we walked in, everyone was already seated as if they were waiting for Adrian. There was an unupied seat at the head of the table and clearly that was where Adrian was supposed to sit. The question was, where do I sit, or should I stand to the side? ¡°I¡¯ll grab you a chair, Elena,¡± Adrian whispered to me. ¡°No, I can do that,¡± I quickly protested. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You don¡¯t even know where to grab a chair from,¡± Adrian said reassuringly as he patted my shoulder and left the meeting room. Once again, I could feel the eyes of the various people on me. They probably wondered who I was and what was I doing here when they¡¯re about to have a meeting with Adrian. ¡°Here you go,¡± Adrian said when he returned. I watched as he ced the chair next to his own and gestured for me to take a seat. Nodding my head to him in thanks, I sat down on the chair and Adrian took the seat next to me. ¡°Before we start, I¡¯d like to take this opportunity to introduce you to Elena. She¡¯ll be helping me out starting today. I figured that if we¡¯re thinking of marriage, it might be beneficial for her to know more about my family business,¡± Adrian said as he addressed everyone in the room. Thinking of marriage?! My eyes widened at his words of introduction as my head whipped around to face him. Adrian nced over at me and smiled a little wickedly. I don¡¯t remember agreeing to this. Weren¡¯t we just ying at being boyfriend and girlfriend? I can¡¯t believe he just said that so casually... Things are progressing a little fast... ¡°Hello everyone. It¡¯s an honor to meet you all. My name is Elena,¡± I introduced myself politely before offering everyone a perfect smile. I could tell that everyone was frankly very surprised at this sudden introduction. Well, so was I. Thankfully, I was dressed up quite nicely for the role and wouldn¡¯t bring any shame to Adrian and his ultra-rich family. Everyone expressed their greeting and soon the room settled down again and the meeting went ahead. I could understand what was going on in the meeting quite well. They discussed business performance of the various hospital branches and future expansion ns. Adrian was clearly in charge and dictated the direction of the conversation. I had to admit that I was impressed at how well Adrian dealt with the questions directed at him and how he politely treated his managers. ¡°Was it boring for you? It must have been...¡± Adrian asked before answering his own question for me. ¡°Not at all. I actually found it very interesting. I have a degree in business, but I¡¯ve never really worked before...¡± I said before trailing off. I never worked before because right after graduation, I married George just like how my parents wanted. I never got the opportunity to do any real work but that wasn¡¯t something that I wanted to bring up right now. ¡°You¡¯re still young. You can start working anytime so don¡¯t worry,¡± Adrian replied without probing into my personal life. I offered him a small smile in thanks, and we dropped that conversation. The meetings that Adrian had lined up for the day were over and we headed back to his office. Since I had been seated almost all day, I hadn¡¯t realized until now that my right ankle hurts a little with every step that I took. It didn¡¯t really bother me since I could still walk but I wondered if I sprained it or hurt it somehow when Adrian helped me avoid the oing trolley from earlier this morning. When we arrived back in his personal office, I sat down on the sofa in the middle of the room as I watched Adrian walk over to his worktable. ¡°What¡¯s up next?¡± I asked curiously. ¡°A VVIP patient ising to our hospital. He¡¯s a politician. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll recognize him when you see him,¡± Adrian replied casually. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 51 51 How He Cares ¡°Wow, really...¡± I said in awe. ¡°Yup. It¡¯s not as big of a deal as you think but it does mean that I have to take care of his case along with the other doctors,¡± Adrian said. ¡°I see...¡± I mumbled. Adrian shed me a smile before he started taking off his suit and, in its ce, he put on his white doctor coat again. ¡®Wee back, Doctor Adrian¡¯ I said to myself in my mind as I smiled at him. One day I¡¯ll get used to this transition of his, but not today. Soon, I found out that Adrian was right. I did recognize the politician immediately. He¡¯s the minister of foreign affairs and is often seen on television during news segments. ¡°Doctor Adrian, thank you helping me out today,¡± the man said with a friendly smile. ¡°It always a pleasure to have you here at our hospital. How have you been feeling?¡± Adrian asked with a look of genuine concern. ¡°Like usual. The treatmentst time worked very well,¡± the minister replied. ..... ¡°Then let¡¯s do the usual monitoring tests to follow up fromst time,¡± Adrian suggested. ¡°Sure. Thank you,¡± the minister readily agreed. ¡°This way please. I¡¯ll also have the same team of doctors assist you with the entire procedure. It¡¯s the same asst time so there¡¯s nothing for you to worry about,¡± Adrian reassured the man. ¡°Great great...¡± the minister said approvingly. Together with Adrian and the other doctors on the team, we walked from the lobby to private rooms for VVIP patients and then to test rooms where the machines necessary for the procedures were located. Apparently, the minister of foreign affairs had a chronic lung condition that was treated before but needed monthly monitoring through tests and x-ray scans. By the time that we were done sending the minister back to his car in front of the hospital, my ankle felt quite sore, and it became challenging to put my weight on it when I walked. Not wanting to disturb Adrian or anyone else, I just sucked it up and tried to put my weight on my other leg instead. It would be time to go back home soon, and I can deal with it when I get home. I have some medicine gel that I could apply and that should suffice. After the minister rode away on his car and the other doctors had left to get on with their work, Adrian and I were the only ones left in the hospital¡¯s lobby. As I turned around to walk into the hospital, Adrian called after me. I felt his hand around my wrist as he stopped me from walking away. ¡°Wait, Elena...¡± Adrian called out to me. Instinctively, I turned around to face him. ¡°Yes?¡± I said, wondering what he wanted. Without replying to me, Adrian crouched down in front of me. My eyes widened at his sudden action and some people paused in their walk to see what was going on. What is he doing? ¡°Adrian?¡± I called his name questioningly. ¡°What¡¯s been bothering you? Is it your feet or your ankle?¡± Adrian asked without looking at me. His gaze was concentrated on my ankle as he reached out a hand and gently traced his fingertips around my right ankle. He could he tell? ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing...¡± I quickly denied. ¡°So, you normally walk with limp?¡± Adrian asked sarcastically as he looked up and smiled knowingly at me. ¡°No...¡± I replied softly, feeling quite embarrassed that he had called me out. ¡°Then what is hurting?¡± he asked again. ¡°My right ankle...¡± I admitted softly. ¡°Since when?¡± he asked immediately. ¡°Probably since the trolley incident this morning,¡± I replied, not quite knowing why I was feeling so guilty in front of him. ¡°And you were walking all day in these heels?¡± Adrian scolded me like I was a dumb kid. His worried face made a heart skip a beat. For some reason, it felt sort of nice to have someone worry about me so much like this. ¡°Excuse me, can you get me a wheelchair?¡± Adrian turned to say to a nurse who happened to walk by at that moment. The nurse seemed confused at first, but she nodded and readily agreed to do so. ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary,¡± I quickly told Adrian. ¡°You can¡¯t walk like this. You¡¯ll make it worst,¡± he said firmly. It would be a little embarrassing to be wheeled along in a wheelchair though. My condition wasn¡¯t serious enough for that. Honestly, I could still walk by myself. ¡°I don¡¯t want a wheelchair...¡± I mumbled. ¡°Sorry. There¡¯s no need for a wheelchair anymore. Thank you though. You can get back to work,¡± Adrian quickly said to the nurse. She nodded at him with a confused look on her face. I was confused too at how quickly Adrian changed his mind since he seemed so insistent before. ¡°Adrian!¡± I called his name quite loudly in my shock. It all happened so suddenly and the next thing I knew he was carrying me princess-style in his arms. My mouth dropped open in shock. ¡°Wait...¡± I protested immediately. This is even more embarrassing. Everyone was staring at us, and my dress wasn¡¯t designed to adequately cover my legs when I¡¯m carried in this position. ¡°You¡¯re not taking another step in those heels until I get a proper look at your ankle. If you don¡¯t want the wheelchair then I¡¯ve got no other choice but to carry you,¡± Adrian said as he started walking. ¡°But...¡± I began protesting. ¡°No, buts...¡± Adrian cut me off before I could say anything more. He took me to a private room and ced me on a chair. He got down on one knee and his hands were on my right ankle and foot as he started examining my ankle. ¡°Does it hurt when I move it like this?¡± he asked as he nced up at me. ¡°A little...¡± I admitted. ¡°What about this?¡± he asked. ¡°It hurts...¡± I replied honestly. ¡°Alright. It¡¯s probably just a sprain but you did make it a lot worse by not getting it treated right away. No more walking in heels for you until this heals up properly,¡± Adrian said authoritatively. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 52 52 Honorable Dream His hands started applying some medicine on my sprained ankle before he started wrapping tape around my ankle. ¡°Thank you, Adrian,¡± I thanked him after he was done. ¡°If it swells up, I¡¯m going to get you to take medicine for it,¡± he warned sternly as he got up. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fine soon,¡± I said as I smiled up at him. Adrian looked down at me from where he was standing right in front of me before he sighed loudly. It was my first day working for him and I¡¯m already causing him so much trouble and concern. ¡°You don¡¯t need to tend to me next time, you know. I know you¡¯re busy so it¡¯s fine if you get the other doctors to do it. You should only treat VVIP patients, right?¡± I said half teasingly and half seriously. ¡°Who says you¡¯re not a VVIP patient?¡± he teased me back before he reached out a hand and ced it firmly on my shoulder. ¡°Am I as important as a minister now?¡± I asked with a smallugh. ¡°You¡¯re way more important,¡± Adrian replied. ..... The serious tone in his voice and the way he looked directly at me made my heart skip a beat. My brain just died, and I couldn¡¯te up with any smart responses to that at all. ¡°Why did you decide to be a doctor?¡± I asked, trying to change the topic. Although, I was honestly curious to know more about him as well. ¡°To save lives. To take care of the sick and the weak,¡± Adrian replied without needing to think. ¡°How honorable...¡± I replied with widened eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not living up to that dream of mine though,¡± Adrian said and for a split of a second, I think his face darkened. ¡°Don¡¯t say things like that...¡± I said trying tofort him. ¡°I¡¯m just like a doctor for show now, I don¡¯t take care of real serious cases anymore. As you can see, all I do is take care of VVIP patients that are necessary for business connections,¡± Adrian said self-depreciatingly. I could tell right away that Adrian didn¡¯t like how things were, but I didn¡¯t darement on it. Afraid that I would offend him or say something insensitive, I decided to lighten the mood through a little joke instead. ¡°You did heal me for real twice now. I guess I fit in your definition of the sick and weak, right?¡± I said before smiling brightly at him. ¡°I¡¯ll drive you home,¡± Adrian said before he smiled back at me. ¡°Umm...I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea. It¡¯s ok, I drove here so...¡± I refused his offer as I struggled to find words that wouldn¡¯t offend him. ¡°You can¡¯t drive with that ankle. I won¡¯t allow it,¡± he said resolutely. Shit. I did put a no-sleeping over condition in the contract. However, I didn¡¯t put a ¡®you can¡¯t drive me home¡¯ condition in there. If I told him to drop me off at the intersection close to my ce, he¡¯ll probably insist on driving me all the way because he didn¡¯t want me to walk. He also doesn¡¯t know that my building is so old and small that it doesn¡¯t even have an elevator. Now that I think about it, I probably can¡¯t walk up those flight of stairs with this sprained ankle. ¡°Sorry to bother you but can you drop me off at Justin¡¯s ce?¡± I asked in a sweet voice. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll do that,¡± Adrian agreed. ... My ankle felt as good as new the next day, so the sprain probably wasn¡¯t that bad to begin with. It rarely hurt anymore, and I had Adrian to thank for that. Perhaps it was because of Adrian¡¯s medical attention that my ankle recovered so fast like magic. I looked at the high heel shoes that I had nned to wear today before sighing loudly to myself. Recalling Adrian¡¯s disapproving face when he asked if I walked on high heels while my ankle was hurting gave me pause. I wasn¡¯t scheduled to see Adrian today, but it still made me feel quite guilty to wear high heels behind his back. In the end, I made apromise and wore shoes with a very low heel. Today I was scheduled to work with EROS and his team. Truthfully, I wasn¡¯t look forward to the first day on this job at all. From what I could tell, I was positive that it would be tough working with EROS and even more so with Sean. ¡°Whatever you do, don¡¯t sprain your ankle again! Seriously, I¡¯ve never had a girl sprain her ankle on her first day at work since I opened up this agency,¡± Justin teased me beforeughing loudly. ¡°Shut up...¡± I muttered in feign annoyance. ¡°Adrian is such a gentleman, I swear. He patched you up and even drove you back. He¡¯s such an angel...¡± Justin said while sping his hands together and cing it on the side of his face. ¡°I¡¯m off. Wish me luck!¡± I hollered as I walked out the door of Justin¡¯s ce. ... ¡°Let me introduce you to EROS¡¯s new assistant manager. As you know, EROS has been getting more work as ofte and we expect him to get even busier in the near future. Miss Elena here, will help out for a few days of the week. Please wee her to the team and give her your support,¡± the manager proudly introduced me to the other staff in EROS¡¯s team. I looked at the small crowd of people that were gathered around the manager and me. Honestly, I never knew that so many people worked behind the scenes to support just one man, even if he was a superstar. The team consisted of almost 20 people, and all fulfilled the various roles that were necessary to ensure that EROS¡¯s professional life ran smoothly. ¡°I¡¯m Elena. It¡¯s an honor to join the team. I look forward to working with everyone here. Thank you so much for your support,¡± I said before bowing slightly and smiling to the other team members. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 53 53 Call Me Assistant Manager ¡°Wee!¡± ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± ¡°Wee to the team!¡± The atmosphere was very friendly and super hyped. The team members consisted of both genders and were varying in age. However, everyone seemed very enthusiastic to work together. It must be because of the hard work of these people supporting him that EROS is as famous and sessful as he is today. Today was my first day on the job as EROS¡¯s assistant manager. As discussed prior to this, this was only a cover for my fake girlfriend rtionship with EROS. The man in question was still nowhere to be seen. Thankfully, the manager would be with us as well. Mr. Mark Davis is a famous talent manager that had been working with EROS soon after he debuted with his band. The band¡¯s first album was such a huge sess that the top manager was put into further groom them and EROS in particr. ¡°Hmm...where is EROS?¡± I asked the manager as I stood by his side. The other team members have scattered to work on their respective jobs, so the manager and I were the only two people left. ¡°He should be here any moment now,¡± Mark replied as looked at his watched. As if perfectly in sync, EROS walked in through the door. If I had to take a wild guess at his favorite color, it would be ck. EROS was dressed head to toe in ck. From the cap he had on his head to the shoes he had on his feet. ..... ¡°EROS, you¡¯re here just in time!¡± Mark said, his voice flooded with relief. ¡°Naturally,¡± EROS replied monotonously. EROS walked past the manager and me without even ncing our way. Thankfully, I wasn¡¯t expecting a warm wee from him because I wasn¡¯t getting any of that. The manager looked at me and sighed softly before handing me a clipboard with what appeared to be a very detailed schedule of today clipped to it. ¡°Elena is here with us today. It¡¯s her first day and I¡¯ve already introduced her to the other team members as your new assistant manager,¡± Mark informed EROS politely. EROS sat on a sofa, leaning his chin in his hand and it seemed like he wasn¡¯t paying Mark any attention at all. I was starting to wonder if this was normal. Since it was clear that EROS wasn¡¯t going to say anything in acknowledgement, Mark continued on. ¡°First, we¡¯ll start by reviewing your schedule for today. First up, you have a photoshoot with Mega-X brand for their new season productunch. Then you have an interview with SpotLight Magazine followed by a radio interview at the 109 Studio. Then we¡¯lle back here where you¡¯ll discuss with your music producer for the production of your new single. That¡¯s it for today,¡± Mark exined seriously. Wow...that¡¯s like so much to get done in one day. Will EROS really be alright working through all that? ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± EROS said before getting up from his seat. Just like when he had entered, he walked past us and out the door. I stared after him before ncing over at Mark. Honestly, I wasn¡¯t sure what I¡¯m supposed to do. EROS didn¡¯t even register my existence, let alone talk to me. ¡°Is he always like that?¡± I whispered to Mark. ¡°We all have our good days and our bad days,¡± Mark replied before smiling a little at me. ¡°So...he¡¯s having a bad day?¡± I asked, feeling thankful that this wasn¡¯t the norm. ¡°No no...for EROS, it¡¯s always a bad day,¡± Mark replied with a chuckle as he stressed very much on the word ¡®always¡¯. In other words, this is how he normally is? Every day will be like this? ¡°What am I supposed to do exactly?¡± I asked, feeling like all hope is lost. ¡°Just follow me for now. We can¡¯t bete...¡± Mark said as he urged for me to walk and talk. On the way to the car, Mark exined that I will mainly just observe and stick close to EROS. I didn¡¯t have to do anything, but I also had to do everything to ensure that EROS¡¯s work goes smoothly. ¡°If he asks you to do something, just do it. If he encounters problem at work, you help him out. It¡¯s that simple, really...¡± Mark exined before shrugging. ¡°Aha...ok...¡± I murmured half in understanding and half in confusion. ¡°Our job is to support him. EROS is a professional, so he always has his act together. He¡¯ll do great at whatever he does and that¡¯s why he¡¯s managed to get so famous. For us, we will do everything to support him so that his work proceeds smoothly,¡± Mark exined sternly. ¡°Alright. I understand,¡± I replied with a firm nod. EROS team consisted of tworge buses, and I could see the team members getting on after loading their tools and equipment. ¡°This way,¡± Mark said as he gestured for me to follow him. Instead of heading to the bus along with the other team members, Mark led me to a car. ¡°EROS and us managers ride the car together. I usually drive for him. On days that I¡¯m not here, you¡¯ll drive for him,¡± Mark said as he gestured with his hand for me to get in the front passenger seat. I followed his instruction and got it. Eros was already seated in the back seat with his head throw back and the ck cap covering his face. I wasn¡¯t sure, but I had the feeling that he was already asleep. As Mark drove us to our first destination of the day, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the man sleeping at the backseat of the car right now was EROS or Sean. EROS¡¯s first job for the day was a photoshoot for Mega-X brand. We arrived at the studio on time and the Mega-X staff were already on standby to receive us. The staff bus arrived right after us and everyone got off at once. ¡°I¡¯m Mark, EROS¡¯s manager and this is Elena, his assistant manager. We look forward to working with you today,¡± Mark said politely. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 54 54 Hot and Cold Superstar I smiled professional and the Mega-X brand team members introduced themselves to us. At that moment, EROS got out of the car and came to stand by my side. ¡°I¡¯m EROS. It¡¯s an honor to work as the face of your brand for this season. I am looking forward to working with everyone,¡± EROS said kindly before beaming his superstar smile at everyone. The man standing next to me right now was clearly EROS in professional mode. He was friendly, humble, professional, and extremely charismatic. He was nothing like the taciturn man with the dark and depressing aura from before. It was like he had changed into apletely different person from the moment that he got out of the car. ¡°Umm...W-We look forward to working with you too!¡± the head of the Mega-X team managed to say after stammering a couple of times. I guess EROS does have that impact on people. We were led inside the studio before EROS, Mark and I were led to EROS¡¯s dressing room. ¡°They¡¯ll dress him up for the shoot. We don¡¯t have to do anything. Just act pleasant and professional and watch. The director shoulde in to brief EROS before the shoot starts,¡± Mark quickly exined to me. The dressing room was quiterge considering that only one man was getting dressed up. Racks of clothes, essories and shoes were lined up. I wondered how long it would take for EROS to get through modelling all of those. The hairdresser and makeup artist got to work on EROS at once after they exchanged a brief introduction. I knew that EROS had a very attractive and beautiful face before but seeing the makeup artist worked on him, made me even more aware of how attractive he looks. His skin is so naturally wless that a girl would get jealous of it. His natural blond hair looks soft and shiny as the hairdresser started styling it to match the theme of the shoot. There were a few knocks on the door and a middle-aged man came in. He must be the director. Mark and I got up from where we were seated and greeted him immediately. ..... ¡°Director Howard, it¡¯s an honor to work with you again,¡± Mark said politely. ¡°Me too. I love working with EROS,¡± the director replied before his eyes fell on me. ¡°I¡¯m Elena. I¡¯m EROS¡¯s assistant manager. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you,¡± I introduced myself before smiling at him. ¡°Wow...for a moment I thought we had another model on set!¡± Howard said before heughed loudly. I pretended that I was slightly shy at hisment because that was probably the reaction that he wanted to see. Honestly, being told that I looked like a model wasn¡¯t something new for me and I could live without any more unnecessary attention. The director pulled up a chair and sat next to EROS as he started briefing EROS on what he had to do during the photoshoot. It didn¡¯t take that long before the director was done, and he left. The photoshoot started sooner after when EROS was dressed and ready to do. ¡°I¡¯ll head there first with the team. Elena, youe along with EROS when he¡¯s done,¡± Mark instructed before leaving the room. Suddenly, it was just me EROS and the stylist left in the dressing room. I watched as the stylish adjusted EROS¡¯s outfit and added the final touches. ¡°We¡¯re done. All good to go. Just head to the shooting area when you¡¯re ready,¡± the stylist told EROS before turning to smile at me. ¡°Thank you...¡± I said to him politely as I bowed a little. The stylist was out the door before I could say anymore and just like that EROS and I were the only ones left in the dressing room. I should get him to move to the shooting area before things get awkward between us. ¡°EROS...if you¡¯re ready we should...¡± I began saying before trailing off. EROS got up from his seat and headed straight for me. His golden eyes seemed to glow as he stared directly at me. It was the first time today that he looked directly at me. Instinctively, I took a few steps back until my back hit the wall. ¡°Don¡¯t get in my way. Just stand aside and don¡¯t get in anyone¡¯s way,¡± EROS said coldly. Shocked at his direct words, I didn¡¯t know what to say so I just nodded. EROS walked out the dressing room without saying anything more. I let out a long sigh before I collected myself and started walking after him to the shooting area. It wasn¡¯t like I ever intended to get in anyone¡¯s way. I wasn¡¯t a pro, but I could tell that EROS was extremely good at what he was doing. He also changed outfits very quickly. EROS followed the direction of the director and added in his own pose very smoothly that the shoot progressed well ahead of schedule. The director was thrilled at the photos that he was getting, and the photographerplimented EROS non-stop while he shot the photos. I did exactly as EROS told me to. I stood idly by to the side as I watched him work. Everyone seemed to have something to do except for me. It wasn¡¯t like a contract girlfriend had any role to y here. On top of that, no one here apart from the manager and EROS knew what I was really hired for. Mark spoke to the director as they both watched the photos on the screen of the monitor. ¡°Last outfit! Good job, EROS. Just one more set and we can wrap up,¡± the director said while pping his hands together. ncing at my watch, I could tell that we were around 20 minutes ahead of schedule thanks to how effectively EROS and the team worked. Mark came over to my side and together we continued to watch EROS posing in front of the camera. ¡°He¡¯s good, isn¡¯t he?¡± Markmented. ¡°Yes...¡± I replied in short. ¡°He can be very strict when ites to work because he¡¯s verymitted and professional about it. Don¡¯t let it get to your head, ok?¡± Mark saidfortingly. I wondered if he could tell that I was feeling a little down from what EROS had said. That coupled with the fact that I felt so useless and out of ce here. ¡°Of course...¡± I replied vaguely. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 55 55 Can¡¯t Get Enough of Him Just like the photoshoot, the magazine interview and the radio interview went by smoothly like a breeze. EROS received amplepliments from both clients, and they looked forward to working with him again. I was starting to see why EROS was so popr in the industry and why his schedule is always packed with jobs. ¡°Finally, we¡¯re heading back to the agency. Your music producer will be there to meet you when we get back. As I told you before, he wants to discuss your new single,¡± Mark said as he kept his eyes on the road ahead. EROS seemed lost in a daze as he stared out at the scenery that was passing by through the car window. From the looks of it, I doubt that he actually saw anything that was passing by. I wondered if he was tired and then I thought that it would be extremely disturbing if he wasn¡¯t tired after all the things that he¡¯s done today. One thing that I¡¯ve learnt for sure is that EROS worked hard. His sess wasn¡¯t from natural-born talent alone, it also came from his endless devotion and effort. Suddenly, Mark¡¯s phone started ringing. Mark sighed loudly before picking up the phone. I felt so sorry for Mark and how busy he was. ¡°What?! Why are they there? Who leaked the info?¡± Mark eximed loudly. Did something happen...? The voice from the other end said something that I couldn¡¯t make out. I had my attention on what was going in the phone call while EROS¡¯s mind was still floating around in outer space. ¡°We¡¯ll be there soon. Please secure a safe entrance through the back. Thank you,¡± Mark ordered authoritatively before ending the call. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± I asked with worry. ..... ¡°Someone leaked news that EROS is about tounch a new single. The press and the fans have gone crazy and have gathered in front of the agency building. We can¡¯t get in normally,¡± Mark exined, sounding exhausted. ¡°What do we do?¡± I asked. ¡°EROS, what do you want to do?¡± Mark asked. ¡°We¡¯ll enter through the front. If the fans are here to see me, then we¡¯ll give them something worth their visit,¡± EROS replied casually. That didn¡¯t match at all with what Mark just said through the phone. Weren¡¯t we going to enter secretly through the back? ¡°Roger that...¡± Mark mumbled as he began calling someone on his phone. EROS seemed extremely at ease while I wondered if things will really turn out fine. Mark was busy talking on the phone, giving instructions on how to organize the mob in front of the building and the preparation of security teams. ... ¡°EROS! EROS! EROS! EROS!¡± Therge crowd of people that surrounded the front of the agency building chanted his name on repeated. Although I was in the car, I could hear their shouts clearly. This really was like a scene straight out of entertainment news. There were so many fans here and almost all of them had photos of EROS or posters of his name in their hands. EROS put a pair of sunsses on and started stretching in the backseat of the car. Mark was on the phone, givingst minute instructions. As for me, I was busy scanning the crowd in awe as I read the fan¡¯s message to EROS on the signs that they held. So many confessions of love... Basically, I didn¡¯t know what to do and I wasn¡¯t very useful in the situation. ¡°What do we do when we get out of the car?¡± I asked. ¡°Nothing much. Security will clear a path for us and keep the crowd from approaching EROS. We will walk along with him and make sure that no onees close to him. When EROS reaches the podium that has been prepared in front of the entrance, he will answer some questions regarding his new single. That¡¯s it,¡± Mark briefed quickly. ¡°Ok...I see...¡± I mumbled. ¡°Just act friendly to the fans but don¡¯t talk to them. Just smile and if the fans are offering EROS a gift, you take it. Clear?¡± Mark instructed. ¡°Yes, Sir!¡± I replied. ¡°EROS, you ready?¡± Mark asked. ¡°Ya...¡± EROS replied with disinterest. The camera shes were blinding, and I wished that I too had sunsses on like EROS did. EROS stood and posed for the camera while the security guards were busy keeping the crowd at bay. ¡°Keep back please!¡± ¡°No pushing!¡± Just as we discussed in the car, EROS began walking along the path prepared for us. The guards held the crowd back to keep the path clear. EROs waved and smiled to his fans as his fans went wild at his appearance. Everyone was shouting at once and it was absolute chaos. Many fans shoved gifts in through the lines of bodyguards and I took as many as I could in my arms while smiling in appreciation and thanks to the fans. Flowers, plush dolls, letters, and other wrapped up presents quickly filled my arms. EROS arrived at the podium and after smiling and waving at the crowd, he began his mini speech. Mark and I stood to the side as we waited. ¡°Thank you everyone for always supporting me. It¡¯s a shame that you didn¡¯t first hear the news about my new single from me, but I am extremely happy to confirm that I will beunching my new single very soon...¡± EROS address the crowd in a clear and captivating voice. The crowd that was so loud just now becamepletely silent as everyone listened to EROS and his words. Although I was new to all of this, I could tell that the fans genuinely cared and respected EROS. He continued with his speech and answered a couple of questions from the reporters. ¡°That¡¯s enough for today. So sorry but EROS has to head back inside now,¡± Mark spoke through the microphone sternly. That was the signal for EROS to bid farewell to his fans and head back inside. The crowd reverted back to cheering and chanting his name loudly as EROS walked in front of us into the building. Despite the hectic situation outside the building was peaceful and EROS seemed surprisingly calm. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 56 56 Love Song Finally, we arrived back at the agency and made our way up to EROS¡¯s designated floor. Being the top star of the agency, EROS had his own floor and rarely uses any facility with the other celebrities in the agency. He had his own dressing room, dance studio, recording studio, meeting rooms, living quarters, fitness and the list goes on and on. Mark quickly led us to one of the meeting rooms on EROS¡¯s floor where the producer was already waiting for us. EROS hasn¡¯t said a word since we entered the building and his charismatic aura had beenpletely switched off. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s ok to promise the fan about a new single when you haven¡¯t even started working on it?¡± Mark asked with concern as we walked along. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t like to disappoint my fans plus we¡¯re supposed tounch a single soon anyways...¡± EROS replied passively. We entered the meeting room and a very thin man in baggy clothing was there waiting for us. He greeted everyone with a warm smile. So, this man is the producer? ¡°EROS! It¡¯s good to see you. How have you been?¡± the man asked. He seemed to know EROS quite well. I guess that was how it¡¯s supposed to be since this man produced many of EROS¡¯s songs and albums before. ¡°Yo. What do you want today?¡± EROS said as he sat down opposite the man at the meeting table. Mark and I took our seat next to EROS. The producer turned to open his bag before pulling out some paper and ced it on the table for EROS to see. ..... EROS picked up the paper for a closer look. Maybe it was just my imagination but I was certain that EROS¡¯s face darkened grimly as he narrowed his eyes at the contents of the paper. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what he was seeing. ¡°What do you think?¡± the producer asked. ¡°Impossible...¡± EROS said as he ced the papers down on the table. ¡°What do you mean?¡± the producer asked in shock. ¡°I reject this proposal. I don¡¯t want to release a love song,¡± EROS said resolutely. ¡°EROS, we¡¯ve been talking about this for a long time already. It¡¯s time for you to tap into a more mass market. Thergest market for songs is the love song category,¡± Mark quickly jumped in. ¡°No way. Of all the love songs you¡¯re asking for, you¡¯re asking for a lovey-dovey love song?¡± EROS said with a disgusted look on his face. ¡°Umm...Calvin, what about darker love songs? Unrequited love or like break up songs?¡± Mark suggested as he tried to find some middle ground between the two. ¡°I¡¯m looking for a slow and romantic love song that can showoff EROS¡¯s voice without the ring music in the background. I also want the song to be adaptable into an acoustic version as well,¡± the producer stated without willing to back down. ¡°It doesn¡¯t fit with my image...at all...¡± EROS stated firmly. ¡°That¡¯s the thing, EROS is super popr now but we¡¯re struggling to grow your fanbase,¡± the producer said. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that because everyone knows about EROS already? He¡¯s very popr,¡± Mark counter. ¡°Knowing a celebrity and being his hardcore fan, isn¡¯t the same thing. Surely you know that, Mark. We want EROS to have more hardcore fans because they are willing to pay more. They buy everything that weunch, and they never miss a concert. We need more of those people and the easiest way is tounch EROS into the romance genre of everything. Love songs, Love movies, Love dramas and everything else,¡± Calvin proposed passionately. Mark was deep in thought and so was EROS. I had to say that what Calvin said was very convincing. It was obvious that the mainstream part of the industry was dominated by romantic content. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s the case but I¡¯m not sure if EROS...¡± Mark began saying before he nced nervously at EROS. Ultimately, it was up to EROS to decide. I doubt Mark or anyone could force him to do anything that he didn¡¯t want. ¡°If I release a love song for my new single, will more people listen to it? Will more people get to know me?¡± EROS asked. For the first time, EROS seemed interested in something, and it surprised me. I didn¡¯t think that EROS would care so much about his poprity. ¡°Absolutely. We can market the song a lot more given its genre as well,¡± the producer confirmed with certainty. ¡°Ok. Let¡¯s do it,¡± EROS said with renewed determination. ¡°Oh, yes! Best news ever. You will not regret this, trust me. Your fans will love it! Everyone will love it!¡± Mark breathed a sigh of visible relief as the atmosphere in the room lighted slightly at EROS¡¯s affirmative decision. ¡°What are the next steps?¡± Mark asked. ¡°Well, I assume EROS would want to work on the lyrics andposition himself as he always does but of course, my team and I are happy to help out if he wishes,¡± Calvin replied. ¡°I¡¯ll contact you when I have something...¡± EROS said. ... The next day, despite having a new song to write, EROS was swamped with work from early morning till evening. By the time we got back to the office, it was already dark, and the building was close to deserted. It was 8PM and most office workers have already left for the day apart from some that were doing overtime. When we arrived at EROS¡¯s floor, I felt bone tired, and I prayed that this wasn¡¯t a sign of me getting old. Mark looked visibly tired as well but when I thought that the day was over, I was proved to be very wrong. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to ask you for this but...can you keep an eye on EROS while he thinks up some lyrics for his new single? I have a meeting to go to now with the management and someone needs to make sure that he starts writing those lyrics¡± Mark said sounding extremely apologetic. He must be referring to the love song that EROS is supposed topose but does he expect EROS to work on it right now? ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 57 57 Caught ¡°Right now?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes. Unfortunately, being a celebrity doesn¡¯t have fixed working hours...¡± Mark replied with sad smile. ¡°Ok. Sure...¡± I murmured. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything much. Just watch him and keep himpany. Make sure he doesn¡¯t ck off! See you!¡± Mark said as he waved goodbye. After parting ways with Mark, I headed to the studio where EROS was. EROS was wrapped up in thought with a pen and a notebook in his hand when I entered the room. He didn¡¯t even look up and I was certain that he wasn¡¯t even aware that I had walked into the room. I decided to remain silent and give him space so that he could focus on the lyrics that he was writing. I wondered what kind of love song EROS woulde up with for his fans. Time ticked by as I sat there silently while EROS frowned at the papers in front of him. An hour passed by and then two. EROS was still busy working so I guess it should be fine if I leave for a bit. The truth was, I needed to pee. Quietly, I got out of my seat and left the studio. Private time in the toilet after a tiring day is the best. I peed and washed my hands before checking out my reflection in the mirror. My hair was slightly messy and my make up wasn¡¯t in its best condition anymore but that is to be expected. There wasn¡¯t anyone I needed to impress at this time tonight so it should be fine. I headed out of the female toilet, and I caught someone¡¯s movement in the corner of my eye. It could have been another staff member walking in the hallway who had just turned a corner, but my sense told me that that wasn¡¯t the case. I quickly took off after that person as my mind recalled having seen someone dressed like that before. I prayed that I would be wrong, but I knew that I was most certainly right. ¡°EROS?¡± I called out to him questioningly as I caught up to the man. ..... Now that I was up close, my suspicions were confirmed. I¡¯ve seen this disguise before when I first ran into him and if he¡¯s in a disguise then that can only mean one thing: He¡¯s sneaking out! ¡°Don¡¯t ignore me. Where are you going?¡± I asked as I grabbed his arm firmly with my hands. ¡°You did not see me here,¡± EROS replied emotionlessly. ¡°But I did see you. Go back to the studio,¡± I demanded. At that moment, while I was pulling on his arm, we both heard the sound of people chattinging our way. It must be the staffs who were still working here. EROS clicked his tongue in annoyance. ¡°Arghh...you¡¯re so annoying,¡± EROS hissed near my ear. ¡°EROS...mhmmm!¡± I called out his name before his hand covered my mouth. My eyes widened in shock as he wrapped his other arm around my waist and began pulling me after him through a door. The room was almostpletely dark once the door closed. I could feel EROS¡¯s body pressed against my back and his warm breath close to my ear. His hand still covered my mouth, and I couldn¡¯t make a sound. The chatting voices from earlier got louder as the staffs came closer to where we were until finally their voices disappeared, signaling that they had past this room. I felt EROS rxing close to me when the staffs have left. I pulled his hand away from my mouth and turned to face him. This was clearly a d¨¦j¨¤ vu of what happened when we first met. ¡°Where are you going?¡± I demanded to know. ¡°That¡¯s got nothing to do with you,¡± he replied without a care. ¡°It has everything to do with me! It¡¯s my job to keep an eye on you and make sure that youpose the new single,¡± I snapped. ¡°That¡¯s not my problem,¡± he replied coldly. ¡°Where are you nning to go? You¡¯re nning to escape and skip out on work, right?¡± I said usingly. It¡¯s just like the manager told me. EROS...is such a troublemaker. ¡°You just go back to the room,¡± EROS said as he eased past me towards the door. ¡°You can¡¯t go outside! The crowd from earlier is still camping out out there. Wait! EROS, where are you going?¡± I cried out as I grabbed his arm once more to stop him. ¡°You really wanna know?¡± he asked. I was stunned at his words and then his hands were on my arm. Instead of me pulling him back, he was now pulling me along with him. What is going on here? This clearly wasn¡¯t EROS¡¯s first time sneaking out of this building because he seemed to know his way around very well. We exited the building from the back exit, and no one noticed us. A few staff and guards walked by, but they didn¡¯t recognize EROS through his disguise. EROS actedpletely naturally and no one suspected a thing. His hand around my wrist was tight and firm as he pulled me along with him. ¡°We should head back. Let me go!¡± I cried out in a hushed whisper. ¡°Can¡¯t do that. If you go back, they¡¯ll know that I¡¯m missing...¡± EROS replied. He¡¯s right but that¡¯s not the point! I let him drag me along with him like some kind of hostage. I had no idea where he was taking me as we continued walking along the sidewalk. Surprisingly, he stopped in front of a subway station. We¡¯re taking the subway? ¡°EROS...you¡¯re taking the subway? You can¡¯t do that,¡± I quickly protested. ¡°I do it all the time...¡± he replied casually. ¡°All the time?¡± I eximed in shock. EROS ignored mepletely. ¡°People will recognize you...¡± I hissed a warning. ¡°No, they won¡¯t. If you stop freaking out, no one will notice,¡± EROS replied firmly. EROS yanked me after him down the esctor as he ignored all my warnings. Soon, I was riding a very packed subway train with my body literally pressed up against EROS¡¯s. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 58 58 Unrequited Love This is a disaster... I prayed that no one would recognize him. He had a mask on so half his face was covered but still. If someone recognizes him here, we¡¯ll have no ce to run. I wasn¡¯t sure if I should be thankful for the fact that the train was too packed for anyone to pay attention to anything else besides staying on your feet. Everyone was in a rush to get home, and no one paid us any special attention. ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± I asked in a whisper. ¡°You¡¯ll see...¡± EROS whispered into my ear after leaning his head down. ¡°Excuse me! Sorry...¡± a couple pushed past us to get out of the train. I let out a surprised cry when they bumped into me, pushing me forward towards EROS. I felt the warmth of his arm around my waist as he pulled me closer to him and held me there. I nced up at him and he smirked down at me. He¡¯s definitely doing this on purpose. Our bodies were pressed tightly against each other and I could feel his body heat all along the front of my body. Slowly, his hand slipped down from my waist to my hips and my ass. ¡°EROS...¡± I hissed as my eyes opened wide in shock. ¡°Stay still. There¡¯s a lot of people in here,¡± EROS whispered as he wrapped his other arm around my body and pulled me hard against him. I couldn¡¯t struggle at all as I stood there in his embrace with the side of my face pressed on his chest. He¡¯s too close, I can hear his heartbeat as his smell filled my senses. He¡¯s so warm and his body is so hard and muscr. I felt hot and I wasn¡¯t sure if it was because the crowdedness of the train or because my body had started to react to being in close contact with his. ..... When are we going to arrive at our stop? ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± EROS finally announced that we had arrived at our stop. He helped me out of the crowded train. Apparently, this was a popr station because many people stepped out with us. I realized that the people who got off with us were mostly teenagers. They looked like highschoolers and university students. They were out sote, and I wondered what they came here for. I¡¯ve never been to this area before either. ¡°Stop spacing out. Let¡¯s go,¡± EROS said impatiently as he took my hand into his. He pulled me after him and I struggled to keep up with his long strides. I couldn¡¯t imagine what my life would be like if I had worn my regr high heels on that day. I looked down at EROS¡¯srger hand that held mine with a mix of feelings that I couldn¡¯t quite understand. A short whileter, EROS took a sharp turn, and we came to a very run-down building that was decorated with many lights. Arge crowd of people were gathered in front of the building while some were queuing to get inside. ¡°What is this ce?¡± I whispered as my eyes took in the scene in front of me. ¡°A ce where I can get some fresh new ideas...¡± EROS replied before pulling me after him to join the line. He paid for our tickets, and we entered the building. The ce was packed with people and there was a stage where a band was ying live. That was when I realized that this was an indie concert venue of sorts. ¡°Do youe here often?¡± I shouted over the noise around us. EROS still held my hand, and I was standing right next to him, but I had to shout to make sure that he could hear me. ¡°Not really...¡± EROS replied vaguely. Instead of shouting back, EROS had chosen to pull me closer to him before leaning his head down to talk next to my ear. My body trembled a little at his closeness, but I was sure that EROS didn¡¯t feel anything, his attention was on the band performing on the stage. The music was loud as the rock band continued ying their song. The singer¡¯s voice was energetic and very emotional, I thought that they were not bad. The next band came onto the stage and suddenly the loud rock music was reced by a gentler and slower song. When the lead singer of the band started singing, I realized that she was singing a love song. The crowd apuded and I found myself pping along with them in excitement. She had such a clear and sweet voice. The song, I figured, was a sad love song about unrequited love. It was about a girl who was secretly in love with a guy but unable to confess her feelings because she knew that he wasn¡¯t interested in her and she would be rejected. The way the singer sang it made it feel so sad and I truly started to sympathize for her. I was so focused on the performance that I didn¡¯t realize that EROS had pulled me back against him. ¡°EROS...¡± I whispered his name as I felt his arms around my waist. He was hugging me loosely from behind as he rested his chin on top of my head. I turned slightly to see that his eyes were on the band although his arm around my waist tightened. My heart leapt in my chest as he continued to hug me to him. ¡°Shhh...¡± he hushed up my protest. I tried to turn around in his arms, but he held me in ce. By that time, I had lost all focus on the bittersweet love song that was being performed. All I could think about was how close his body is to mine, his body¡¯s warmth, and his smell. ¡°EROS...¡± I called his name weakly. ¡°Do you like this song?¡± he asked. ¡°I guess I do...¡± I replied softly. His arm around me tightened as he pulled my body harder against him. He¡¯s pressing my body back into his and now I could feel his hot breath against the side of my neck. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 59 59 A Kiss for Show ¡°Alternative rock love songs aren¡¯t bad, I guess...¡± EROS whispered into my ear and my body trembled. It felt like years had passed until the song came to an end. EROS let go of me and I breathed a long sigh of relief. ¡°Come this way,¡± he said as he took my hand in his once again. He led me around and we ended up backstage. After walking through a narrow hallway, we entered a room. To my surprise the band that had just sung the love song was there. I could remember the lead singer and her outfit quite well from just now. ¡°Wow! Max! Didn¡¯t think you could make it,¡± the girl cried out in excitement when she saw EROS enter the room. ¡°I got here just in time for your performance. The song was great,¡± EROS replied casually. Did she just call him ¡®Max¡¯? The girl was probably inte teens or early twenties and the way that she was beaming at EROS told me more than I needed to know about how she felt about him. She looks cute and with a lot of professional help, she might look passable in the higher circles. Right now, she¡¯s just that...cute. ¡°And this is...?¡± the girl asked as she turned her attention to me with narrowed eyes. ..... Rx girl, I¡¯m not here to snag your guy. ¡°This is my friend, Elena. Elena, this is Sasha,¡± EROS introduced me smoothly. ¡°Hi. Your performance was amazing,¡± I quicklyplimented her to extinguish any unnecessary fire. ¡°I tried adjusting some of the chords that you chose and some words in your lyrics. I hope you don¡¯t mind. Most of it is still pretty much like the original lyrics that you wrote though,¡± the girl spoke to EROS with sparkling eyes. Her band members gathered around EROS as well as they reviewed some music scores and the lyrics together. If I understood correctly, EROS wrote the lyrics to the love song that this band performed just now? The way they worked with him while he¡¯s still in disguised made me wonder if they even knew who he really was. His real name is Sean so if he¡¯s going with Max then there was a high probability that he¡¯s keeping his real identify hidden and also the fact that he is the famous superstar, EROS. ¡°I¡¯ll see you guys around; I want to check in with the other bands. Keep up the good work!¡± Max said encouragingly before he gestured for me to follow him out of the room. ¡°You wrote the lyrics to that love song?¡± I asked the moment we were alone in the narrow hallway. ¡°So, you were listening,¡± EROS said instead of directly replying to my question. ¡°Of course, I was listening. So, you wrote it?¡± I asked, still in disbelief. He didn¡¯t reply but I was certain that he did. Why would EROS have problems writing a love song for the producer if he could write love songs? I mean, he did write the lyrics of that whole song that the girl sang just now. That evening with EROS was full of surprises. I stood by him as he spent almost an hour talking backstage to the other bands. He didn¡¯t write any songs for them like he did for that girl, but he gave the bands a lot of advice fromposition, dance to performance. It was like he was training them and educating them. Honestly, I never expected that EROS had this side to him. He¡¯s so casual and down-to-earth with everyone and they all seemed to take his advice to heart. When he was done, he held my hand and we started walking towards the station from the way that we came. There were many things that I wanted to say to him that I didn¡¯t know where to start. ¡°I think what you did back there is very impressive,¡± I said as nced over at his face. ¡°How so?¡± EROS asked like he truly didn¡¯t understand. ¡°I don¡¯t know. You¡¯re like a music guru or coach or something...¡± I tried to exin. I felt like EROS was thinking about something but before he could give me a reply, a voice called out to him. ¡°Max!¡± Oh, it¡¯s the girl from before. I turned my head slightly and saw Sasha happily running towards us from afar. She probably wants to speak to EROS and I¡¯m probably in the way. ¡°I should go...¡± I told him softly. ¡°Close your eyes,¡± EROS whispered as he came closer to me. I was confused but for some reason, I found myself doing exactly what he told me to. Just when my eyes closed, I felt his arm around my waist as he pulled me towards him. His hand held the back of my head and then the warmth of his lips were on mine. My eyes shot open in shock. The sight of his handsome face right in front of mine and the forceful pressure of his lips crushing against mine was enough confirmation for me. EROS is kissing me...why? His arm around my waist pulled me closer to him as his kiss became more passionate and demanding. His tongue thrusted firmly into my mouth as our kiss quickly got wetter. He kissed me deeply, his tongue swirling around against my own as he tasted me. I whimpered into his kiss as he proceeded to change the angle of our kiss. EROS kissed me ardently over and over again until I was breathless. By that time, I had already forgotten about our lone spectator. I was breathless and panting by the time that he broke our kiss. My face and my entire body felt hot. My lips felt bruised from his aggressive kiss. I turned to see Sasha running away from us and I closed my eyes in slight guilt before letting out a depressed sigh. How did I get myself involved in this mess of his? ¡°Why did you do that? Is it because of that girl?¡± I snapped at him as I demanded for answers. ¡°Let¡¯s go...¡± EROS said,pletely ignoring me. ¡°No. You listen. You know that she¡¯s in love with you, right?¡± I asked usingly. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 60 60 Talks of Love ¡°So?¡± EROS replied without a care. So, he knows... ¡°Why don¡¯t you talk to her properly? Even if...even if you don¡¯t like her, you should still give her a proper answer,¡± I said sternly. I hated to admit it, but I didn¡¯t want to see that girl get hurt this way. She¡¯s still too young to be disillusioned about love... ¡°I already did,¡± he replied. ¡°Huh?¡± I said, not understanding him at all. ¡°I said it all in that song. If she¡¯s too dumb to understand it, then that¡¯s her problem,¡± That song...as in the song that he wrote for her performance? Unrequited love indeed... ..... While I was standing there piecing the story together, EROS had already walked ahead of me. Why that why he wrote that song for her and her band? ¡°EROS...¡± I called after him. He didn¡¯t slow down to wait for me at all. Why does he seem so mad when I¡¯m the one who should be feeling mad? I had no idea what was going through his head. When I finally caught up to him, I waspletely breathless and panting. We were standing on an overpass overlooking arge intersection close to the station. It waste and there were not a lot of people out and about anymore and we were the only ones standing there side by side. I bet he doesn¡¯t know how much I struggled up the stairs to catch up to him here. ¡°EROS...¡± I panted his name as I gripped the railing with my hand to steady myself. After a while of silence, EROS was the one who spoke up first. ¡°I wonder...if it¡¯s really necessary to write and sing about love for me to be even more famous...¡± he said in wonder. His question caught me a little off-guard. Was that what he had been worrying about? ¡°I guess there are many people who like love songs and romantic movies. Your songs will reach more people that way,¡± I replied with what I thought. ¡°Are you one of them?¡± he asked after turning to look directly at me. ¡°Umm...I guess...¡± I mumble softly. ¡°What do you like about love songs?¡± he asked curiously. ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure but...I guess love is supposed to be an emotion that everyone can rte to. People yearn for love, right?¡± I replied thoughtfully. ¡°You don¡¯t sound very convinced,¡± EROS replied as his eyes narrowed at me. Well, for me... ¡°I¡¯m not yearning for it, and I don¡¯t miss it,¡± I stated truthfully. ¡°You¡¯re strange...¡± hemented directly. ¡°And you¡¯re a pervert...¡± I shot back. As if he wanted to agree with my usation, EROS held my face in between his hands as he crushed his lips down on mine. His hands on my cheeks were warm and so was his lips on mine. He kissed me tenderly until I found myself moaning softly into his kisses. When the tip of his wet tongue probed my mouth, I parted my lips to grant him entry. EROS¡¯s tongue plunged into the depth of my mouth and danced around passionately with mine as our deep kiss warmed me to the core. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for using you earlier...but I really did want to kiss you,¡± EROS apologized and confessed all in one breath. He just did it...again... He just kissed me. Before I could startining about it, his phone started to vibrate, and EROS took a look at the screen. I had a good guess about who was calling. ¡°You should take that. Mark¡¯s probably worried sick,¡± I said. ¡°No way. He¡¯ll burst my eardrums,¡± EROS replied without hesitation. With a mischievous grin he showed me his phone screen which showed around 50 missed calls from Mark. I took out my phone and found that I had a simr number of missed calls from Mark too. Being too wrapped up in the concert and spending time with EROS in general, I didn¡¯t take my phone out of my handbag to check. We looked at each other and burst outughing. It was the first time that I saw EROSughing and truly enjoying himself. ... I stood in front of the headquarter skyscraper that was home to Brandon¡¯s Renox empire. The sun is too bright today honestly, and the dress and suit that I had on was too tight around my chest area. Did my boobs grow bigger, or did I get fatter? Justin had taken money out of this case¡¯s budget to get a dress and matching suit tailored for me to make a good first impression for my first day working for Brandon. Due to my ownziness, I had used the old measurements from one of my tailors instead of dropping by to get my body measured. This overly tight dress was the result of that. I breathed out and prayed that I would survive the day without fainting. The sound of my phone ringing snapped me out of my thoughts. ncing down at my phone¡¯s screen, I wasn¡¯t surprised to see Brandon¡¯s name. With a soft sigh, I connected the line. ¡°Where are you?¡± Brandon¡¯s demanding voice spoke through the phone. If I wasn¡¯t standing right in front of his building, I¡¯d probably be in deep trouble right now. Brandon was very serious and discipline about being on time. It wasn¡¯t like I waste but within a few minutes I would be. ¡°I¡¯m standing right in front of your building,¡± I replied. ¡°Why are you standing there? Come inside. I¡¯m already waiting for you in the lobby,¡± Brandon said with a hint of irritation in his voice. I rolled my eyes at his authoritative tone before I knew that I wouldn¡¯t get a chance to do so for the entire day today. My heels clicked on the steps of the building as I walked up the few steps leading to the building¡¯s entrance. The lobby was luxurious with a very modern vibe as expected of a leading technologypany. The name and logo of Renox was proudly disyed on the wall inside. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 61 61 My CEO Fianc¨¦ While I was looking around, Brandon headed straight my way. I felt the intensity of his presence even before I saw him standing in front of me. The moment of our dreaded reunion was now upon me, and it took a lot of effort to smile pleasantly at him. If I thought that our passionate one-night stand from earlier bothered him or changed anything between us, I was sorely wrong. Brandon looked at my face wordlessly before his eyes traveled down my body all the way down to my feet and then up again. It was clear that he was appraising me and not for my looks or sex appeal. After a moment of silence, he nodded as if quite satisfied with what he was seeing. I let out a breath of relief that made me realize how nervous I had been until just now. ¡°You look passable. I¡¯ll get more clothes tailored for you. I¡¯ll cover the expenses, don¡¯t worry,¡± Brandon said emotionlessly. ¡°Ok...¡± I mumbled softly. ¡°Come this way,¡± Brandon said as he offered me a hand. My eyes widened at his unexpected gesture. He wants me to hold his hand? Here in his office? Really? My questioning and slightly shocked expression must have been clear to him because Brandon quickly closed the distance between us so that his next words would be for my ears only. ¡°You¡¯re my fianc¨¦e. We¡¯re supposed to be madly in love everywhere that we go, including this office,¡± he reminded me in a whisper. ¡°Right...¡± I whispered in reply as I nodded my head. ..... ¡°Let¡¯s try that again,¡± Brandon said calmly. He took a step away from me and offered me his hand. I¡¯ve held his hand before more times than I could even begin to count but it still made me feel ufortable to do it now. Slowly, I ced my hand into his and immediately his hand held mine firmly. ¡°I¡¯m happy that you could make it today,¡± Brandon said with a charming smile. His grey eyes smiled at me cunningly and I knew that the days ahead would be littered with thorns and nails. Not quit knowing what to say, I chose to offer him a sweet and bright smile that I had in stock. ¡°Come along. I¡¯ll take you to my office and then we¡¯ll be having a very important meeting,¡± Brandon said like it was nothing as he pulled me along with him. I tried to keep up with him in my heels. Brandon must have realized my struggle because he slowed his pace to match mine so that I could walkfortably at his side. The way he dressed hasn¡¯t changed at all. His clothes were pretty much the same as the ones that he liked to wear before, and it had be his signature look whenever he appeared in public or he was covered in the media. Blue suit, ck shirt or turtleneck sweater and matching ck pants. Brandon led me up what seemed to be a private elevator that led straight up to his floor. He hadn¡¯t said a word since leaving the lobby. My mind continued to reminiscent on the time in the past when I used topliment him on how his outfit reallyplimented the color of his eyes. It hasn¡¯t been that long ago, but it felt like it was a lifetime away. ¡°What are you daydreaming about?¡± Brandon asked and I felt his eyes on me. Oh... ¡°Nothing...sorry...¡± I replied. ¡°I see. Please focus on your job, My Lady,¡± he said sternly just when the elevator came to a stop. The door automatically opened when we arrived at our designated floor. Brandon gestured for me to step out first and I had to say that his gentlemanly action caught me a little off guard. His floor was decorated in line with the lobby downstairs. ¡°This is my floor. My personal office is here along with various meeting and conference rooms. There¡¯s also a gym and a bedroom in case I need to stay over,¡± Brandon exined. I was amazed at how big and spacious the ce was. Wasn¡¯t it a little over the top to have an entire floor to himself? I guess when you¡¯re the CEO and the owner of thepany, you could do anything that you wanted. It was hard to imagine that thispany was started out of the apartment room that we used to share back in college. I bit my lower lip and winced at the memory that crossed my mind. Before my mind would drag me further down memoryne, I crushed that thought. Whatever we had is over now. The Brandon that I see right now isn¡¯t the same man from back then and the Elena that I am right now, isn¡¯t the same girl from back then either. ¡°Are you, ok?¡± Brandon asked and I could sense a hint of concern in his voice. ¡°Of course. Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± I asked with a teasing smile as I tried to cover up how disturbed I had felt just now. ¡°Good. Come this way, we need to talk a little before we start the day,¡± Brandon instructed as he led the way. He brought me to arge room that was his personal office. The most amazing thing about the room was the unobstructed view of the city and the sky that could be seen from this high floor. I knew that money could buy many things but one of the most impressive of those things was a view just like this. ¡°Wow...this view is something,¡± Iplimented openly. I headed to stand right in front of the ss that separated me from the air outside. A long wall of ss showcased the view outside perfectly. If it looks so breathtakingly beautiful in the day, I wondered what it would look like at night with all the lights on contrasting against the dark of night. Apart from the view, his office had the standardposition of a CEO¡¯s office. Arge and long table to host private meetings. A grey leather sofa set with a coffee table in the middle. Hisrge work desk and matching chair. Brandon¡¯s office was sparkling clean andcked any signs of him. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 62 62 First Challenge There was nothing there apart from a sign bearing his name on his table that would tell the tale that Brandon was the owner of this room. This did not quite match with the memory that I had of him but then I knew best that people could change. ¡°Sit down,¡± Brandonmanded as he sat down on one of the sofas. I took the seat opposite him and knew that serious business starts now. Brandon looked at me with his grey eyes before he sighed while I waited for him to speak. ¡°The board of directors and some representative of the shareholders will be hereter today in the afternoon,¡± he said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll just wait here or something...¡± I quickly said reassuringly. ¡°That¡¯s not it. They¡¯re here with the sole purpose of seeing you,¡± Brandon quickly corrected. ¡°To see me?¡± I asked incredulously. Why would important people like that want to see me? I had nothing to do with Renox...right? ¡°More precisely, they¡¯re here to see my fianc¨¦e to make sure that she really exists. It¡¯s so stupid, really...¡± Brandon said with a bored expression on his face. ..... If I recalled correctly, Brandon wanted me to act as his fianc¨¦e to please his family so that they could leave him and his love life alone and marriage is required for him to take over his father¡¯s chain of hotels and casinos. That doesn¡¯t quite exin the meetingter today, though. ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t quite follow. I thought that I only needed to act as your fianc¨¦e in front of your parents...¡± I said with slight confusion. ¡°That¡¯s right. If I have a fianc¨¦e my parents will stop introducing me to worthless women with the hope that we¡¯ll get married, and I can focus more on my work. There¡¯re many things that I need to work on and I don¡¯t have the time or effort to date anyone and marriage is the furthest thing from my mind right now,¡± Brandon stated, sounding very bored and sick of it all. ¡°Aha...¡± I murmured. ¡°However, for both my father¡¯spany and my own, the board of directors and some shareholders are demanding for me to settle down for the long-term stability of the business. It doesn¡¯t make any sense but that¡¯s the hand that I¡¯ve been dealt,¡± Brandon said passively. ¡°Ok, then for today¡¯s meeting...¡± I said as I started to get the direction that this was heading. ¡°Correct. I¡¯ll introduce you to everyone as my girlfriend who I n to get engaged with as soon as possible with their approval,¡± Brandon concluded. Wait, then that means... ¡°You¡¯re a smart girl, Elena. The keyword is ¡®with their approval¡¯. This is your first challenge. Can you get the board of director¡¯s approval to be my fianc¨¦e in today¡¯s meeting, please?¡± Brandon said with a mocking grin. Huh?! When I first took on this case, I knew that it would be massively difficult because it¡¯s Brandon that I¡¯m dealing with but this is just... How am I supposed to convince the board of directors? Aren¡¯t they all super senior and experienced? They also held high position in society and the meeting is already this afternoon! ¡°I was right to charge you 20 times the usual rate...¡± I muttered underneath my breath without thinking. ¡°What did you say?¡± Brandon asked followed by a softugh that told me that he heard all that I had said just now. ¡°This is crazy! Why didn¡¯t you tell me this before?¡± I turned to snap at him in my panic. To my extreme anguish, Brandon justughed as I continued to panic in the face of such a grim situation. ¡°Why are you just sitting thereughing? Have you gone mad?¡± I snapped. ¡°You¡¯re just very funny when you¡¯re all bothered and flustered,¡± Brandon replied while stillughing a little. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from you right now. How can you drop a bomb like that on me?¡± I cried out in frustration. ¡°Obviously because I¡¯m paying you an exorbitant amount for you to deal with it for me,¡± Brandon replied unfazed. Breathe, Elena, breathe! ¡°How do I convince them? What do I have to do?¡± I asked in rapid session. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not sure...but I was sure that you could figure something out,¡± Brandon replied like it wasn¡¯t his problem. I looked at him as I was stunned into silence. My mouth dropped opened and I must have looked very dumb right at that moment. ¡°This is ridiculous. Tell me, what do they have in mind? What do they expect to see?¡± I inquired again. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe something that will convince them that we¡¯re truly in love and serious about rtionship?¡± Brandon threw in a few guesses. My eyes narrowed at his suspiciously. Honestly, how am I supposed to show that in a meeting? Despite my anxiety and high level of stress, Brandon seemed rxed and at ease as he lounged on the leather sofa. I ced my fingers in between my brows and stretched them apart to keep myself from frowning. Botox is expensive... ¡°What happens if they don¡¯t believe us?¡± I asked. ¡°Hmm...I¡¯ll probably have to find another way to convince them,¡± Brandon said as if in thought. ¡°And the contract?¡± I asked further. ¡°Void. It¡¯ll be voided immediately if you fail,¡± Brandon stated. I knew it! If I don¡¯t seed, I¡¯m going to have to kiss this job goodbye along with all the money that came with it. Why didn¡¯t I ask for a hundred times the usual rate?! ¡°You¡¯re really just taking advantage of me, aren¡¯t you?¡± I muttered bitterly. ¡°What are you talking about? You asked for 20 times the usual rate and I agreed. Completely fair and square,¡± Brandon replied with a chuckle. I hated to admit it, but he did have a point. Now, how should I deal with this mess...? ¡°How much time do I have till the meeting?¡± I asked. ¡°2 hours and 42 minutes, precisely,¡± Brandon said as he nced down at his watch. ¡°Shit...¡± I muttered softly. Suddenly the sofa shifted underneath me, and I looked up to realize that Brandon had nted himself next to me. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 63 63 Truth in Every Lie ¡°You¡¯re back to normal now, Elena. You were so uptight before...I like you much better like this,¡± Brandon said as he casually ced hisrge hand on my back. He smiled at me cheerfully and in that instant, I saw him as the young man that I met during the start of my university life. I closed my eyes and pushed that image away from my mind as my hand grabbed his wrist and yanked his arm away from me. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me so casually,¡± I snapped at him coldly. ¡°Wah...the scary Elena is back,¡± Brandon teased beforeughing at me. Brandon? The sight of himughing carefreely very close to me on the sofa made me have second thoughts about him changing. Now that I think about it, we used to bicker and have little quarrels like this all the time while we were dating. Brandon would always find something to frustrate me just so that he couldugh when I panicked or got flustered. Those days were fun; however, that doesn¡¯t help solve the problem right in front of me right now. Maybe...just maybe...Brandon hasn¡¯t changed much from our time together. Not that it mattered. Time is ticking by. I need to get my act together if I¡¯m going to sessfully fool all those people. ¡°Do you have aptop that I can borrow by any chance?¡± I asked. ..... ¡°Sure do but what do you need it for?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m going to research my enemies...¡± I replied without hesitation. Everyone on the board of directors are prominent members of society. If I can get a sense of what each person is like, what they believe in, their public stance and any other random information about them, then maybe I can figure out what they¡¯re looking to see. ... ¡°Surely, you¡¯re not feeling nervous, right? You¡¯re supposed to be a pro at this, Miss Contract Wife,¡± Brandon teased me. Even though we were standing right outside the door to the meeting room where the board members are waiting for us, Brandon still had the galls to tease me. I wanted to whack him so badly. ¡°Brandon,¡± I called his name softly as I stood close to his side. ¡°Yes?¡± he replied, and I could feel his eyes on my face. ¡°Are you ready to be my fianc¨¦? If you want to change your mind, now¡¯s thest chance that you have. After this meeting is over, you¡¯ll be stuck with me until this shameless charade is over,¡± I said confidently before shing him one of my more radiant smiles. ¡°Wow...someone¡¯s confident...¡± he murmured. ¡°Failure isn¡¯t an option...when you¡¯re drowning in debt,¡± I said before winking at him teasingly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what trick you¡¯ve got up your sleeve but good luck. I hope it works...for both of our sakes,¡± Brandon said as he grinned over at me. I ced my hands in the crook of Brandon¡¯s arm and nodded at him, signaling that I was ready. With a firm nod my way, Brandon pushed opened therge double door. I knew that once we entered through this door, the official start of our fake rtionship and everything that came along with it was what awaited us. We stepped through the door together into a veryrge meeting room and I felt all pairs of eyes on us immediately. No one said anything and the silence felt deafening. I smiled a little as I clung to Brandon¡¯s arm. It was a good mix of acting and my natural nervousness. Hopefully, the spectators found it a convincing act. ¡°Brandon, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re able to make it,¡± an old man said as he stood up from his seat. ¡°Of course. It¡¯s not often that the entire board of directors would convene like this. It¡¯s an honor to meet everyone again,¡± Brandon said before smiling politely. I could feel everyone¡¯s eyes on me and wondered when I would be introduced and when I had to start performing my convincing act of being the love of Brandon¡¯s life. ¡°I assume that thedy standing next to you is...¡± the old man continued in a kind voice. ¡°Yes. Sorry for thete introduction and the unease that I may have caused. This is Elena, the woman I have been dating with the intent of getting married to in the near future,¡± Brandon said confidently. ¡°Hello, everyone. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you all. My name is Elena, I¡¯m Brandon¡¯s girlfriend,¡± I introduced myself politely. Although everyone should have been aware that Brandon would be bringing his girlfriend along to the meeting, for some reason, they seemed quite stunned to see me. Perhaps they didn¡¯t truly believe that Brandon had a girlfriend at first or that he was willing to introduce his girlfriend to them. ¡°Miss Elena, if you don¡¯t mind, can you tell us more about yourself? Perhaps, your background and how your rtionship with Mr. Brandon started?¡± an old woman with grey hair asked from her seat at the long meeting table. ¡°Of course...¡± I replied in my wlessly sweet voice. I began introducing myself and my background covering where I went for school and university before starting to tell them how my rtionship with Brandon started. The way everyone focused their attention on me when I was about to start the tale of our love, made me aware that the thing that they cared most about was whether my rtionship with Brandon was real or not. If someone were to ask me how to tell a convincing lie, I would tell them that the best lies always have the truthced in it. ¡°Although Brandon and I have rekindled our rtionship just recently, our romantic rtionship started many years back when we were both studying at university. As you may have realized from my introduction just now, Brandon and I went to the same university, and we studied the same major which was business. Brandon is two years older than me and we met when I was a freshman and he was in his third year of university...¡± I said quite truthfully. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 64 64 It Started When Our Eyes Met **My University Days** The first day of university that I had worked so hard for was a gloomy day with dark clouds. That didn¡¯t make me look forward to my time at university any less that I initially did. After getting epted into the business school of one of the leading universities in the country, it was an added bonus that one of my friends from high school also made it. It wasn¡¯t exactly a surprise that she also made it because we had studied hard together in order to make it. I had to say that I was pleasantly surprised that another girl from my ss was aiming to major in business in university like I did. Perhaps it wasmon for girls in other schools but the girls in my school usually took the marriage route or attending major in the arts. Her name is Francia, and she had been attending the same high school as me; however, we did not get close to each other until we found out that we shared the same goal for university. Although I would like to say that Francia was truly unlike the other girls from school who were crazy about men, that wasn¡¯t exactly the case. The truth was that Francia had been dating an older guy for a while now with the approval and joy of her parents. If I wasn¡¯t wrong, her boyfriend was two years older and had started university by the time that they started dating. ¡°I heard that you also want to study business at university. Is that true?¡± I asked excitedly. ¡°Umm...yeah. Did the teacher tell you about it?¡± Francia asked shyly. Francia smiled shyly at me as her light brown eyes twinkled. Her long fingers started twirling a lock of wavy brown hair as she looked at me. ¡°Yes. The thing is, I share the same goal as you. Let¡¯s do our best and get into university together,¡± I said enthusiastically. ¡°Really? That¡¯s awesome. Let¡¯s study together and let¡¯s both get in. It feels better knowing someone else is sharing the same aim as me. Most girls are going into art...¡± Francia said with relief. ..... ¡°I know. Why do you want to get into this program?¡± I asked curiously. ¡°The truth is that my boyfriend is studying there now. So, I want to be with him...maybe we¡¯ll get married after he graduates from university,¡± Francia admitted shyly. There wasn¡¯t anything wrong with that, but I had to say that I felt slightly disappointed. I thought that she would be vastly different from the other girls from our school but that didn¡¯t turn out to be the case. ¡°Good luck! All the more reason to study hard,¡± I replied before shing her an encouraging smile. Finally, the first day of university arrived and along with it came the entrance ceremony. The campus was muchrger than our school and there were many people here today. I had arranged to meet up with Francia so that we could go through the administrative process of the first day together. There were no sses on the first day and so the day ended quite early. ¡°Are you free after this?¡± Francia asked. ¡°I guess. Why?¡± I replied casually. ¡°I¡¯m meeting my boyfriend after this, and I wanted to introduce him to you...¡± Francia said a little proudly. ¡°Oh, right. I haven¡¯t met him although I¡¯ve heard so much about him,¡± I said, feigning interest. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to talk about him all the time,¡± Francia said with augh. Let¡¯s just say that it isn¡¯t umon for girls to show off their boyfriends. I kept a smile on as I pretended that I was interested. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I¡¯m fine with tagging along but are you sure that I won¡¯t be getting in the way of your date?¡± I asked, hoping that she might offer me an excuse to avoid the trip. ¡°It¡¯s not really a date. Let¡¯s go. We can eat out at a nice ce too,¡± Francia said before tugging on my arm. ¡°Umm...if you say so...¡± I mumbled. We arrived at the restaurant that was located not far from university. Probably because of the high price, the restaurant was almost empty, and it wasn¡¯t hard to spot one of the very few tables that were upied. A man with short blond hair waved in our direction before calling Francia¡¯s name. That must be Francia¡¯s boyfriend, Philip. Francia literally dragged me by the hand as she hurried over to the table where her boyfriend was seated. I had to say that Philip seemed like a decent guy, and he seemed very sociable. My evaluation of him was confirmed when he started introducing himself to me smoothly. Francia took her seat opposite her boyfriend while I took the seat next to here at the four-person table. When I sat down, that was when I realized that there was a man in the seat opposite me. Was there a man sitting next to Philip all this time? Philip was still chatting loudly to me and Francia, but I couldn¡¯t hear what he was saying at all. My eyes and mind were focused on the man sitting opposite me. The man had ash blond hair, a very fineplexion, very long eyshes and the hand that held the book that he was reading looked so refined like it had never known a day of hard work. Truthfully, I couldn¡¯t tear my eyes away from him. Despite the fact that Philip was chatting away and the fact that I had just sat down opposite him at the table, the man didn¡¯t even look up from the small notebook that he was reading. It was like he belonged in a parallel universe, and to him, we didn¡¯t exist. ¡°Oh, sorry sorry. I forgot to introduce this guy here. Girls, this is my best friend, Brandon. Brandon, say hi to the girls...¡± Philip introduced his friend. That was when I learnt that the man sitting opposite me was called Brandon. If Brandon heard Philip¡¯s voice, he chose to ignore it. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 65 65 Totally Captivated Francia looked nervously from me to Brandon and then to her boyfriend. It was apparent that she wasn¡¯t sure how to react in this situation. ¡°Brandon...hey...Brandon...¡± Philip hissed as he nudged his friend with his elbow. The man called Brandon let out a sigh before ncing up from the book that he was reading. At that moment, his eyes met mine and I sucked in a rapid breath at the beauty of his grey eyes. He smirked at me before closing his book and cing it down on the table in front of him. ¡°My name is Brandon. It is a pleasure to meet you girls; however, this guy here isn¡¯t my best friend,¡± Brandon said almost monotonously. His cold reaction disturbed Francia and I could see her panicking. On the other hand, I found his attitude so refreshing and different from the other men that I¡¯ve met before who would fawn all over me. When he looked at me just now, I felt like he really saw me for who I was. ¡°Please don¡¯t say that. We¡¯re good friends, right?¡± Philip said almost pleadingly. Brandon nced at his friend and then decided not to say anything. Philip turned to smile weakly at us. ¡°Brandon also studies business so we all share the same major here. If you have any issues with your studies or anything, just ask this guy. He¡¯s super like out-of-this-world smart,¡± Philip announced proudly. ¡°Compared to this guy, anyone is smart...¡± Brandon said coldly. ..... ¡°Don¡¯t say things like that even if it¡¯s true. My girlfriend is sitting right there...¡± Philip said followed by a shyugh. All this time, I had just been staring at this face. I was so captivated by him that nothing else seemed to matter anymore. For some reason, my mouth began moving as if it had a will of its own... ¡°My name is Elena. It¡¯s nice to meet you, Brandon...¡± I said shyly but clearly. ¡°Let¡¯s get along, Elena,¡± Brandon said as his grey eyes met and held mine again. For the first time in my teenager-life, I was at a loss for words in front of a man. All I could do was nod my head in agreement with what he had said. I wouldn¡¯t lie and say that I fell in love with Brandon at first sight, but I believed that I was more than slightly attracted to his looks and the solemn and serious aura about him. What¡¯s for sure was that I had developed an unexinable interest in him since the first time that Iid eyes on him. This man, who seemed like he came from a different universe, I wanted to know everything about him. ... ¡°Since the first time that I met him, I wanted to learn more about him and always be there to support him. Brandon, as you all probably know already, is a very smart, talented, and motivated man. When he aspires to do something, he wouldmit to it until the very end. That trait is something that he had back then and still possesses now and it is what draws me to him. The more time we spent together during our university days, the more I wanted to support him in any way possible to make his dreame true. Thispany, where we are meeting now, is the result of his genius, hard work, andmitment and I am so proud to have been part of his journey in getting here,¡± I said as my voice rang out clear with passion. As I could see that everyone was still listening intently to what I was saying. I decided to go on after a short pause to collect my thoughts. ¡°Due to...various circumstances in our personal lives, we decided to end our rtionship shortly after Brandon graduated from university. From then on, we went our separate ways and my role in his life was reduced to nothing more than a faraway spectator. However, there was never a day when I didn¡¯t wish for his sess. The height that thispany has reached never surprised me and I know that it will only reach further heights in the future. Honestly, it was a miracle to me that Brandon and I could renew our rtionship,¡± I said truthfully. I had always watched him from afar as his newly formed empire grew until it rivalled that of his parent¡¯s. We were never in touch, and we didn¡¯t part on good terms; however, it was true that I always wished him the best of everything. It was also true that it was like a miracle for us to be reunited under this contract of a fake rtionship. ¡°Your story is touching and all but up until recently you were married to another man. Had he not...passed away, you would probably still be married to him, right?¡± a woman asked cynically. I smiled outwardly while I cursed the woman inwardly for her stupid question. Oh well, it wasn¡¯t like I honestly thought that a sweet love story could turn their cynical minds around. ¡°Maybe but maybe not. Honestly, I married George purely out of my desire to repay my parents for the love and kindness that they¡¯ve shown me for all the years that they¡¯ve raised me. It was all to fulfill my parent¡¯s request and dear wishes. Throughout the happiness, sadness, luxury or difficulties of my marriage to my ex-husband, my heart has and probably always will belong to Brandon alone,¡± I said passionately as I ced my hand t on my heart. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that you married a man when you didn¡¯t love him at all? How can we trust that you are truly in love with Brandon and that you do not have other...intentions?¡± another old woman asked as her brows furrowed at me. Isn¡¯t that what I¡¯ve been saying just now? How many times do I have to repeat myself for your sake? ¡°That is correct. I will not lie and pretend that my first marriage was out of love because it simply wasn¡¯t. However, in our society, it isn¡¯t umon for people in our circles to engage in marriage of convenience. I am sure that you are aware of that as well. Just like I have told theplete truth about my first marriage, I assure you that everything else I have said is the truth,¡± I replied smoothly. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 66 66 Award-Winning Performance ¡°Miss Elena are you truly in love with Brandon?¡± an old man with a white beard asked. No...but for the sake of repaying my debt...yes... ¡°It¡¯s a little embarrassing to say it out loud but...I am indeed very much in love with him. Unlike my first marriage, I hope with all my heart that my second marriage will be for love and no other reason,¡± I said before smiling humbly and then bowing my head slightly. ncing up, I could tell that the board members seemed satisfied with my response. Various of them nodded. Even if they didn¡¯t like my story, I was sure that they at least believed that Brandon and I are dating right now. ¡°I guess that¡¯s more than enough interrogation for my beautiful girlfriend for the day. I wouldn¡¯t want to put a frown on her pretty face,¡± Brandon cut in as he could sense that the audience seemed to have had their fill. Suddenly, Brandon wrapped his arms around my waist and began hugging me from behind to the surprise of everyone in the room. I turned my head back a little to ask what he was doing but before I could open my mouth to say anything, his lips were on mine. Brandon kissed me firmly on the lips before quickly deepening the kiss by thrusting his tongue into my mouth. I moaned automatically into his kiss as his tongue entwined and danced around with mine. His arms around me tightened as he continued to kiss me in front of all the board members. This was not part of the n. At all. With everyone¡¯s eyes on me, I was forced to go along with his public disy of affection. I could hear surprised and shocked gasps from the audience and knew that they probably didn¡¯t need any more convincing than this. Perhaps we should have just made out in front of them since the beginning so that I could have saved my breath. I reached up a hand and ced it on the side of Brandon¡¯s face before I began kissing him back heatedly. ..... The scene was probably too intense for some because some people started walking out in the middle of our performance. By the time that Brandon had decided that he¡¯s gotten his point across and broke our kiss, I was already out of breath. I watched in astonishment as he turned to smile confidently at the audience. I wanted to hit him but that would have to wait. ... The meeting came to a sudden end after that, and we retreated by to his personal office. I flopped down onto the sofa and heaved a loud sigh of relief. That performance took a toll on my stamina and my lifespan for sure. I wondered if I should revise the rate in the contract upwards if I had to go through something like that often while working for Brandon. Unlike me, Brandon seemed to be in a bright and cheerful mood as he sat down on the sofa opposite where I was sitting. He looked straight at me and smiled. I raised my eyebrows at him questioningly, but I didn¡¯t smile back. ¡°So, you¡¯re still in love with me even after all this time?¡± he asked suddenly. As if... ¡°Haha...of course...not,¡± I replied with an amusedugh. ¡°I should have known...¡± he muttered beforeughing along as well. An ufortable silence crept up between us when ourughter died down. ¡°It¡¯s true that I was always wishing for your sess though...even after you left¡± I said so softly that I wasn¡¯t sure if he could hear me. I wouldn¡¯t have minded if he didn¡¯t. After he left me, I was hurt, and heartbroken. However, there was never a time when I didn¡¯t wish him all the best. I nced up to see that Brandon was looking straight at me with a look that I couldn¡¯t quite read on his face. He must have heard me. I smiled a little and he got up from his seat and walked away towards the ss window. The city view beyond was breathtakingly beautiful but I was sure that wasn¡¯t why he was hiding there by the window. ¡°I should get a golden Oscar trophy made for your outstanding performance just now. I¡¯ll make sure that it¡¯s made of real gold, and I¡¯ll encrust some parts of it with real diamonds as well, what do you think?¡± Brandon suggested as he turned back to look at me. ¡°No need for that but I don¡¯t mind if you want to chip in a couple millions of dors as tip...¡± I replied with an idea of my own. ¡°Come with me?¡± Brandon said as he headed for the door. ¡°Where are we going?¡± I asked curiously. ¡°Shopping,¡± he replied. The workaholic Brandon is going to take me shopping in the middle of a workday? ¡°Huh? Don¡¯t you have to work?¡± I asked, my eyes widened in shock. ¡°Of course, I do. I¡¯m choosing to spend time with you instead of doing work, shouldn¡¯t you feel appreciative?¡± he said mockingly as he grabbed my hand and pulled me after him. ¡°Umm...no?¡± I muttered my reply as he led me towards the elevator. ¡°Juste along. I promise I¡¯ll get you something that you like,¡± he said confidently. I wondered if he even knows what I like after all this time... ... ¡°Are you trying to make me get diabetes?¡± I asked sarcastically. Brandon turned to face me with an innocent and guiltless look on his face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You used to like buying this stuff all the time,¡± he said casually. ¡°That was then, and this is now...¡± I muttered darkly. I turned to look at the specialized sweet store filled with various types of colorful candies, choctes, candy floss, lollipops, marshmallows, and everything else in that category. I wasn¡¯t certain but I believed thest time I came to a ce like this was with Brandon during my university years. After that, I started a new phase in life after marrying George and stuffing myself with sugar wasn¡¯t an option anymore. When Brandon said that he would buy me something that I would like, did he mean this? ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 67 67 What was Mine ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s still there...¡± I mumbled to myself. There used to be a sweet shop a short walk from our university where Brandon and I would drop by often for me to restock my supply of sweet goodies. The old couple that ran that shop was a loving couple and they always gave me free extras. Brandon would tease me about getting fat or rotting my teeth out from eating too many candies. However, whenever I got depressed or we got into a fight, he would buy me candies from that store to cheer me up all the time. ¡°The store? It¡¯s not...sadly,¡± Brandon replied. ¡°Really?¡± I eximed with disappointment as I turned to face him. ¡°Yeah, I checked...¡± he replied with certainty. He checked? Did he go back there just to check on it? I looked at Brandon as he casually picked up a pink heart-shaped lollipop. Just like back then, the cute candy doesn¡¯t seem to fit his image when he held it in his hand. I was going to ask him why he went back to check but I decided not to. ¡°That¡¯s too bad. Well, the old couple is probably enjoying their retirement right now...¡± I said with a small smile. When I turned around, Brandon was gone. I spotted him paying at the cashier and walked to his side. Although I was tempted to buy so many things from the store, I held back because I knew that it was unhealthy, and I cannot afford to gain weight. My looks are part of my job and that¡¯s that. ..... ¡°What are you buying?¡± I asked curiously as I tried to peek to see what he held in his hand from behind him. Instead of answering my question, Brandon turned to face me and then I felt a taste of sweetness between my lips. Brandon smiled down at me as he gently pushed a lollipop into my mouth. I blinked rapidly in surprise as the cherry vor of the lollipop filled my mouth. ¡°What...¡± I began slurring. ¡°Don¡¯t speak with your mouth full. You sound so funny,¡± Brandon warned as heughed before walking past me. I hurried after him while sucking busily on the lollipop in my mouth. The sweet taste felt extremely pleasant on my tongue and my body rejoiced at the extra sugar that it was receiving. It had been a long while since I walked around with a lollipop in my mouth like this. ¡°Are we done?¡± I asked after taking the lollipop out of my mouth. I can¡¯t believe he took me all the way here to buy a single lollipop. If we¡¯re done for the day, I could use a good and rxing rest in bed. ¡°Nope. Follow me,¡± Brandon said as he waited for me to catch up to him. He grabbed my hand and held it firmly as he strode along the sidewalk. Since it was the middle of a weekday, there wasn¡¯t many people around. I walked by his side while very conscious of the fact that he was still holding my hand and that he had slowed his pace to match mine. Brandon didn¡¯t say anything, and I began to really wonder where he was taking me. ... ¡°That was a longer walk than I thought...¡± Brandonined a little. He opened a ss door for me and led me inside a boutique. I felt like I should be the oneining because for the same distance that he covered, I walked it in heels. ¡°Tell me about it...¡± I muttered underneath my breath. He grinned at me and pouted at him. ¡°Wee. I¡¯ve been expecting you,¡± a young woman with dark hair and sparkling green eyes came to greet us. ¡°Thanks for putting them on hold,¡± Brandon said. What on hold? The boutique, I realized seemed to be selling a various mix of used luxury products. Everything from branded bags, essories, furniture, and antiques. Honestly, I was curious about what Brandon wanted to buy for me here. If I had to bet, it¡¯ll probably be some rare antique furniture or art because I don¡¯t think Brandon would have difficulty buying me a brand-new branded handbag. Not that I wanted one. He urged me to follow the woman and I followed purely out of curiosity to see what he had apparently put on hold for me to see. The woman gracefully led us to the second floor of the store before showing us to a private room that was located at the back. When she opened the door and stepped to the side, Brandon urged me in by cing his hand at the small of my back and giving me a gentle push forward. Hesitantly, I walked into the room. ¡°Oh my...¡± I whispered after I gasped with a mix of surprise and utter shock. The sight that greeted me was a sight that I was used to but had never dreamt of ever seeing again in this life. On the disy shelves were the handbags from my personal collection that I had collected rigorously during my marriage to George. On the walls were rare paintings that were part of my personal collection. Everything that had been taken from me was now elegantly disyed right in front of my eyes. While I was still struggling to recover from my shock, I heard the sound of the door closing behind me and then I felt a firm touch on my shoulder and realized that Brandon had wrapped his arm around my shoulders. ¡°I think it¡¯s missing a few paintings because sadly they have already been auctioned off but apart from that, it should all be here...¡± Brandon said with a hint of regret in his voice. I had no idea why he was doing this for me or why he seemed so regretful after he¡¯s done so much. Reaching my hand out, I brushed my fingertips softly against the soft calf leather of a mingo pink handbag. It¡¯s real...I can touch it. I turned around to face him and then I threw my arms around him and hugged him tightly to me. His warmth along with his scent enveloped me as I buried my face in his chest. Tears started to sting my eyes. It wasn¡¯t about getting these luxurious things back, but I just hated losing what was mine... ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 68 68 A Small Miracle and More Trouble ¡°Thank you so much, Brandon. I would have liked to say that I didn¡¯t want it back, but I guess I do. I know I don¡¯t need these luxurious things after I lost them, but it still feels so good to see them all back together like this...¡± I thanked him honestly. ¡°You always hated losing your things, right?¡± Brandon whispered from above my head. His tone was so gentle that it brought tears to my eyes. This is bad, I¡¯m going to start crying for real. ¡°Thank you...¡± I whispered as I stared up into his grey eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t start crying. You¡¯re supposed to be over the moon happy about this and you better be. This all costed a small fortune,¡± Brandon said in a mocking huff. I smiled knowingly at him. It was a small miracle that he managed to buy back everything for me; however, that didn¡¯t mean that I feltfortable taking it back. ¡°You know, I¡¯m just d that the collection has been kept together. However, I don¡¯t think I can ept this gift after all,¡± I said honestly. ¡°Who says I¡¯m handing them over to you for free?¡± Brandon said and I could see the mischief in his eyes. ¡°Huh?¡± I mumbled in surprise. ..... I should have known this! Things are never easy with Brandon... ¡°You did pretty well today so what about you get this bag back?¡± Brandon suggested. He picked up the mingo pink bag that I was just touching and held it in front of me. Now I was starting to see where this was going. ¡°I think I deserve more than just a bag for what I did today,¡± I said sternly before I grabbed the pink bag from his hand. Insurance...in case he changes his mind about all this. Brandonughed at me, but he did pick up another bag and handed it my way. This one was navy and I liked it very much. ¡°Happy?¡± he asked after I had taken the bag from his hand. ¡°You know...you didn¡¯t have to kiss me like that in front of all those people...¡± I startedining. Brandon sighed loudly before grabbing a clutch bag off from the shelf and handing it my way. ¡°Is this all my kiss is worth?¡± I whined before pouting at him. ¡°Good try but this is all you¡¯re getting for today,¡± Brandon said decisively. The next moment, he was already out the door. I looked around the room still in disbelief as I hugged the three bags to my chest. Wait for me my dear babies, I¡¯ll be back for you all very very soon! The truth that I would never tell Brandon was that of all the things and people that I¡¯ve lost in this life, I hated losing him the most. ... The second week working with EROS didn¡¯t get any easier for me. His schedule was just too packed with work, and we ended up travelling everywhere. From early in the morning, we travelled to an outdoor photoshoot location because the director demanded for photos of EROS in the natural light of the rising sun and that meant that we had to get there before sunrise! If I had thought that we had gotten any closer fromst week, I was totally wrong. EROS did not pay me any attention while he worked throughout the day. Thankfully, Mark was there to act out the role of EROS¡¯s main manager. Just like the week before, I tagged along and tried to make myself useful wherever I can by following Mark¡¯s instructions to the letter. After the photoshoot, EROS had an interview with a magazine and then amercial recording for a sports drink. Lastly, he had a meeting back at the office and that was where we were headed right now. ¡°Finally, we can head back to the agency. Just one more meeting. The director of your new movie ising to meet you. Make sure to impress him...the casting isn¡¯t set in stone yet so please don¡¯t give him a reason to change his mind,¡± Mark warned sternly. EROS did not reply as he stared out of the car¡¯s window like he was bored out of his mind. ¡°EROS...are you even listening?¡± Mark asked with an exasperated sigh. ¡°Yea...¡± EROS mumbled without turning his head around. ¡°This movie project is very important for your career growth. If you get casted as the male lead and the movie does well, you¡¯ll open up a whole new world,¡± the manager said dreamily. EROS didn¡¯t say anything in response, just like I had expected. I couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking at all, and I wondered how his manager could deal with him. I mean, it was like talking to a brick wall. The movie director met us in one of the meeting rooms on EROS¡¯s floor. The director came along with his assistant who was a younger man. On our side, only Mark, EROS and I were present. After introducing ourselves, the director got straight to the point. ¡°I would love to have EROS y the male lead part in my uing movie. The higher ups have agreed to it as well. However, there¡¯s a slight issue...¡± the director said before pausing in hesitation. I nced over at EROS and saw that he was calm andposed. Mark was wellposed as well, and he was the one who was doing most of the talking. ¡°It would be great if you can let us know more about the issue that you are referring to?¡± Mark asked politely. ¡°As you already know, the genre for my new movie is romance. The Scarlet Bond of Fate is a story about lovers who are separated by their social standing. Their rtionship started off as a forbidden romance between the male lead when he was still in university with the girl whose mother was employed in his household as their maid. They hid their rtionship from everyone. However, the guy was forced to marry someone else. The girl ran away from that town. Yearster they are reunited, and sparks fly between them again. It¡¯s a heavily romantic and dramatic story,¡± the director paused after passionately sharing the details about his movie. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 69 69 His Problem is Now My Problem ¡°Yes, we have seen parts of the script before epting the offer for EROS to star in the movie. Regarding the issue...¡± Mark began inquiring once again about the issue mentioned. I was starting to see the issue that he wanted to discuss now because if I remembered correctly, EROS¡¯s problem was... ¡°Honestly, we¡¯re not sure if EROS can adequately express deep love, desperate longing, and passion on screen. I know that EROS has been sessful in many movies prior to this but they were all action movies,¡± the director raised his concern. ¡°What do I have to do to prove that I am capable of taking on the role?¡± EROS asked. I was so shocked that he actually spoke that I almost gasped out loud. EROS sounded serious and I could tell that he was determined to get casted in this movie no matter what. ¡°There¡¯s a new scene that the scriptwriter just adapted for me. Of course, it¡¯s a love scene. I¡¯ll pass the script onto you, and I want you to act it out for me. That¡¯s all,¡± the director said simply. ¡°Sure. I think that¡¯s fair. I would like us to proceed with the work without any doubts or worries as well,¡± EROS readily agreed. He sounded so confident that for a moment I believed that the whole ¡®EROS cannot act love scenes or knows nothing about love¡¯ crap that his manager had spoken about was all bull. ¡°Well then, please contact me when you¡¯re ready for this mini audition,¡± the director said, clearly pleased. ..... After that the director discussed his potential co-star who would y the female lead and his future ns on production. Soon after the conversation came to a close and we walked the director to the elevator. ¡°Thank you foring all this way to meet us. I¡¯ll be sure to contact you soon regarding the date for our next meeting,¡± Mark said before he shook the director¡¯s hand firmly. ¡°No problem. I hope things turn out well. I am looking forward for an opportunity to work with the famous EROS,¡± the director said with a firm nod of his head. ... ¡°Why did you readily ept such a request without consulting me first?¡± Mark asked as he rubbed his temples with his hand. Mark was clearly distressed by the oue of the meeting while EROS seemed unfazed and unaffected by it all. The three of us sat at the meeting table after returning back there. The director and his assistant had left for the day. ¡°Umm...is it that bad?¡± I asked in a small voice. ¡°It is!¡± Mark thundered. ¡°It¡¯s not...¡± EROS countered bluntly. Mark and EROS gave conflicting replies at the exact same time. Mark rolled his eyes and took in a deep breath while EROS still acted as if the whole ordeal didn¡¯t really concern him. ¡°You can¡¯t do it, can you? You can¡¯t act out a love scene. Yet you went ahead and epted the director¡¯s proposal for you to act it out...¡± Mark said in frustration. ¡°You¡¯re right, I probably can¡¯t do it right now. Not up to the standard that he¡¯s looking for anyways,¡± EROS replied matter-of-factly. ¡°Then? What are you going to do? Make a fool out of yourself in front of him so that he can go look for another actor to fill the role instead of you? Argh...how am I going to exin this to the President?¡± Markined, sounding hopeless. ¡°A week,¡± EROS said. ¡°What?¡± Mark asked in confusion. ¡°I said that I probably can¡¯t do it right now but if I¡¯m given a week, I¡¯m sure that I can pull it off,¡± EROS stated with certainty. ¡°How? Are you sure? It¡¯s so risky...the best way is for the president to talk to the producers directly...and then they¡¯ll cast you without you having to go through that mini audition or whatever...¡± Mark said, sounding very desperate. ¡°Even if I got in that way, if I can¡¯t live up to the director¡¯s expectations, the shoot won¡¯t go well. The project is going to fail at ater date anyways,¡± EROS argued and I had to say that he was making a lot of sense. I hated to admit it but I¡¯m starting to take EROS¡¯s side in this conversation. He was right, if he can¡¯t do it now then it¡¯ll just cause a problem for everyer on. We have to figure out whether he can do it or not before the casting is finalized and the shooting starts. ¡°Pray tell me. What are you going to do? We¡¯ve made you take so many acting sses and it didn¡¯t get you very far on the romantic scenes. What can you do in a week¡¯s time?¡± Mark challenged as he frowned at EROS. ¡°That¡¯s Elena¡¯s problem,¡± EROS said as he pointed a finger in my direction. My problem? ¡°What? Sorry...I don¡¯t follow...¡± I said in pure confusion. ¡°You¡¯re my contract girlfriend, right?¡± EROS asked rhetorically. ¡°Well...Yes...¡± I replied hesitantly. ¡°Then teach me. Teach me how to love,¡± EROS said before smiling his screen-perfect smile at me. ¡°I...¡± I said hesitantly as my throat suddenly felt very dry. ¡°Are you scared? You can back out now if you want...¡± EROS teased as his eyes challenged me. EROS¡¯s golden eyes held mine and I couldn¡¯t look away. It felt like the world had stopped spinning and time had stopped ticking. It felt like we were the only ones in the room. I knew with certainty that this challenge wouldn¡¯t lead to anything pretty. I knew that I was ying with a fire that was about to go out of control. I knew all that but still... ¡°Of course not. Let¡¯s do this,¡± I said as I reached out a hand across the table towards him for a handshake. EROS smiled a very seductive smile at me before his hand reached out and took mine. With his eyes staring deeply into mine, instead of shaking my hand, he pulled my hands up to his lips and kissed the back of it tenderly. And this was the guy who couldn¡¯t act out a romantic scene. What a rotten joke... ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 70 70 Heartbreaking Love Scene Despite my brilliant disy of courage in front of EROS, the issue of the script bothered me greatly. That night, I ate almost a pint of ice cream by myself as I sat on the floor of my room and leaned my back against my bed. I hated my stress-eating habits. Honestly, I¡¯ve never sumbed to this before in years. It wasn¡¯t even this bad when George passed away. I stuffed another spoonful of ice cream into my mouth before sucking on the spoon, feeling the cold stainless against my tongue. That night I went to sleep with dreams of various scenes that might appear in the script that the director would mail over. I thought my imagination had run quite wild in my dreams as I dreamt up various ssic romantic scenes from movies that I¡¯ve seen before. However, I was about to find out that my imagination couldn¡¯t beat that of a professional scriptwriter. The next day was another day with EROS and his manager at the agency. Since I didn¡¯t sleep very well the night before, I had a slight headache early in the morning. The second day with EROS was as packed as the day before. However, Mark had cleared EROS schedule so that we would get back to the office early in the evening. The reason for that was because EROS had to work on his acting practice. ¡°The script from the director has arrived and I¡¯ve printed two copies for you two,¡± Mark said sternly as he handed us our copies. ¡°Thank you,¡± I thanked him with a small smile. Now that I held the script in my hand, I had very mixed feelings. I was anxious and strangely excited to finally know what the scene was about. However, I also dreaded the fact that I had to help EROS practice soonter today. ¡°They¡¯ll be some free time in our schedule and time in the car. You two should read up and familiarize yourself with the script to make the most of the practiceter today. I also contacted a very talented acting coach help out as well,¡± Mark exined. I nced over at EROS and saw that he had already started flipping through the script. When it came to work, EROS was very focused, and he took everything seriously. I bit my lower lip as I started flipping through the script as well. The moment my eyes scanned through, I nced over at EROS again and wondered how he could read it without showing any reaction. Did he expect the scene to be like this? My hands clenched around the script as my eyes focused on the words printed on the page. How am I supposed to act this out with anyone? Let alone with EROS? ..... ... EROS and I sat side by side on the sofa while we waited for the acting coach to arrive. ording to Mark, she was one of the best acting teachers in the industry and the agency has hired her specifically to help EROS get into this role. She¡¯s worked with him in the past when he first started acting but those were for action movies. This would be the first time that EROS would seriously take on a romantic movie. EROS was silent and tense and I could tell that he didn¡¯t look forward to the session. He probably has his own reasons while I had my own sets of reasons as well. Although I¡¯ve told myself countless times that this is all just a script, all acting and all make believe, the contents of the script till bothered me immensely. Before my thoughts could darken any further, the teacher walked into the room with a pleasant smile on her lips. I could sense the positive energy that seemed to be emitted from her presence in the room. ¡°Hello there. I heard you¡¯ve got quite a challenge on your hands again, EROS. As always, I¡¯ll be happy to help you out so don¡¯t you worry about a thing,¡± the middle-aged woman said. She was quite plump with a very curvy figure and a very wide smile. Her hair was short but permed and she work rxing clothes as if she was about to head out for a night stroll. EROS did not offer any words of greeted as he just nodded at her. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Elena, EROS¡¯s assistant manager. It¡¯s great to meet you and thank you for helping out EROS on his new project,¡± I said as I stood up from my seat and offered her my hand for a shake. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Doreen, an acting coach...¡± Doreen introduced herself. She shook my hand with a warm smile before we both took our seats. She sat on the sofa opposite from where EROS and I were sitting and then she took out the script and started flipping through it. ¡°I heard that the director chose this scene for your special audition, is that right?¡± Doreen asked as eyes settled on EROS. ¡°Yea...¡± he replied passively. ¡°Alright then. Let¡¯s start by going through the context of the scene. It¡¯s important to understand what led up to this scene. How the characters are probably feeling and all that before we start,¡± Doreen said. I nodded and it felt like despite my diforts, I might be learning a couple of new and useful things today. EROS didn¡¯t say anything, and I wondered if he was even paying attention. This was part of his work so I doubt that he wouldn¡¯t take it seriously. ¡°This scene takes ce after the female lead, Naomi, goes home to find that her parents have hung themselves. She finds them both dead and is extremely shocked and saddened. She got scared and doesn¡¯t know what to do. She calls the male lead, Dn, and meets up with him at his house. The scene is when they meet up and she tells him what happened, and heforts her. She is scared to sleep alone, and they end up sleeping together...¡± Doreen exined professionally. ¡°So, what do we do now?¡± EROS asked emotionlessly. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 71 71 Losing It ¡°Let¡¯s start reading the lines. We¡¯re not physically acting it out yet but try your best to put emotion into your voice. This is a very emotional scene. She just lost her parents, she is scared, she is devastated so on and so forth. EROS, you try your best tofort her,¡± Doreen instructed. My hand clenched harder around the script as I felt increasingly dizzy. I tried not to look down at the lines, instead, I looked over at EROS. ¡°Ok...¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s start. I¡¯ll be Naomi for you because you have to be Dn. From the top please,¡± Doreen said. ¡°Naomi...are you ok?¡± EROS said, basically reading the script. Doreen frowned by decided to go on. ¡°I¡¯m so scared. I don¡¯t know what happened. Why did my parents...¡± Doreen said while sobbing. She wasn¡¯t crying but it sounded like she was. Wow... ¡°Let¡¯s go to my room for now,¡± EROS said emotionlessly. ..... Doreen sighed softly but decided to continue. ¡°Thank you for helping me...¡± Doreen mumbled sadly. ¡°Have you called the police?¡± EROS asked. Suddenly, it sounded like he was interrogating her. ¡°No...I haven¡¯t. I was too shocked to do anything. Dn, what should I do? My parents are gone...¡± Doreen whispered as if in pain. ¡°It¡¯s ok. Stop crying now. I¡¯m here for you,¡± EROS said. I¡¯m starting to feel very sick as a wave nausea hit me and it had nothing to do with EROS¡¯s appalling acting skills. Seriously, if you found your parents had just hung themselves, you wouldn¡¯t be calling or running to see anyone. You would be copsed on the floor in shock, and you¡¯d feel like you¡¯re about to faint. You would feel like you¡¯re ready to throw up every single thing you ate since you were born into this world. You¡¯d want to scream but realize that you can¡¯t because your lips won¡¯t stop shaking. You¡¯ll be there on the floor wondering if it was all just a bad dream only to realize that everything was real and then you¡¯ll start fooling yourself into believing that it wasn¡¯t real. By the time youe to your senses, someone else would have entered the room and that person whoever it was would be the one that would call the police. The rest of the day would go by in a blur and the only question that will go through your mind has nothing to do with what you should do next. The only question that you would repeat itself in your mind was why the hell did they do that? Why? Why? And why?! ¡°Elena...¡± EROS¡¯s voice calling my name softly snapped me out of my thoughts. I turned to see him looking directly at me. Apparently, both EROS and Doreen had paused their rehearsal to stare my way. Suddenly, I felt like I was going to throw up. ¡°Excuse me...¡± I managed to say before I ran out of the room. I could feel their eyes on my back as I left the room, but I didn¡¯t have time to care about that. My legs raced me towards the nearest women¡¯s toilet where I could hide to either be sick or collect myself. My head felt like it was going to explore, and I realized that I was having a panic attack. I used to have these attacks often when I was a little girl... Hiding in the toilet cubicle was the best option right now. I sat down on the toilet seat and closed my eyes as I concentrated on taking deep breaths. The past hasn¡¯t bothered me or haunted me for so long now that I had forgotten how fearful it was to feel just like this. A few minutester, I had managed to gather myself together enough not to puke in the toilet bowl. ¡°Elena!¡± EROS? I heard EROS¡¯s voice calling my name loudly. Did hee to get me? Shouldn¡¯t he be rehearsing his lines with Doreen? My head still hurts, and I wasn¡¯t sure if I was ready to go out and face him. Maybe if I stay quiet, he¡¯ll just go away? How does he even know that I¡¯m in here? After calling my name a couple more times, EROS wentpletely silent. I breathed a sigh of relief and figured that he must have given up and left. However, that wasn¡¯t the case at all. Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door of the cubical that I was in. Don¡¯t tell me... ¡°Elena! You¡¯re in there, right?¡± EROS asked and I could hear urgency and worry in his voice. ¡°Yes! I¡¯m here...¡± I replied as I quickly stood up from the toilet seat. Many things should have concerned me at that moment but the only thing that I could think of was: Oh my...EROS came into the girl¡¯s bathroom?! ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be in here!¡± I eximed the moment that I stepped out of the cubical. EROS was standing there with a worried yet extremely annoyed look on his face. Sorry for ruining your rehearsal, I guess? ¡°That¡¯s not the main problem. Are you ok? You looked...very unwell when you left the room,¡± EROS asked with genuine concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine now. Sorry for making you worry...¡± I apologized. I headed to the sink and started to wash my hands as I checked out my pale face in the mirror. EROS came to stand next to me and I could feel his eyes on my face. ¡°You¡¯re still in the women¡¯s toilet, you know...¡± I said as I nced over at him. EROS didn¡¯t seem to care about it at all. He continued to watch me without saying a word and I began to wonder what he was thinking. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± I asked, curiously. ¡°Nothing,¡± he quickly replied. ¡°You should go back to rehearsing your lines with the coach,¡± I suggested as I turned off the tap. ¡°No need. I already chased her off,¡± EROS said with a shrug. ¡°You, what?!¡± I eximed loudly. What does he mean by he chased her off? Why did he do that? ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 72 72 At His Beck and Call ¡°I chased her off. She¡¯s useless...¡± EROS repeated. I didn¡¯t know what to say so I just stared at him with my mouth hanging open. She was a professional and how she read her lines was very emotional while he sounded like a monotonous robot! At this rate, I couldn¡¯t imagine how EROS was going tond the lead role in this movie. Tonight, I¡¯m going to binge on his past movies just to confirm that he didn¡¯t suck this badly in any of those. ¡°Unbelievable...¡± I muttered underneath my breath. I took in a deep breath before I strode out of the toilet back to the hallway. EROS followed after me with augh. ... It¡¯s Sunday so why the hell am I here?! In all my life I have never worked and now I¡¯m doing some serious overtime on a Sunday which was the only day that I had left to myself. This only confirmed what I should have known when I signed my contract with EROS: this is aplete and utter disaster. **Last night** ..... I was in the shower and my phone just wouldn¡¯t stop ringing. At first, I decided topletely ignore it. It waste in the night and honestly, I didn¡¯t have anyone close to me enough that I would worry about if they died. That meant, that the phone call could wait. I¡¯ve been working hard all week. My feet and my back hurts and suddenly, I felt like I have aged an extra ten years over the course of a week. So, will the phone just stop ringing please! In the end, I was so angry that I stomped out of the showerpletely naked just to answer the phone. This better be important or I¡¯m going to give the caller a very enormous piece of my mind. Standing next to my bed in my birth suit, I grabbed the phone off the bed and answered it. ¡°Elena...¡± a man¡¯s voice spoke through the phone. ¡°EROS? Why are you calling?¡± I asked without bothering to hide my annoyance. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you pick up? I called you so many times,¡± he asked whileining at the same time. ¡°I was in the shower. So, why are you calling?¡± I repeated my question again. ¡°Are you free tomorrow?¡± he asked. Tomorrow is a Sunday which meant that even if I¡¯m free, I am not free. ¡°I¡¯m not free...¡± I replied. ¡°You work on a Sunday too? Being a fake girlfriend is tough work, huh?¡± EROS asked mockingly. ¡°What do you want?¡± I snapped. ¡°You see because of a certain someone, I didn¡¯t get to rehearse the movie scene for my audition at all. I was so worried about that person too and she didn¡¯t even appreciate it when I checked up on her. You know, I¡¯m a superstar and all that and I even went into the girl¡¯s toilet just to make sure that she was fine...and then...¡± EROS started his rant. ¡°What do you want?¡± I cut in as I ced a hand on my naked waist before flipping my wet hair with the other in annoyance. ¡°You¡¯re free tomorrow, right? Help me rehearse the scene for my audition,¡± he stated firmly. ¡°No...¡± I replied without any hesitation. ¡°See you at my floor tomorrow 4PM. Don¡¯t bete,¡± EROS said as if he didn¡¯t hear my rejection. ¡°Wait! I told you that I¡¯m not free!¡± I yelled into the phone. EROS did not reply to me and all I heard was the beeping sound of a disconnected line. ... Somehow, I turned up here. I tilted my head upwards and stared up at the tall skyscraper of the GH Entertainment building. He was partly right; it was partly my fault that his rehearsal was interrupted. If things continued this way, there is no way that EROS wouldnd the role and I didn¡¯t want that to be my fault. That was what I kept telling myself as the elevator made its way up to his floor. It was a Sunday and apart from the security guard that I saw on the ground floor, the building seemed very deserted. My heels clicking against the floor was the only sound in the building. A lone figure stood in the empty hallway, and I knew that it must be EROS waiting for me. ¡°I knew you would make it,¡± he said before shing me a superstar smile. ¡°I guess you know me better than I know myself,¡± I replied as I walked past him towards the studio. ¡°Not that way. This way...¡± he corrected. I looked down to see that he had grabbed my hand in his. He turned me around and began dragging me off in the opposite direction of the studio. ¡°Where are we going?¡± I asked as I struggled to keep up with him. ¡°My room,¡± EROS replied in short. His room? Why are we going there? ¡°Aren¡¯t we rehearsing in the studio?¡± I asked. EROS didn¡¯t reply and after a short while of walking, we arrived at his room. His room resembled a high-ss condominium suite unit, and I was magnificently surprised that this floor wasrge enough to house such arge living space. I knew that EROS had his own room on his floor, but I didn¡¯t expect that it would be a full-blown suite like this. The furnishing was modern with a touch of luxury, and everything was sparkling clean and orderly. I looked around the living room with itsrge television set and brown leather sofa. EROS took off his sweater, and I was surprised to see that he was wearing absolutely nothing underneath. Dressed in only a pair of blue jeans, EROS walked over to me, and I instinctively took a step back while I tried to keep my eyes off his muscr torso. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± EROS asked innocently. ¡°What about putting a shirt on?¡± I suggested. ¡°Does it bother you?¡± he asked with a grin. ¡°...Nevermind. Let¡¯s start rehearsing. I don¡¯t have all day,¡± I said as I sat down on the sofa. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 73 73 Emotional Business EROS nodded and sat down next to me on the sofa. He sat down so close to me that our thighs were practically touching. I scooted over a little to put some space between us, but my effort was thwarted when EROS moved over as well. In the end, we had our thighs pressed against each other again. ¡°Where¡¯s your script?¡± I asked, eager to start so that we can get this over and done with as soon as possible. ¡°Before that, can you tell me what really happened yesterday?¡± EROS asked. ¡°What are you referring to exactly?¡± I asked. Honestly, I didn¡¯t want to recall the episode from yesterday or tell him about it. ¡°When you walked out, you had a very troubled look on your face. I could be wrong, but it looked like you had seen a ghost. You looked...so scared...¡± EROS said softly as his golden eyes met mine. My heart skipped a beat, and I wasn¡¯t certain if it was because of his maddeningly hot looks or the genuinely worried expression in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± I replied as I broke eye contact with him and looked away. ¡°If you say so...¡± EROS whispered. ..... I could tell that he was far from convinced with my answer, but I didn¡¯t want to tell him any unnecessary things. It was something long in the past and although I couldn¡¯t bring myself to forget itpletely, I hade to terms with it. I grew up and I learned to live with it rather than fight it and try to forget it. My adoptive parents have decided to disown me already and I was just waiting for the papers to arrive so that I could sign it. Of course, I was willing and ready to sign it. After all, I didn¡¯t want parents that no longer wanted me. I¡¯ll set them free so that I can be set free too. That also meant that I no longer had to keep my past hidden and pretend to be the person that they wanted me to be. However, that didn¡¯t mean that I had to tell EROS anything either. I didn¡¯t owe it to him to tell him anything about myself or my past. ¡°Well, then...shall we start?¡± EROS asked and his tone was strictly business. His sudden change in attitude surprised me but I was happy that he was finally getting serious with the work at hand. ¡°What about your script?¡± I asked, seeing that he didn¡¯t have one. ¡°I don¡¯t need one. I remembered all my lines already,¡± he said as if that was supposed to be expected. I see. Wow. I haven¡¯t remembered any lines at all though. ¡°I¡¯ll need a script though. I¡¯m ready to start when you are,¡± I said with a nod of my head. I grabbed the script tightly in my hands to stop my hands from shaking. Despite preparing myself mentally or this, this scene still disturbed me deeply. It was bad enough when I watched EROS and Doreen act it out together. This was the second time that I¡¯m going to hear this scene being yed out so it might be better than the first time around; however, the big difference was that I¡¯m now ying the part of the female lead, Naomi, instead of just sitting by and watching. Suddenly, EROS turned to me with an extremely concerned look on his face that I was shocked at the care that I saw in his eyes. Slowly, he lifted his hand and I saw it slowly approach my face until he was cupping my cheek with the warm palm of his hand. My mouth hung open and I couldn¡¯t tear my eyes away from his golden ones. Oh, right...it¡¯s my turn to say something now. I blinked rapidly to break eye contact with him and looked down at the script in my hands. ¡°Umm...I¡¯m...I¡¯m so scared. I don¡¯t know what happened. Why did my parents...¡± I recited the line as it was written on the script. Usually, I was a pretty good actress but the line I delivered just now was a train-wreck level of disaster. I was too flustered with EROS¡¯s touch and the intensity that he was gazing at me that I couldn¡¯t do anything properly anymore. ¡°Let¡¯s go to my room for now,¡± EROS suggestedfortingly. His arm wrapped itself around my shoulders as he pulled my body even closer to his. Slowly, as if I was a non-living doll, he supported me off the sofa until I was standing. Then he led me toward what must be his bedroom with his arm around my waist. I leaned my body against his and felt the warmth from his naked skin seeping into mine. His arm around me wasforting and gentle. In a daze, I let him lead me to his bedroom. He closed the door behind us once we entered. His bedroom was very spacious but only had necessary furnishing. Basically, in thatrge room with white walls there wasn¡¯t much besides a veryrge four-post bed. ¡°Careful. Watch your step, Naomi,¡± EROS said, and I knew that it wasn¡¯t part of the script. EROS led me to the bed and sat me down on it before he sat down next to me. ¡°Thank you for helping me...¡± I read from the script awkwardly. EROS smiled at me before he leaned in and kissed my ear. Instinctively, I turned my face away and at that moment, his hands removed the script that I was holding from my hand. ¡°Wait...¡± I protested softly. How am I supposed to act out the scene without a script? I haven¡¯t memorized any of the lines! ¡°Naomi, look at me,¡± EROS said softly as his gently turned my face around to face him. I couldn¡¯t speak and it wasn¡¯t because I didn¡¯t know my lines. EROS stared deeply into my eyes and once again, the look of concern for me that he had in his eyes made me felt strangely sad. I didn¡¯t want to feel like this...ever again... ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 74 74 Let Me Comfort You ¡°Naomi...are you ok?¡± EROS asked softly as he leaned his face in even closer to mine. Our faces were only a few inches apart. I couldn¡¯t help but stare into his beautiful light hazel eyes. ¡°I¡¯m scared. I¡¯m so scared...help me. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on anymore...¡± I said and my voice cracked with emotion. EROS pulled me into his arms and hugged me tightly tofort me. That was when I realized that I had started crying. What is happening to me? No, I have to go. I can¡¯t stay here anymore... I tried to pull away from him, but EROS only held me tighter in his arms and I couldn¡¯t get away. Maybe deep down, I didn¡¯t want to get away. I just wanted him tofort me. The scenes from that day so long ago came back to me and I hugged him tightly to me. I¡¯m...so...scared... ¡°I¡¯m here for you, Naomi. It¡¯s going to be ok. I¡¯m here. I¡¯ll always be here for you,¡± EROS repeated thoseforting words over and over close to my ear. More tears fell from my eyes as I cried like a baby in his strong arms. Slowly, he let go of me so that he could see my face again. I looked away, embarrassed that he was seeing me cry. Usually, I never cried in front of anyone like this. I hated showing anyone my weakness if I could help it. ¡°Stop crying now, Naomi...¡± EROS whispered sweetly to me. ..... Hispassionate eyes held mine gently as he lifted his hand towards my face and wiped my tears away from my cheek with his fingertips. I bit my lower lip as I tried not to cry anymore but it was so difficult. It felt like the more he was trying tofort me, the more tears came to my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m here for you. You don¡¯t have to cry anymore...¡± EROS whispered. His arms circled my waist as he came even closer to me. His face is so close. Is he going to kiss me? ¡°What...¡± I whispered cluelessly as I felt a wet warmth on my cheek. EROS...he¡¯s licking my tears... My body froze in shock as his arm tightened around my waist. The hot wetness of the tip of his tongue traced along my cheek where my tears had been. I closed my eyes tightly and felt a tear roll down my cheek. It was easy to tell me not to cry but how is someone supposed to just stop crying after witnessing the death of their parents. The pain of the loss is just unbearable... I felt his fingers underneath my chin as he tipped my face upwards. My eyes opened in time to see him close his eyes before I felt his lips firmly on mine. Slowly, my eyes fell close again as his lips started moving against mine softly and almostzily. His kiss tasted slightly salty from my tears. I felt his tongue gently probe my mouth as if begging for ess. Slowly, I parted my lips slight for him, and his tongue slipped in between my lips into my mouth. Gently, he began licking my tongue and then our tongues started dancing together as our kiss got hotter and wetter. His hands tugged at my shirt before sessfully pulling it out of my skirt. I felt the heat of his hand against the bare skin of my belly after his hand slipped under my shirt and began making its way up towards my breasts. I moaned softly into his kiss as he continued to kiss me from various angles. His hands were on my breasts in no time at all. Hisrge hands cupped and massaged them over my bra while I continued to moan and whimper into his passionate kiss. What is he...doing to me? ¡°Come here, Naomi. Please let mefort you...¡± EROS whispered tenderly into my ear. His warm breath tickled my ear a little and I blushed at the sensation. He moved further onto the bed and pulled me against him. I found myself sitting in between his leg with my back towards him as he continued to whisper sweetforting words into my ears. Strangely, I found it veryforting to be held like this and his voice sounded like a voice that an angel up in heaven would have. I guess it made sense given his profession. ¡°Wait..what are you doing?¡± I whispered as I tried to sit up and get away from him. This is going too far for practice... ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Naomi. I¡¯ll help you sort out everything. For now, just rest here...¡± EROS saidfortingly. I felt his warm breath against the side of my neck before he began nting small and gentle kisses along the arch of my neck. Soft kissing sounds echoed close to my ear before he began running the tip of his tongue along my neck. He¡¯s licking me...so gently... A soft whimper escaped my lips as my breathing hitched. My whole body is tingling at his touch and caresses. I felt the small hair on my neck stand up and I trembled in his strong arms. He held me firmly as he continued to tease the sensitive skin of my neck with his lips and tongue. ¡°Rx, Naomi...I¡¯ll make you feel so good...¡± EROS whispered directly into my ear. His wet tongue licked my earlobe before biting on it softly. The sound of his breath in my ear worked to turn me on and my core started to throb with desire. His tongue dipped into my ear as he sucked on it. The lewd sounds of his sucking entered my ear and started invading my brain. I moaned louder than before as I panted. If this continues, I¡¯m going to be seduced by him. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. Nothing that happened was your fault,¡± EROS said sweetly but very firmly into my ear. My eyes widened at his words. Those words struck a chord within me. If only back then, someone, anyone had just said those words to me maybe I could have been saved from a life of pain and suffering. Even if it was just a little... ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 75 75 Wet For Him Without realizing it at first, I had started crying again. Tears stung my eye and I sniffed and sobbed softly. EROS realized this immediately and turned my face around slightly to face him so that he could kiss my tears away. For some strange reason that I couldn¡¯t quite ce, it felt like he truly understood my pain. ¡°Rx...you¡¯re safe here...¡± EROS whispered to me tenderly. His hands disappeared beneath my shirt, pulling it up with his hand until my breasts and bra were exposed. EROS¡¯srge hands cupped my breasts and began fondling them, making me moan with pleasure. I leaned back against his chest as I rested my head limply on his shoulders. Hisrge hands began massaging my breasts through my bra and I felt my body heat up even more as my nipples got hard and erect. ¡°Ahh...Ahhh...¡± I moaned as I arched my back, thrusting my breasts out towards his exploring hands. He peeled the cups of my bra away from my breasts swiftly before the heat of his hand covered the naked flesh of my tits. My hardened nipples brushed against the palm of his hand as he squeezed and kneaded my feminine flesh. ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful...¡± EROS whispered close to my ear, and I could feel his eyes on my breasts as he continued to y with them. His fingers tugged on my nipples before rolling them in between his fingertips. Waves of pleasure ran through my body from where he was stimting my nipples and started to pool into a hot heat of desire in my lower abdomen. My pussy throbbed and clenched with need as my hot wetness gushed out from my love entrance and wetted my panties. He¡¯s making me so wet for him... ¡°Please...¡± I whimpered and I wasn¡¯t sure if I wanted more of him or if I wanted him to stop. ¡°I¡¯ll make you feel so good, Naomi. I¡¯ll make you forget everything...¡± EROS cooed seductively into my ears. ..... I didn¡¯t think that those sweet words were in the script, but I didn¡¯t care much about that anymore... My mind felt hazy from pleasure as I closed my eyes and enjoyed the pleasure of his expert hands fondling and caressing my body. He nudged my legs open with his legs until my legs were spread wide. Slowly and leisurely, his hands slid down my body to tease my naked belly before proceeding even lower. He stroked my naked thighs, pushing my skirt upwards in the process and I felt my legs go weak. ¡°Does it feel good? You¡¯re moaning non-stop,¡± EROS teased as his fingers slowly traced a line up my inner thighs. ¡°Ahh...Ohh...Ahhh...¡± I moaned and whimpered. I knew where his hands were headed, and my pussy clenched in anticipating as my hips began moving as if seeking for more of his loving attention. I cursed myself for not stopping him. ¡°Let me kiss you...¡± he requested sweetly. I opened my eyes to see his lips approaching mine. He kissed me and I closed my eyes again to focus on kissing him back passionately. Our tongues danced wildly together as our lips made wet sucking sounds. I moaned into our fervent kiss, and I could see through myshes that EROS had his eyes opened the whole time. His golden gazed watched me intently as his tongue continued to invade and conquer the depths of my mouth. I opened my eyes and our eyes met. His eyes smiled at me teasingly and I broke our kiss to cry out loudly. His fingers had finally reached the wet mess in between my legs. EROS sucked in a breath when he felt my hot wetness on his fingers. ¡°Your pussy is flooded. You got so wet...¡± EROS said before he stuck out his tongue and licked my wet lips. My entire body burned as if I was in heat for him. I knew that I was sopping wet down there and his fingers sliding along my wet slit confirmed that. His fingers yed with my wetness and wet sounds erupted from between my legs. EROS continued to watch my face as I threw my head back and moaned from the raw pleasure that he was giving me. ¡°Do you want more? I¡¯ll make you cum so hard...¡± he said it like a promise. My legs spread wider for him as my hips thrusted upwards, shoving my pussy opening towards his hand invitingly. His teasing fingers finally reached the small sensitive nub between my legs. He started to press against it softly before he stroked it fast and hard. ¡°Ahhh! No...it¡¯s too...Ahhh! Don¡¯t...touch there...¡± I cried out in between my lewd moans. ¡°Why? You always love it when I touch you here...just like this. Isn¡¯t that right, Naomi?¡± EROS teased. I couldn¡¯t believe that he was doing this to me, and it was even harder to believe just how good it felt. ¡°You¡¯re getting wetter. It¡¯s so hot inside of you...¡± EROS said. I cried out before covering my mouth with the back of my hand when he screwed his thick and long fingers into my love hole. It¡¯s in so deep, his fingers are so long... ¡°Ahh! Ahh! Ahhh!¡± I cried out when EROS began wriggling his fingers deep inside of me. His fingers caressed the walls of my pussy as he felt around the depth of my wet hole. It¡¯s so embarrassing, it¡¯s like he¡¯s touching my insides everywhere with is probing fingers. I moaned loudly as my pussy clenched and spasmed wildly around his fingers. ¡°You¡¯re so tight...I don¡¯t think my cock will fit inside...¡± he whispered into my ear. His fingers began thrusting in and out of my hole. He¡¯s moving his hand so fast as his fingers drove deeper and faster into my wetness. He¡¯s stirring me up and messing me up inside with the rapid movement of his fingers. It¡¯s so good, he¡¯s hitting all my pleasure spots. His long and thick fingers are reaching so deep. My hips thrusted up and down shamelessly as my pussy sucked his fingers into my love tunnel greedily. It feels so good...he¡¯s too good at this... ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 76 76 A Pleasurable Way to Forget ¡°Please...Ahhh!¡± I pleaded, although I wasn¡¯t sure what I was pleading for. EROS sucked on my ear as his hand continued to pump his fingers into my wet hole. More wetness gushed out inside my cunt again as I got wetter and wetter from my intense sexual arousal. When he curled his fingers upwards to rub my g-spot, I cried out wildly. His hand fingered my pussy relentlessly and the knot of pleasure in my lower abdomen became unbearably hot. I could feel somethinging and I knew that I was about to climax. ¡°Just cum...forget everything. Just stay with me...¡± EROS whispered sweetly to me. My eyes widened and I cried out his name loudly when his other hand began pinching my clit. My legs spread even wider apart as my whole body writhed from the unbearable pleasure of his double stimtion. This is just too much... It didn¡¯t take very long after that for my mind-shattering orgasm to arrive and im me whole. I whimpered and cried out as my body gave in to the pleasure. My pussy clenched around his fingers wildly as I tried my best to deal with the effects of my climax. My mind went nk, and he was right, I did forget everything but the pleasure that he was giving me and the security that I felt in his embrace. Slowly, I felt his fingers sliding out of my sopping wet hole. I came so much and when my hole was unplugged by his fingers, my love juices flowed out freely from my hole to wet my thighs and his bed. This is such a mess... What did he just do to me? How did things get so out of hand like this? ¡°Just forget everything. It¡¯ll be better that way. It¡¯s not your fault...don¡¯t me yourself...¡± EROS continued tofort me. I was still panting from the intensity of my climax, but I was slowly recovering. My whole body felt weak, and I wasn¡¯t sure if I could stand and walk properly but I knew that I had to. I need to get away from this ce. I need to get away from him. ..... He¡¯s stillforting me. His touch was gentle, and his words sounded too sincere. Was this his way offorting me? It scared me. I didn¡¯t say anything to him because I didn¡¯t know what to say. Honestly, a part of me wanted to shout at him and hit him but a part of me was too confused to act. Instead, I quickly adjusted my clothes. ¡°Elena...¡± he called my name. So, the acting is supposed to be over now? His arm loosened from around me and I quickly moved away from him. ¡°I¡¯m leaving,¡± I stated softly without looking his way. I started getting off the bed, but he grabbed my wrist and held me back. What more does he want from me? ¡°Wait...Elena...¡± EROS called out to me. How dare he do those things to me? I turned around and lifted my hand up with the intent to p his face. I pulled my hand back and he looked at me with such confusion that I stopped. What the hell am I doing anyways? This is crazy. Slowly, I dropped my arm to my side. ¡°Let go. You and me...we should never see each other again,¡± I stated calmly. A few seconds of silence past before EROS slowly let go of the grip that he had around my wrist. I got off the bed and headed for the door without turning back. ... Later that night as Iy in my bed all alone in my small apartment, his words offort came back to me. It didn¡¯t matter anymore because I had decided that I would never see him ever again. After a few beeps the line connected. I knew that it was veryte at night on a Sunday, but I decided to call Justin to let him know anyways. It woulde as bad news for him and it would be a disappointing way for him to end his weekend this way but I just needed to get it off my chest. ¡°Elena? How are you girl? Calling me sote tonight, are you out partying or something?¡± Justin answered the call cheerfully. I wished I was out partying too, honestly, I didn¡¯t want to be stuck here in my apartment all alone. ¡°Sorry for calling sote. I¡¯ll get straight to the point. I need you to terminate the contract with EROS immediately,¡± I stated my demand firmly. I heard a gasp of shock from the other end of the line and knew that Justin wasn¡¯t taking this news very well. ¡°What happened? What brought this on all of a sudden?¡± Justin asked. ¡°We had sex earlier today. Well, we didn¡¯t go all the way...but still. Anyways, I don¡¯t want to work for him anymore so just cancel the contract on grounds of terms vition. You can get somepensation out of him or whatever, I honestly don¡¯t care anymore,¡± I said quickly. ¡°What happened...exactly?¡± Justin asked sternly. ¡°Nothing much. It¡¯s partly my fault. I was careless. Just terminate the contract for me, ok? If you don¡¯t want to you don¡¯t need to bring up the vition of the terms. I don¡¯t want any marypensation. I leave it to you to decide how you want to handle this,¡± I said. ¡°Aha...ok...¡± Justin replied, clearly still in shock. ¡°That¡¯s all. I¡¯m hanging up...¡± I said before disconnecting the call. Iy on my back on the bed with my phone next to me. My head hurt and the nightmare that I had tried so hard to run away from began reying in my mind once again. It was pure torture having to live through that nightmare over and over again in my mind. ¡®It¡¯s not your fault. Nothing that happened was your fault,¡¯ EROS¡¯s words came back to me again. It was extremelyforting and that was what I found so sad about it. I don¡¯t think that was part of the script and I didn¡¯t know if EROS realized it, but to me, those were the exact words that I wanted and needed to hear back then. Those were the words that I was desperately praying that someone would say to me. That what happened wasn¡¯t my fault. However, the truth was, I wasn¡¯t sure whether I waspletely free from fault. ¨CTo be continued... Please support me directly at Realfantasies *******: https://.*******/realfantasies Thank you Chapter 77 77 Abnormal urrence on a Normal Day **17 Years Ago** The day that would change my life forever was a normal day just like any other. Life was standard and normal. I woke up feeling like I didn¡¯t want to go to school. The sses were boring, the teachers were strict, and my friends liked to make fun of me. After dressing up in my uniform, I headed for the small living room in our apartment. My mother and father were already dressed up for work and seated at the small dining table. My mother worked as a maid for a very rich household andtely work had been crazy busy for her that she had to stay over to help out. On days where my father was busy and there was no one to take care of me, sometimes I would go over to the mansion where she worked too. My father worked for a logisticspany. Back then, I didn¡¯t understand much about what he did except for that he dealt with shipping products overseas. Both my parents didn¡¯t talk much about their jobs, but both seemed quite busy trying to earn enough money for us to get by. We were not exactly poor, but money did note easy for us. ¡°You came down a littlete today. Eat up fast so you don¡¯t miss your school bus!¡± my mother ordered loudly. Quickly, I moved to sit down at the dining table opposite from my father. He was reading and busily typing something on his phone like he always did. I stuffed some omelet into my mouth and began chewing on it. ¡°Don¡¯t eat too fast. Make sure you chew properly,¡± my father said before smiling warmly at me. I nced over at my father as he returned his attention to his phone once more before turning to look at my mother. Both of them seemed to be in a good mood and I was starting to believe that everything that had happened a few days earlier must have been like a storm that had already blew over us. Mum and dad were in an argument earlier, but things seemed to have calmed down and now everything seemed normal between them again. That made me feel very happy. It was always hard on me whenever my parents fought although it wasn¡¯t very often that that would happen. Usually, my parents got along fine and our family was warm and loving. Although my parents were busy with work, they tried their best to spend time with me and on Sundays, when everyone had their days off, we would go out often as a family. ¡°Your school bus is here, I think...¡± my mother said. ..... ¡°I think you¡¯re right. See youter, Mummy Daddy!¡± I yelled happily before running out the door of our apartment. As always, my school bus arrived right on time. I got on the bus with my backpack on my back. The familiar faces of the other kids that rode on the same school bus as me smiled at me and I waved back in greeting. I walked to my regr seat on the bus and sat down, hugging my backpack on myp. So far, the day had progressed normally like it always did and I spent the time on the bus staring out of the window at the scenery as it flew by, just like I always did every time that I was on the school bus. That day, everything at school progressed by normally as expected. The sses were boring, the teachers were strict as always, the kids who liked to bully the other kids still bullied the other kids and lunch tasted in and oily. At the end of the school day, I got on the school bus at the scheduled time. The same kids that rode the bus to school with me also shared the bus with me on the way home. On the ride back to my ce, the bus got stuck at the same redlights as it always did. The old police officer who manned the station at the intersection worked hard as always in sorting out the traffic. Everything was so normal that I never expected that things would change so abruptly when I arrived home. The bus parked at the same spot that it did when I got on this morning. I waved goodbye to the other students and thanked the bus driver before getting off the bus just like I always did. My feetnded on the sidewalk after getting off the bus and I turned to watch as the bus drove away down the road before I made my way up to my apartment. School ended earlier than the time that my parents usually got off work, so I didn¡¯t expect to see them in the apartment. That was why I didn¡¯t bother to see if anyone was home before I ced the key into the hole to unlock the front door to my apartment. To my surprise, I found out that the door was already unlock. That was the first unusual thing that happened in my usual and ordinary day. I turned the key, and the door didn¡¯t click unlock, it was already unlocked. I cocked my head to the side in wonder and then thought that perhaps one of my parents had somehow made it home early. Not thinking much about it, I withdrew the key from the keyhole and shoved it into my pocket before turning the doorknob and pushing the door open. ¡°Mummy, Daddy...are you home?¡± I called out as I entered the apartment. Silence greeted me. No one replied to my question, and everything was still and lifeless. There was no one in the living room; however, the living room was a mess. I heard a small cracking sound when I stepped on something on the floor. Looking down, I could see that I had stepped on a piece of broken ss. Shocked, I nced around the living room at the messy state that it was in. Broken ss lined the floor. The pillows from the sofa were alsoying on the floor. The flower vase was broken on the floor along with picture frames. It was like everything that was small enough to be lifted had been throw around the room and hadnded on the floor. Did someonee in to rob our apartment? ¨CTo be continued... Please support me directly at Realfantasies *******: https://.*******/realfantasies Thank you! Chapter 78 78 Forever Changed Suddenly, I felt very scared but the absolute silence in the apartment made me believe that no one else was in there anymore. The front door was left unlocked so maybe the thief had left already. I doubt that our family had any valuables or treasures that were worth stealing. Regardless, I thought that it would be a good idea if I checked all the rooms. Apart from the living room, the apartment only had two other rooms which were my parent¡¯s bedroom and my bedroom. I decided to head to my parent¡¯s room first. Just like the front door, the door to my parent¡¯s room was unlocked. I strained my ears to listen to the sound inside when I stood in front of the door, but I couldn¡¯t make out any sound on the other side of the door. After taking in a deep breath to calm myself, my hand slowly turned the doorknob before pushing the door opened. At first, I couldn¡¯tprehend what I saw as my body stood frozen in shock in the doorway to my parent¡¯s bedroom. Then, I slowly realized that I understood what I was seeing but I just didn¡¯t want to believe that it was true. In the next instance, my body had recovered from its initial shock and automatically ran forward into the room as fast as it could. ¡°Mummy!!! Daddy!!!¡± I yelled at the top of my lungs over and over. I think I had never screamed that loudly before in my life. My throat hurts and tears stung the back of my eyes before spilling over and rolling down my cheeks. I felt the warmth of my tears rolling down my face as my own cries echoed in the small bedroom. I gazed up at the sight of my parent¡¯s bodies hanging from the ceiling. My hands reached up to clutch at my mother¡¯s legs and then at my father¡¯s pants. They did not move or respond no matter how many times I shook their bodies or called their names. However, that didn¡¯t stop me from calling out to them louder and louder than before. It was a whileter when I realized that the two bodies hanging from the ceiling waspletely lifeless. My legs crumbled under me at that sudden realization as my mind started taking in the truth in front of me. Then my mind started rejecting it all and the world seemed to shrink around me. The fields of my vison started to darken and narrow. My entire body felt numb and so did my face and my lips. I found it harder to breath as my chest felt tight and I was still sobbing and crying non-stop. I covered my ears with my hand when I felt my head throb so badly that I felt like it was going to explode. This can¡¯t be happening. This can¡¯t be happening. This can¡¯t be happening! ..... My hands shook in front of my face as I stared at them and so did the rest of my body. I curled myself up into a ball on the floor right below where the bodies of my parents were. How did this happen? What happened? Why did they do this? No...this isn¡¯t happening. This isn¡¯t happening. This can¡¯t be happening! ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Noooo! Noooo! Nooooooo!¡± I screamed loudly as my hands clutched at my own hair and began pulling it. I didn¡¯t know how long I was screaming like a crazy person like that. Suddenly, someone was by my side and then more people came in. There were more screams of shock as more people witnessed the scene. I had no idea who they were because by that time my mind hadpletely shut down. More people came and they tried to pull me up from the floor and talk to me. Of course, I didn¡¯t hear a thing that they said to me. Somehow, I was lifted up and they sat me down on a chair. Then the police came and said something to me that I didn¡¯t understand. Someone must have called the police; that was to be expected. Everything else that happened felt all blurry and messy in my mind. I didn¡¯t understand or remember anything. All I did was drift along with the flow... All I knew was that my parents were gone, and they were nevering back. ... I knew that it was just a horrible dream. After all, it was a dream that haunted me for years during my childhood. It was a dream that I never thought would disappear from my life. However, it had been years since I¡¯dst had this dream. When this nightmare started, I recognized it immediately. I knew exactly what was going to happen and how it would all end. Even though I knew that this nightmare would bring me pain and suffering, I couldn¡¯t control myself to wake up from the dream. Instead, I went through the whole dream again and as always, I ended up waking up with a start right at the end of the nightmare. This morning was no different. I bolted up into a sitting position in bed as I struggled to catch my breath. My breathing came out in ragged pants as sweat dripped down from my forehead onto my cheeks before running down towards my chin. I reached out a hand and wiped the sweat from my face. My whole body was soaked in sweat, and it wasn¡¯t because I felt hot. It was still dark outside, but dawn should be approaching soon. I closed my eyes and focused on taking in deep breaths as I repeated to myself that it was all just a bad dream. My parents did hang themselves and after that I ended up in an orphanage. That was the truth; however, the truth didn¡¯t bring me loads of pain like it used to when I was much younger. I¡¯ve grown up and I was determined to survive that. However, seeing the scene repeat itself in my dreams also repeated the pain and suffering that I felt back then. It wasn¡¯t a pleasant experience. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 79 79 The Woman He Wants to Marry I should have known that working with EROS on that scene would trigger this. Honestly, I didn¡¯t think that it would end up being this bad. I really lost myposure and I let him touch me like that. In the end, I decided to put the me on him and excuse me of any fault. The truth was, I was too careless, and I hated the fact that I enjoyed the pleasure from his seductive touches as his hands and lips caressed my body. It felt good and my body still remembers the joy of his fingers pumping deep inside of my love hole. I pushed that thought aside as I ignored the slight ache in between my legs. Unfortunately, today was a Monday and that meant that I had work to do. Justin would handle the rest with EROS. Now, I have to get a move on with my life and go to work. I got out of bed with a dizzy feeling in my head as I headed for the bathroom. A nice warm bath will probably make me feel better even if it wouldn¡¯t solve any of my problems. ... I was driving to the hospital when my phone started ringing. Without looking at the caller ID on my phone screen, I knew that it must be Adrian. Thank God for the small joys in life. Adrian¡¯s call brought a small smile to my lips. Despite everything, I still looked forward to seeing Adrian today even if I wasn¡¯t one hundred percent fit and ready for the job. I was still determined to do my best for Adrian¡¯s sake. I didn¡¯t want to disappoint him. ¡°Hi, Adrian,¡± I said when the call connected. ¡°Are you driving right now?¡± Adrian asked. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m almost there. Am I runningte?¡± I asked as I nced at the time on the car¡¯s monitor. It didn¡¯t¡¯ seem like I was going to bete though. I wondered if he needed anything urgently. ¡°Not at all. I guess I just got a little impatient...¡± Adrian admitting beforeughing softly. ..... He¡¯s such a sweetheart. Seriously. I smiled a little at his adorable words. It was then that I started to seriously envy his ex-wife. I know that she was dead, and it was poor taste to be jealous of a dead woman but still, I felt sightly jealous of her. It was truly unfortunate that she passed away so young. ¡°I¡¯ll be there soon so hang in there, ok?¡± I said teasingly. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best. Just park in front of the hospital. The valet can park your car. I¡¯ll be waiting for you right in the lobby,¡± Adrian instructed. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll do that. See you soon,¡± I said sweetly. ¡°See you,¡± he replied, and I ended the call. After leaving the car to the valet, I walked through the automatic doors into the lobby of the hospital. Just as he had promised, Adrian was waiting for me there and he smiled when he spotted me walking in. I waved at him and returned his smile. Adrian was dressed in his doctor¡¯s uniform, and I found it very attractive. Then again, I also found Adrian in a suit attractive too. Maybe I just found everything about him pleasing to the eye. ¡°You¡¯re stuck working with me at the hospital again. I hope I don¡¯t bore you,¡± Adrian said in an apologetic tone. ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m sure that I¡¯ll find it interesting,¡± I quickly reassured him. ¡°How¡¯s your ankle? I guess it¡¯s all healed up already...and you¡¯re wearing heels again,¡± Adrian said as he nced down at my feet and the shoes that I was wearing. ¡°Yes. Thanks to you, my ankle is as good as new,¡± I replied cheerfully. ¡°d to hear it,¡± he replied before shing me a smile. We walked side by side as Adrian stared leading me to his personal office. While walking along, that was when I started feeing icy stares from the people around us. The female hospital staff had their eyes on us, and their gazes were far from friendly. If looks could kill, I would have died around a hundred times that day. If Adrian was aware of the situation, he did not show it. The kind smile that he showed me never left his lips and he seemed as confident as ever. Since I didn¡¯t want to trouble him, I decided topletely ignore the other people and what they thought. That was a skill that I had developed over the years. There would always be people who would dislike me, and I just had to learn that it wasn¡¯t my responsibility to please all of them. I didn¡¯t even know them, so why the hell should I care? The nurses whispered to each other as we walked past, and I didn¡¯t even need to have a brain for me to figure out that they were whispering about Adrian and me. The people¡¯s reaction was a lot worse than my first week here at the hospital and I knew well why that was so. Everyone must have heard about Adrian¡¯s sudden announcement that he was considering marrying me for real. Suddenly, I had transformed from being ¡®some girl¡¯ that he was dating to ¡®the girl¡¯ that he wanted to marry. ¡°My schedule is quite tight today unfortunately. If you feel tired, you don¡¯t need to go everywhere with me. You can alwayse back here to my office and rest, ok?¡± Adrian instructed kindly as he took off his white doctor uniform and ced it on the hanger. I watched as he put on his suit and turned to smile kindly at me. His smile felt like the warm ray of the sun on a windy day. It was soothing and I weed it. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best...¡± I replied. ¡°Don¡¯t tire yourself out during the day. I want you to have dinner with us at my house after I get off work. The truth is, I want to introduce you to my daughter...if that¡¯s ok with you that is...¡± Adrian suggested a little hesitantly. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 80 80 Scandalous Rumors Meet his daughter. Well, I knew that I would have to meet her sooner orter, so it wasn¡¯t at all surprising. That being said, it wasn¡¯t like I was ready to meet her either. I just didn¡¯t know how to react or what I should do if she hates me. What kind of face am I supposed to make? Suddenly, a bunch of worries started flooding into my head. ¡°Sure. I¡¯m happy to join you two for dinner. Thank you for inviting me,¡± I replied while trying to sound happy and carefree about it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Millie. I¡¯m sure that she¡¯ll like you,¡± Adrian said reassuringly as if he could read my mind. ¡°I really hope so...¡± I replied with a small smile. After that, Adrian had so many meetings that he almost didn¡¯t have time for a lunch break. True to his words, he was very busy that day. The meetings were long and very tedious. I sat for so long that my ass started to hurt along with my back. Since I didn¡¯t sleep wellst night, I started to feel drowsy and had to walk out a couple of times to freshen up in the toilet. I sat on the toilet seat as I peed. ying on my phone to kill the time while sitting alone in the toilet cubicle wasn¡¯t that bad. Adrian was so busy that we haven¡¯t had a lot of time to talk. I wondered what time he would get off work. Suddenly, I heard the sound of heels clicking against the floor and figured that a few women must have entered the toilet. ¡°She¡¯ll be gone before you know it, just like all the others before her,¡± a woman said maliciously. ¡°She probably thinks that she¡¯s so special and all. Look at how she¡¯s always pressing herself up against his side all the time,¡± another one replied with equal disgust. ¡°He¡¯ll get bored of her and toss her away soon enough,¡± another woman said. ..... I rolled my eyes at their gossip talks. These women must be so free to be gossiping in the middle of a workday in the toilet like this. It seemed like jealously spread like wildfire here in this hospital among the female staff. I felt bad for whoever they were referring to. ¡°You¡¯re right. I prefer our dear Doctor Adrian to stay single forever...¡± a woman said wistfully. Wait! They¡¯re talking about Adrian? Then, does that mean that the girl they¡¯re referring to is me?! Now they had my attention, and I strained my ears to make sure that I heard their next words. ¡°Did you hear about that young nurse that he was with before?¡± a woman asked. ¡°Which one? There¡¯s so many of them...¡± another replied. ¡°That one. You know, the one with round blue eyes and wavy blond hair. The one who likes to act like a baby all the time,¡± the woman replied in a mocking tone. ¡°Oh...what about her? She quit already, didn¡¯t she?¡± another asked with clear interest. ¡°That¡¯s right. She quit already. Everyone says that he got her pregnant and then he forced her to abort it. Then his family paid her off and sent her somewhere far far away,¡± the woman whispered so loudly that even I could hear from where I was sitting. ¡°That¡¯s nothing new though. He¡¯s famous for sleeping around with all the young and pretty nurses. None of them everst long...¡± another woman replied. ¡°Every one of them are gold diggers, trust me. They want to marry him for his family¡¯s fortune. I mean, just think about it, you probably don¡¯t need to work anymore if you marry him. You¡¯ll be set for life,¡± another said with conviction. Clearly these women loved to gossip. By that time, I had already heard more than enough already. Since these women were so eager to talk about me behind my back, I decided to make an appearance. After putting my phone back into my handbag and adjusting my hair a little, I opened the door of my cubical and gracefully walked out. My heels clicked against the floor as I approached the sink area where the women now stood with their eyes and mouth wide open in shock at my sudden appearance. One look at their reaction and I knew that they were talking about me and that they also knew who I am. This moment is a grade A example of why one should dress up beautifully at all times. Imagined how much of a fool I would look like, if after all that they had just said about me, I stepped out of the toilet looking like an underdressed mess. Silently, I thanked my biological mother for the good looks that I had apparently inherited from her. ¡°Excuse me, I believe you¡¯re in the way...¡± I said politely before smiling elegantly at the shocked faces of the women before I gestured with my eyes towards the sink. Like the tides parting in the sea for Moses to walk through the ocean, the women quickly stepped aside to grant me ess to the sink. Slowly, I turned on the tap and started washing my hands. After recovering from their shock, the women were evidently flustered. Without knowing what else to do or say, they nodded a little my way before making their escape out of the bathroom. If Adrian and I really were in a rtionship, those three female monkeys will be the first ones that I fire after I marry the owner of this hospital. I shook my hands a little before reaching for a paper towel to dry my hands. After reapplying some lipstick to my lips and checking that my make up adequately covered the slightly dark circles under my eyes, I left the bathroom to rejoin Adrian in his meeting. This meeting was slightly more interesting than the others because it concerned discussions on ns for future business growth. Apart from the standard moves of increasing the number of hospital branches and ranges of services that the hospital should provide, there were talks of more international expansion and getting into adjacent business opportunities. I found the business proposal presented on those parts extremely interesting and insightful. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 81 81 Going Home Together Turning towards Adrian, I could see that he was also interested in what was being presented. His vivid green eyes were focused on the presentation and his face was thoughtful. I liked the serious expression that he had on his face right now. It made him seem so mature and trustworthy for some reason that I couldn¡¯t exin. My thoughts wandered to the words of women who were busy gossiping together in the women¡¯s toilet just now. Honestly, I didn¡¯t know what to make of the rumors surrounding Adrian. My first reaction was that it obviously wasn¡¯t true. Adrian just didn¡¯t seem to be that type of person. Well, not that you could judge a book by its cover all the time. Then again, even if it was true that really didn¡¯t have anything to do with me. Sure, it would mean that I¡¯m such a bad judge of character and I would be sorely disappointed because I hade to really like the guy as one of my clients. Apart from that, I guess it doesn¡¯t really concern me who he sleeps with, who he impregnates, and who he dumps. As his contract wife, I could be gone the next day as well. The contract can be terminated anytime. He could have me gone exactly when he decided that he no longer has any use for me. I knew that but I still couldn¡¯t help but wonder if those rumors about him was true. A yboy doctor who messes around with the young and pretty nurses. I nced over at Adrian who was still paying close attention to the presentation as I tried to picture him in that role. Well, for sure, he¡¯s got the looks and the mary and social status for it. ¡°Elena...¡± I heard Adrian calling my name softly. ¡°Y-yes?¡± I replied, stuttering a little as I snapped out of my thought. I looked up from my seat to see him standing right in front of me and we were now the only ones in the room. I guess the meeting had ended and everyone had already left. Did I space out for that long thinking about the rumors? ¡°I guess you must be tired. Sorry for today, I know the meetings must have been boring for you,¡± Adrian said apologetically before smiling down at me. ¡°It¡¯s ok. I actually enjoyed the presentation about the international expansion ns,¡± I replied truthfully. ..... ¡°I don¡¯t know, you seem tired and a little down today. Are you feeling well?¡± Adrian asked with unmasked concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Is this yourst meeting?¡± I asked, quickly changing the subject. There was no way that I could tell him that I had an emotional breakdown pretty muchst night and that my worst nightmare returned as well. ¡°Yes, it is. Finally, the day is over. Shall we head home?¡± Adrian asked casually. It was casual and the way he smiled invitingly at me seemed so natural. I nodded and smiled at him while my mind noted his choice of words. He did just invite me to go home with him, right? He offered me his hand and I slipped my hand into his shyly before I offered him one of my best smiles. He smiled back before gently pulling me up from my seat. Adrian didn¡¯t let go of my hand until we reached his car in the parking lot. He opened the door on the passenger side of the car for me before he got in on the driver¡¯s side. ¡°Let¡¯s take my car. You can leave your car here, I¡¯ll drive you home...¡± he suggested kindly. ¡°You don¡¯t need to. I¡¯ll get a cab or something for the way back,¡± I quickly refused. ¡°I won¡¯t let you do that. I¡¯ll drive you,¡± he insisted firmly. Yeah, well, I don¡¯t want you to find out that I live in a run-down building. It wasn¡¯t because I couldn¡¯t afford a better ce right now, but I was satisfied with my small little apartment. I didn¡¯t want to have to exin that to him or anyone else though. ¡°It¡¯s against my policy to have men drive me home so what about you drop me off at the closest intersection? It¡¯s not far off and I can walk the rest of the way,¡± I said, trying my best topromise while holding my ground. ¡°Seriously?¡± Adrian asked as he turned to look squarely at me. I could tell that he was concerned. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry. Let¡¯spromise?¡± I asked with a small smile. Adrian hesitated and I could tell that he was far from fine with my proposal. However, after a moment of struggling with himself he heaved a sigh. ¡°Fine...I¡¯ll do things your way this time,¡± he finally agreed. ... It was a short drive to Adrian¡¯s house. Actually, house wasn¡¯t the right word to describe his ce. A semi-pce or a huge ass mansion would be more urate. I stepped out of the car after Adrian had parked at the entryway to his mansion. Immediately, a man dressed in a butler uniform appeared and took the car key from his hand. Adrian smiled kindly to the man as he handed the car key over before turning to me. ¡°Wee. I know that it¡¯s your first time here but there¡¯s no need to be nervous. Just act at home. I want you to feel at ease here and of course, I¡¯m looking forward to weing you here often in the future,¡± Adrian said warmly. ¡°Thank you. You¡¯re too kind, really...¡± I replied with a smile. The mansion that I stood in front of was located right at the city center and I couldn¡¯t imagine how much thend alone would cost. In the space where people could hardly afford to buy a small apartment, Adrian owned a massive mansion with arge garden that seemed to stretch on forever around it. It had been a drive from the main gate to the mansion itself. The garden was very beautifully organized and decorated. Many flowers were in bloom, disying their wonderful colors. The mansion was in what is probably referred to as the Greek revival style. The building was mainly white and had outstanding decorative pirs matching the Greek style. Overall, it was breathtakingly beautiful and impressive beyond words. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 82 82 Meeting My New Daughter ¡°Pleasee in. Millie is home already and she¡¯s waiting for us,¡± Adrian said as he took my hand in his again. By that time, I had gotten quite used to having him hold my hand and I had to admit that I did not dislike his touch. Adrian led me inside his mansion and the interior was as impressive as the exterior. A middle-aged woman who I assumed was a senior maid in the house greeted us politely. ¡°Where is Millie?¡± Adrian asked. ¡°She¡¯s waiting for you in the living room right now with her nanny,¡± the woman replied before smiling politely my way. ¡°This is Elena,¡± Adrian introduced me in short. ¡°It is an honor to meet you, Miss Elena. My name is Gloria and I head the maids in this house. If you need anything, please let me or any of the maids know,¡± the old maid said before bowing politely to me. ¡°Thank you very much. You are so kind,¡± I replied politely. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Adrian said as he tugged on my hand for me to follow him. He led me through a hallway that led to arge open space serving as the mansion¡¯s living room. There on the sofa sat the little girl that I had met briefly before at the hospital. Millie wore a light purple dress and was ying with a doll. A woman sat on the carpeted floor close to her and I knew that that must be her nanny. ..... ¡°Millie, I¡¯m home,¡± Adrian called out to his daughter. ¡°Daddy! Wee home!¡± Millie cried out joyously when she spotted Adrian. We walked over to her, and Adrian invited me to sit down on the sofa next to him. I felt Millie¡¯s eyes on me and from her reaction, I could tell that it wasn¡¯tmon for Adrian to bring someone home with him. She looked at me with a mix of confusion, suspicion, and curiosity. ¡°Millie, this is Elena,¡± Adrian introduced me to his daughter smoothly. I wondered how I should position myself in front of her. Should I act like I¡¯m his friend for now? ¡°Hello. My name is Millie Amsworth. It¡¯s nice to meet you,¡± Millie replied politely. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you too. Your father has told me quite a bit about you,¡± I replied before smiling at her sweetly. Let¡¯s be friends please, little one. ¡°Daddy, is she your friend?¡± Millie asked as she looked from Adrian to me and then back again. Good question. I wasn¡¯t sure how Adrian wanted to break our rtionship to her. It was also hard for me to predict her reaction. How would a kid her age react to her father having a new girlfriend? ¡°Elena is my girlfriend. I actually brought her here today to introduce her to you. I hope you two would get along,¡± Adrian said as he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him. Millie had a confused look on her face and for a moment I wasn¡¯t certain if she understood what a ¡®girlfriend¡¯ actually meant in this context. Her eyes widened as she continued staring at me. ¡°Well, let¡¯s have dinner first. Are you hungry, Millie?¡± Adrian asked, breaking the uneasy silence. I breathed a soft sigh of relief. Thankfully, Adrian had stopped the conversation by suggesting that we start having dinner. As if on cue, the nanny approached Millie and took her hand before leading her towards the dining room. Adrian held my hand and led me after them. ¡°I don¡¯t think we need to rush...¡± I whispered to him. ¡°It¡¯ll be ok, don¡¯t worry. Millie understands more than you think,¡± Adrian said before squeezing my hand reassuringly. I wasn¡¯t scared about her not understanding the concept. I was scared that she wouldn¡¯t ept that I¡¯m her daddy¡¯s new girlfriend plus he wants me to act as her mother. However, she was his daughter and so I decided to leave this matter entirely in his capable hands. Adrian and I sat opposite Millie at a veryrge and long dining table that could host at least twenty people as the threerge crystal chandeliers shone brightly above our heads. Once seated, Millie continued to stare at me from the opposite side of the table. The maids came in to serve us food, but I was too conscious of her stare to pay attention to anything else. ¡°Eat your food, Millie,¡± Adrian instructed a little sternly. Millie nodded a little before she began eating her food. Surprisingly, she was very obedient to her father. ¡°Does the food suit your tastes?¡± Adrian turned to ask me. ¡°Oh yes, the food is great,¡± I replied, although I couldn¡¯t care less what the food tasted like at that moment. Millie nced over at me while she ate her food. Once or twice, our eyes would meet, and I would smile warmly at her. In response, she would immediately avert her eyes before turning her head away. I guess she doesn¡¯t like me. Although Millie¡¯s mother passed away when she was very young and she doesn¡¯t even remember her, it must still be tough to suddenly have another woman in your life. ¡°Millie, from now on Elena will be part of our family. We can go on holidays and fun trips together as a family. I¡¯m sure that it¡¯ll be very fun. Is there a ce that you want to go?¡± Adrian suggested brightly. Millie listened to her father and then her brows drew together as she frowned. Slowly, she ced her utensils down on the te. ¡°I don¡¯t want a new mother. Just me and daddy together is...good enough...¡± Millie said, and I could tell that she was about to burst into tears. I nced over at Adrian, silently pleading for him tofort her. However, Adrian did not share my empathy at all. ¡°Millie. We¡¯ve discussed this before. You need a mother and I have chosen the best woman to fulfill that role. From now on, Elena will act as your mother, and you will respect her and treat her as such. Are we clear?¡± Adrian said authoritatively. Millie looked at me and then at Adrian before tears streamed down her face. She sobbed a little at first and then she began wailing loudly. Her small fists wiped at her tear-stained eyes and her whole face became red like a tomato. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 83 83 Persuasion Her nanny was by her side tofort her while I watched the whole scene unfold right in front of me. I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath. This has turned into a bigger mess than I thought possible. Why did Adrian have to put it that way? He could have told her nicely. I didn¡¯t know that he was so strict with his daughter like this. ¡°Adrian...¡± I whispered his name in shock. I looked at the crying girl and realized that this all started off on the wrong foot. We shouldn¡¯t have sprung this up on her like this and Adrian¡¯s strictness did not help. Despite Adrian¡¯s best intentions in wanting Millie to have a mother so that she could have a ¡®normal family¡¯, there was no guarantee that Millie wanted the same thing for herself. ¡°Millie, stop crying...¡± Adrian scolded her in a low voice. Instinctively, I reached out a hand and grabbed Adrian¡¯s arm as if to restrain him from causing Millie any more psychological harm and fear. ¡°Adrian please...you don¡¯t have to be so harsh on her,¡± I begged as I stared pleadingly into his mesmerizing green eyes. Adrian looked at me before letting out a frustrated sigh; however, he didn¡¯t reprimand Millie anymore. Millie was still crying, and it seemed like her nanny¡¯s attempt in calming her down wasn¡¯t doing any good. What do I do now? ¡°May I...have a word with her?¡± I asked Adrian abruptly. Adrian¡¯s eyes widened at me in surprise before his face transformed into a look of curiosity. He was probably wondering what I wanted to say to his daughter and that was a very good question indeed because at that moment, I didn¡¯t really know what I wanted to say to the girl either. All I knew was that if I wanted her on my side, I had to work hard to get her on my side. Nothing that Adrian or anyone said could help build a bond between Millie and me. ..... ¡°Are you sure?¡± Adrian asked as he crooked a brow at me. ¡°Yes, if you¡¯ll allow it. I won¡¯t do anything, I promise. I¡¯m just going to have a little chat with her,¡± I replied to ease his worries. ¡°I didn¡¯t think that you would do anything bad but as you can see, she¡¯s very hysterical and acting very spoiled right now,¡± Adrian said with clear dissatisfaction. I knew that he was mad at Millie¡¯s unsightly disy but give her a break please, she¡¯s still so young. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I really want to talk to her. Please...?¡± I asked for his permission with a pleading smile. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll be waiting outside,¡± Adrian said as he finally gave in. On that note, Adrian and the nanny left the dining room together, leaving me and a very distraught Millie alone at the dining table. Great. Now, what should I say to this hysterical little girl? ¡°Your father¡¯s not here to scold you anymore so you can stop crying now,¡± I said softly as I looked at the poor girl sitting opposite me. Millie opened her eyes and looked at me before a sudden look of panic crossed her face when she realized that we were now the only ones left in the room. I¡¯m not very good at handling kids but persuasion isn¡¯t a skill that Icked. Slowly, I got off from my seat and walked over to the other side of the table. I took the seat next to Millie. Although she was no long wailing hysterically, she was still sobbing. ¡°Millie, I¡¯m sure your father didn¡¯t mean the things that he said just now. He really cares about you and loves you a lot. He tells me that all the time...¡± I said as I leaned in close to her. Millie did not say anything to me, but I knew that she was listening to me. I decided to continue on. ¡°Adrian really wants you to be happy. He worries about you a lot because he loves you. You may think that he¡¯s being super strict and mean to you now, but I think you already know that he wants the best for you,¡± I said asfortingly as I could. ¡°I don¡¯t want you here with us...¡± Millie said between her sobs. Well, I can understand that. Sometimes I wish that I didn¡¯t have to be here either. I just want to pay my debt and simply disappear. ¡°You know, I¡¯m not trying to be your new mother like Adrian said. I¡¯m not trying toe between you and your father by joining your family. However, I want to do my best to support you and your father. To be honest, I don¡¯t have a mother either. Actually, I don¡¯t even have a father. They both died when I was young...¡± I admitted truthfully. ¡°You don¡¯t have a mum or dad?¡± Millie asked and I knew that I finally had her attention. ¡°That¡¯s right. They both died a long time ago...¡± I replied before smiling a little at her. She sniffed and I reached out to grab a tissue and passed it to her. She thanked me shyly and took it. I watched as she blew her nose and thought she looked more mature than her actual age. ¡°Are you sad?¡± she asked as she stared at me. I took another tissue and dabbed at the tears in the corners of her eyes before I smiled at her. ¡°I was sad. I¡¯m ok now, thank you...¡± I replied truthfully. Usually, kids will do things to please the person that they love or to make sure that that person is happy. In Millie¡¯s case, the person that she cares the most about is most probably her father, Adrian. Let¡¯s pray that she¡¯ll be willing to go along with my n. ¡°I don¡¯t have parents, but I wished that I did. Do you love your father?¡± I asked as I looked deeply into her eyes. Millie seems a little shocked at my question, but she nodded her head. ¡°Adrian loves you a lot too. You¡¯re so lucky to be so well loved. You see, I love Adrian a lot too,¡± I said before offering her a sweet smile. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 84 84 I Love You ¡°You really love my father?¡± Millie asked softly. ¡°Of course, I do. I¡¯m dating him after all. Your father is a very kind man. I really love him and that¡¯s why I want to do everything that I can to make him happy. When he told me about you, I really wish that we could get along because I didn¡¯t want him to worry. I just want Adrian to be happy,¡± I said. Millie looked at me and her face twisted as a frown formed between her brows. It seemed like she was deep in thought as she considered what I had just said. ¡°What about you? Do you want to make your father happy?¡± I asked brightly. ¡°Yes...I want father to be happy...¡± Millie mumbled in reply. ¡°I don¡¯t want to rece your mother because I don¡¯t think that I can, or that anyone can. So, can we just be friends? I¡¯ll take care of you and...make sure that Adrian scolds you less. Want to work with me to make Adrian happier?¡± I suggested before smiling down at her. Millie stared up at me with her round brown eyes and I prayed that my words got to her. ¡°Ok...¡± Millie replied softly and for the first time she smiled back at me genuinely. ¡°Thank you, Millie. I¡¯ll work hard to be your good friend,¡± I said happily as I pulled her into a soft hug. ..... If her father was so kind and honest, then there was no reason why Millie wouldn¡¯t be kind at heart. ... ¡°I¡¯m done. She¡¯s feeling better now too,¡± I reported to Adrian when I opened the door. Adrian was standing right outside the door just as he had said. I smiled at him reassuringly as I invited him back into the room. ¡°Please don¡¯t scold her anymore. Everything will work out. So please...be nice to her...¡± I said as I ced a hand on his arm. Adrian halted in his steps as he looked at me. His green eyes held mine for a moment before he nodded his head in agreement. By the time we headed back inside, Millie had stopped crying and her nanny had cleaned her face. Her eyes were still red from crying, but it was clear that she was in a much better mood than before. ¡°Millie, is there a ce that you want to go? What about the zoo? We can go see the animals together,¡± I suggested brightly. ¡°Will daddy be happy if we go?¡± Millie mumbled. Adrian looked at me with a confused look and I winked at him. ¡°Of course. Let¡¯s all go to the zoo. I¡¯m sure that you will enjoy it and Adrian will be happy about it too!¡± I said happily as I pped my hands. For a moment, it felt like I was the kid in the room and not Millie. Well, whatever works. In the end, somehow, we agreed to go to the zoo together. Adrian gave me a confused look and I reached for his hand under the table and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Dinner passed by smoothly after that to my ultimate relief. ¡°Millie dear, it¡¯s time for you to go to bed now...¡± the nanny said. ¡°Ok...¡± Millie mumbled as she stood up from her seat. ¡°Goodnight, Millie. I¡¯ll drop by to take you to the zoo, ok?¡± I promised. ¡°Ok...goodnight,¡± Millie replied before leaving the room. ¡°What was that all about?¡± Adrian asked me when Millie and the nanny were gone. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you all about itter. For now, why don¡¯t you go and wish Millie goodnight? I¡¯m sure that she¡¯ll have a good night¡¯s sleep if her daddy tucks her in,¡± I suggested before smiling up at Adrian. ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it. Can you wait here? I¡¯ll be right back...to hear all about it,¡± Adrian said. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll wait for you,¡± I replied. Adrian took my hand and brought me to the sofa in the living room before he took his leave to see Millie. I hoped that things would go well between those two. ... A short whileter, Adrian returned to the living room and judging from the smile on his face, it seemed like things went well between the two. ¡°How did it go?¡± I asked. ¡°She is sleeping now. Thank you for talking to her, I think she is feeling much better than before,¡± Adrian said as he sat down next to me on the sofa. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Honestly, I didn¡¯t quite know what to do when she started crying...¡± I admitted before turning to smile weakly at Adrian. I found him staring intently at me and that was when I realized that we were quite close to each other on the sofa. ¡°What did you say to her? I¡¯m very surprised at how fast you managed to turn her around,¡± Adrian said before chuckling softly. ¡°I told her that you love her a lot and that you want what is best for her. Then I asked her if she loves you as well. Of course, she told me that she does. Then I told her that I love you and I really want to make you happy. I asked her if she is willing to be my friend so that we can both work together to make you happy. Then she agreed,¡± I recapped the conversation that took ce between Millie and me. I smiled a little proudly at Adrian and I was slightly surprised that he was staring at my face. I blinked a couple of times as he kept on staring at me. It made me wonder if I had said something strange. ¡°Adrian?¡± I called his name softly and questioningly. ¡°Can you say that again?¡± he requested. ¡°Say...what?¡± I asked, not quite following what he was referring to. ¡°What did you tell Millie before you asked her to cooperate with you?¡± Adrian asked as his eyes stared deeply into mine. Is it just me, or is his face getting closer and closer? ¡°Umm...I told her that I...love you...and that I...mhhmm...¡± I replied before the rest of my response was interrupted. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 85 85 Permission to Kiss My eyes widened in shock when I felt Adrian¡¯s soft lips on mine, capturing my words into his sweet and gentle kiss. The rest of my words got lost in my mouth as I let out a soft moan. His lips continued to kiss mine softly. It was such a tender kiss that made my body tingle with warmth all over. Slowly my eyes drifted close, and I let the warmth of his kiss envelop and take over my me. His hands reached up to cup my cheek and I moaned sweetly into his kiss. The tip of his tongue slowly glided out to lick my closed lips until my lips parted a little to grant his wet tongue ess to my mouth. Gently his tongue eased between my lips and into the wet depths of my mouth. Adrian sighed with satisfaction when his tongue connected with mine and engaged in a loving dance. He licked my tongue before grinding his tongue against mine as our kiss deepened. I moaned and whimpered into his kiss as he pleasured my mouth with his skillful tongue. His hands slid down my back until he reached my waist. He pulled my body closer to him as his lips crushed onto mine. His kiss got hotter and more demanding. His tongue exploring my mouth relentlessly and I began kissing him back. This is bad...I¡¯m getting so lost in his intoxicating kiss... Suddenly, Adrian ended our passionate kiss before he looked down at me. I felt embarrassed at the state that I was in. My face felt hot, and I knew that I must be blushing red right now. I was also out of breath from our prolonged kiss, and I could still taste him in my mouth. ¡°Oh...I¡¯m sorry...¡± Adrian quickly apologized as he removed his arm from around my body. ¡°It¡¯s ok...¡± I whispered. His green eyes stared deeply into mine and I could see the fire of passion and desire dancing in their depths. ¡°Is it...really, ok?¡± he asked as if in wonder. ¡°Huh?¡± I made a questioning sound. ..... ¡°For me to kiss you?¡± he asked again. ¡°Well...umm...¡± I mumbled, feeling quite embarrassed. I looked down at myp in embarrassment. Suddenly, his hand entered my field of vision, and I felt his touch on my chin before he began tipping my face up to meet his gaze once more. His captivating green eyes seemed several shades darker than normal, and I couldn¡¯t ignore the heat in his gaze as he looked at me. Before I could say anything, his lips pressed firmly onto mine. This kiss was different from before. It wasn¡¯t hesitant and I knew that he wasn¡¯t just testing the waters this time around. His kiss was hot and demanding right from the start. I moaned into his mouth when his tongue thrusted into my mouth and began mating with my own. He kissed me so deeply that it felt like he was going to devour my entire being. His hand caressed the curves of my body from my waist down to my hips before pulling me against his hard body. My breasts pressed against his hard chest as he continued to kiss me wildly. He only stopped kissing me to change the angle of our kiss. Each time he changed the angle, my legs started getting weaker and weaker as my whole body heated up from his seductive stimtions. We¡¯re in the living room and anyone could walk by at any moment, but he didn¡¯t hesitate to kiss and touch me at all. I didn¡¯t want to believe it but he¡¯s probably a secretly wild one. ¡°Adrian...¡± I panted his name as I pushed a little against his chest. ¡°You should go home now...¡± Adrian whispered huskily. I nodded quickly in agreement. He¡¯s right, I better get home before things get out of hand here. The fire of desire that burned deep in his eyes shone even brighter than before and I wasn¡¯t sure how much longer he could hold himself back. I had never seen him like this before. ¡°I should go home...¡± I whispered in agreement. ¡°I¡¯ll drive you,¡± he said before smiling gently at me. ... When I got in his car, I feared that things would be awkward between us because of what had just happened. However, I soon found out that I had nothing to fear about that at all. Adrian acted normal as if nothing had happened while he asked me for my address. I gave him the location of the intersection closest to my ce as we had agreed. After checking that we had the right pin on the map application, we were ready to be on our way. During the drive, Adrian made small conversation to past the time and soon I found myself talking to him with ease like how we always did. ¡°Are you sure that nothing¡¯s been bothering you? I don¡¯t know why but I can sense that you¡¯re feeling quite troubled and tired today...¡± Adrian asked again. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just didn¡¯t sleep wellst night,¡± I replied, quite truthfully. ¡°Let me know if it doesn¡¯t get better. I¡¯m a doctor, remember?¡± Adrian reminded me teasingly. ¡°Ok. I¡¯ll let you know. Thank you but you don¡¯t need to worry about me,¡± I replied reassuringly. ¡°You¡¯re my girlfriend, of course, I¡¯ll worry about you,¡± Adrian replied firmly. ¡°Thank you...¡± I whispered, not knowing how else to respond to that. It seemed like we arrived at our destination in no time at all. We were both silent as we sat next to each other in the enclosed space of his sportscar. Time ticked by silently as the air stilled around us. ¡°I should go...¡± I managed to say softly. I turned to leave but then my body couldn¡¯t move. Something tightened around my waist and held me back. Looking down, I saw that they were Adrian¡¯s arms. He hugged me from behind as he buried his face in my long hair. I could feel him breathing in my scent as he held me tighter in his arms as if he was hesitant to let me go. Slowly, his face approached mine and he nted a kiss on the side of my neck softly. ¡°Goodnight. I hope you sleep well tonight,¡± he whispered close to my ear. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 86 86 n for a Date Then his arms released me, and it was like nothing had happened at all just now. ¡°You, too. Goodnight,¡± I replied before I closed the car¡¯s door. Stepping a few steps away, I waved at him as I watched his car drive off into the distance. Alone in bed that night, my mind was upied with thoughts of Adrian and what had happened between us. I truly did not expect him to kiss me and definitely not the way that he kissed me...so deeply and so passionately. The words of gossip from those women that I ran into earlier in the day in the women¡¯s bathroom came drifting back into my mind. ¡®He¡¯s famous for sleeping around with all the young and pretty nurses. None of them everst long...¡¯ Have I somehow ended up with a yboy doctor on my list of clients now? Well, we¡¯ll see sooner orter how it goes. At least if I jump on the pill, I won¡¯t get pregnant with his child... Wait, what am I even thinking? The contract has a use prohibiting sexual activity and I¡¯m going to keep it that way. Period. Fortunately, or unfortunately, I did not experience a repeat of the nightmare about my parent¡¯s suicide because my mind was too shocked with all that had happened with Adrian and too preupied trying to figure him out. That night, I slept quite well, and perhaps, I had Adrian and his distracting kisses to thank. ... ..... I woke up the next morning feeling much more alive than before and that was thanks to a night of nightmare-free sleep. My hand reached for my phone to see if Justin had any update for me regarding my work schedule or client demands. My eyes still felt heavy from sleep as I grabbed my phone in my hand and held it in front of my face. ¡®I¡¯ve already informed EROS¡¯s agency about your desire to terminate the contract. So far, there has been no official response. I¡¯ll update you if anything happens,¡¯ That was the message that Justin sent. I wondered how EROS would take the news but after second thought, I guessed that he probably wouldn¡¯t even care about it. After all, this whole fake girlfriend thing was something that his manager and agency came up with. EROS was against the idea from the start so it must be a huge relief for him now that I¡¯m gone. It¡¯s probably best for both of us, so the decision that I made to terminate the contract was probably the right one. It was still early in the morning, but I decided to get out of bed to prepare myself for the day ahead. Today, I¡¯ll be working with Brandon and that meant that it probably won¡¯t be an easy day. Lately, none of my days had been easy ones. The clients are truly getting their money¡¯s worth out of me, I thought as I stared at my face in the mirror closely. Great, at least my panda eyes are pretty much gone now, and I can save up on some concealer. **ring ring ring** My phone¡¯s ringtone caught my attention, and my hand instinctively grabbed the phone and answered it. ¡°Good morning, Elena,¡± a man¡¯s smooth voice said through the phone. Adrian...he¡¯s calling so early in the morning. ¡°Adrian, good morning,¡± I replied as I wondered what he wanted. ¡°Sorry for calling so early in the morning. Hopefully, I didn¡¯t wake you...¡± Adrian said, sounding apologetic. ¡°No, not at all. I¡¯m already up...¡± I quickly replied. ¡°I see...so you get up pretty early. You don¡¯t seem like a morning person though,¡± Adrian said, sounding thoughtful. ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯m not a morning person but I have to prepare for work...so yea...¡± I replied with a softugh. Why is he calling? ¡°Sorry for taking up your time then. About what you promised Millie...about going to the zoo, would this Saturday work out for you?¡± Adrian asked, sounding very hopeful. I could get Justin to shift things around if I had anything on Saturday but as far as I was aware, I didn¡¯t have any prior engagements so I should be free. ¡°Sure, I think it should work. Is Millie looking forward to it?¡± I asked, smiling a little to myself as I thought of the little girl being excited about going to the zoo with her father. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about Millie but I¡¯m looking forward to it...¡± Adrian said straight forwardly. His directness made me feel slight embarrassed even though we¡¯re not talking face-to-face. I had no idea if the rumors about him were true or not but I was beginning to understand why women feel so affected by him. ¡°You¡¯re so funny. I¡¯ll see you on Saturday then. Let me work out some n and send it to you...like a business proposal...¡± I suggested. ¡°Let¡¯s call it our date n,¡± he replied with augh. ¡°Ok. I¡¯ll see you then. Have a good day at work,¡± I replied in a light tone. ¡°You, too. Please take care of yourself,¡± Adrian replied, and I hung up. A date at the zoo with Adrian and his daughter, I wonder how that¡¯s going to turn out... ... During my drive to Brandon¡¯s office, it felt like something was off, but I wasn¡¯t sure what it was. When I step foot into the lobby of his office building, I realized that the nagging feeling at the back of my mind was because Brandon hadn¡¯t given me a call to nag about where I was. After entering the lobby and looking around, I was even more bothered by the fact that I couldn¡¯t spot him anywhere. Usually, he would call to nag me to make sure that I would be on time, and he would be waiting for me here. I was right, something felt very strange. In Brandon¡¯s ce, a tallnky middle-aged man approached me instead. He was dressed elegantly in a suit and had moved with grace. I have never seen him before, but it was clear that he had been waiting for me. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 87 87 Saving a Workaholic ¡°Hello, Miss Elena. Sorry for thete introduction but I am Mr. Brandon¡¯s secretary. My name is Keh,¡± the man said politely. ¡°I¡¯m Elena...¡± I replied before smiling a little at him. ¡°I wasn¡¯t here to greet you thest time that you were here because I was out on some errands and I do apologize for that,¡± the man said humbly. ¡°That¡¯s not a problem at all,¡± I replied. It was honestly very surprising that Brandon had a male secretary. I¡¯m not being sexist about job roles and suitability based on gender or anything like that because I knew that if this man could survive as Brandon¡¯s secretary, then he must be extremely good at his job. It was just a little surprising... ¡°Please follow me, Mr. Brandon is...umm...working in his office,¡± the man said a little hesitantly. I wasn¡¯t certain but it seemed like something was troubling Keh. That coupled with the fact that Brandon is not here... ... Keh led me into Brandon¡¯s office and gestured towards therge table where Brandon was busy typing away on hisputer. This sight was familiar, and I immediately knew what was going on. ..... ¡°How long has he been like that?¡± I asked immediately. My eyes stared at Brandon who was busy typing away like a lunatic on hisptop. Although we had entered his office, he didn¡¯t acknowledge our presence at all. His eyes never left hisptop screen as his fingers continued typing at an astonishing speed on his keyboard. It was like his eyes couldn¡¯t see anything but the work right in front of him and that was probably the truth. I knew well that when he became like this, he didn¡¯t care about anything else besides his work and that included his own health as well. It was like he was now operating in apletely different world and the reality of our world did not matter to him at all. It had been years since I¡¯vest seen Brandon like this. Thest time that he was like this, he almostnded himself in the hospital. ¡°Umm...I¡¯m not sure but my guess would be around two days...¡± Keh replied in a shaky voice. ¡°When was thest time that he ate?¡± I asked as I suspected the worst. ¡°I¡¯m not sure...I don¡¯t think he¡¯s eaten since this started...¡± Keh replied. It was clear that Keh didn¡¯t know what to do with Brandon when he entered his zone like this. I was so thankful for my sleepst night because I was going to need all the energy that I had to pull Brandon back from his zone. I walked over to Brandon¡¯s side, and I knew right away that although he was physical sitting there, his mind was somewhere far away. ¡°Brandon...¡± I called his name and waited. After five seconds ofplete silence, I called his name again, louder this time. Once again,pletely no response or any signs that he had heard me. ¡°Keh, can you get some food for Brandon. Anything that¡¯s easy to eat with your hands. Like food that is in small pieces that can be put directly in his mouth without him having to bite it. You know...¡± I instructed, trying my best to exin. ¡°Yes, right away...¡± Keh replied before quickly heading out of the room. I stared at Brandon¡¯s face and the dark circles that had formed under his eyes. The worst part about this was that although his brain could take it, his body always had a problem keeping up with him. He¡¯ll end up overworking himself and his body will end up suffering the aftereffects. ¡°Wait for me, Brandon...¡± I said to him before turning away and heading to the pantry. It¡¯s got to be here somewhere. There¡¯s a coffee machine so there¡¯s coffee but what about the other ingredients that I need. Here we go! I opened the cupboard and finally found what I was looking for. Then I need fresh milk which I found in the fridge. This should work out... With the mug of coffee in my hand, I headed back to Brandon¡¯s office. Not surprisingly, I found him in the exact same ce and doing the exact same thing just like before I had left him. I grabbed a chair and ced it directly next to his before sitting down on it. I sucked in a deep breath and began blowing on the coffee to cool it down to a drinkable temperature. I took a little sip to test if it was warm enough before slowly cing the rim of the cup against Brandon¡¯s lips. He didn¡¯t react in any way to my action but slowly, he began sipping the coffee. I closed my eyes and sighed softly before reopening my eyes again to focus on getting the angle of the cup right. Slowly, Brandon sipped on the coffee, and I watched him in silence. Some things never change and thankfully so, otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t know what to do in this situation. Brandon¡¯s eyes were still glued to the screen and his fingers were still moving frantically on the keyboard. The sound of his typing filled my ears and I found it calming. It was a familiar sound that filled our bedroom when we were living together. He worked very hard back then too. Looking at his screen, I could tell that he was coding. What exactly he was coding, I didn¡¯t know. After a while, Brandon almostpletely finished the cup of coffee. By that time, my arm was partially numb, and I slowly pulled the cup again from his lips. Brandon blinked a rapidly a couple of times before turning to look at me. He seemed a little surprised to see me there. ¡°Elena...¡± he whispered as his eyes came to focus on my face. ¡°Wee back, Brandon,¡± I said before offering him a smile. I stared deeply into his beautiful grey eyes as he looked up at me with a mix of confusion and exhaustion. The dark circles under his eyes are much worse than I thought now that I can see them up close. Brandon needs to rest and soon. The peace and quiet around us was disturbed by the loud sound of the door opening. I turned to see Keh walking in with bags of food in his arms. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 88 88 Feeding a CEO ¡°Time to take a break and eat,¡± I announced loudly. ¡°I¡¯m working,¡± he replied coldly. At least he wasn¡¯t oblivious to my existence which was a huge leap forward. Now I just need to get his attention and convince him to stop working even if it was just for a second. ¡°Brandon, please eat your food. You also need to rest. Keh told me that you¡¯ve been working for two days straight already,¡± I said firmly without willing to back down. ¡°Feed me,¡± he said passively. ¡°Stop working and eat yourself,¡± I snapped. ¡°I¡¯m working. Feed me or I won¡¯t eat at all,¡± he replied without a care. Some things really never change. I had to feed and take care of Brandon as if he was a baby when he got like this back in the days too. No wonder Keh couldn¡¯t do anything to help Brandon in this situation. I could feed him but that wasn¡¯t a sustainable solution at all. What if I wasn¡¯t here the next time that this happened? How had he been living all this time since we broke up? Who took care of him...? I looked down at Brandon who was still working like his life and the world¡¯s survival depended on it. Everyone who saw him now would think that he was a crazy workaholic. However, I bet everyone would think differently if they knew that this was how he built his empire from scratch. ..... ¡°Can¡¯t you get someone else to do this? You have thousands of employees now, surely, one of them can code...¡± I suggested. ¡°Not as good as I can...¡± he replied without looking at me. ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s true, but you can¡¯t keep on doing all the important stuff yourself,¡± I replied. ¡°I¡¯ve delegated most things already, just let me do what I want, ok?¡± he replied, sounding a little irritated. ¡°Only if you sleep and eat enough. Your secretary is worried sick, and he¡¯s been pestering me to straighten you out,¡± I said, referring to Keh. ¡°Are you worried?¡± Brandon asked. ¡°What?¡± I said softly, not quite sure what he was getting at. ¡°Are you worried about me, Elena?¡± Brandon asked while continuing to code. ¡°Well, yes. So, can you stop working now?¡± I asked as I ced a hand on his shoulder. Brandon sighed loudly and I wanted to scream in joy and let the world know that ¡®Brandon has finally lifted his hands off the keyboard everyone!¡¯ Brandon¡¯s hands fell to his side as he turned in his chair to face me. He looked dead tired but still very handsome. ¡°Ten minutes,¡± he muttered. I knew exactly what that meant. Ten minutes break...that¡¯s all?! ¡°That¡¯s not enough...¡± I beganining immediately. ¡°Your time starts now. You have ten minutes, what do you want me to do?¡± he asked absentmindedly. Shit. I ran to the table where the food was, grabbed it and came straight back to his side. ¡°Eat now...¡± I ordered. Brandon smirked at me before opening his mouth a little so that I could feed him. I ripped open the box of food that Keh had bought. Thankfully, he managed to follow my instructions and the steak and vegetables were diced into small pieces. One by one, I fed the food into Brandon¡¯s mouth while he chewed as necessary and swallowed. I could feel Keh¡¯s eyes on us and knew that he was probably very surprised by what he was seeing. After the ten minutes were over, Brandon automatically reverted to work mode and continued coding. It was driving me crazy. When will he be done with all this? ¡°When will you be done?¡± I asked. ¡°An hour. Max,¡± he replied monotonously. ¡°Ok. I¡¯ll wait for you here,¡± I said with a firm nod. I turned around to find Keh staring at me with his mouth hanging open. I shed him a smile to reassure him that everything was ok before I headed towards the sofa and sat down. Since arriving here, I haven¡¯t done much but I felt so drained of energy. Dealing with Brandon wasn¡¯t easy, but I looked forward to his amazing creation just like I always did. Keh took a seat on the sofa opposite from me before he smiled warmly at me. I nodded at him as if to thank him for helping out. Brandon mentioned that he would need at most another hour, so I fully expected him to be done soon. ¡°No wonder you are his girlfriend, you are a genius at dealing with Mr. Brandon,¡± Keh said with an appreciative smile. Haha...not really... ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m sure anyone can do as much...¡± I replied smoothly. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. You might not know it but...most people find it very challenging to interact with Mr. Brandon and when he gets like that, no one can get to him at all. Even though I¡¯m his secretary, and have been for a while, it is still impossible for me to handle him,¡± Keh said admittingly. Honestly, I wasn¡¯t surprised that no one could deal with Brandon. He was just...difficult and incredibly unique. ¡°I heard that you used to date Mr. Brandon before when you were both in university,¡± Keh said. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m his girlfriend now and also his ex-girlfriend,¡± I affirmed with a smallugh. ¡°Mr. Brandon finished his coffee. Did you make it for him?¡± Keh inquired. ¡°Yes, I did...¡± I replied. ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t mind since we have some time to kill, could you show me how to make it?¡± Keh asked, sounding a little shy. ¡°You mean, how to make coffee?¡± I asked with surprise. ¡°Yes, if you don¡¯t mind. You see, Mr. Brandon isn¡¯t a fan of any coffee as far as I¡¯m aware, but he seemed to like yours,¡± Keh replied. ¡°Oh, sure...¡± I agreed before smiling a little at him. He was right, we had time to kill while we waited for Brandon to wrap up his work. Plus, the coffee recipe isn¡¯t supposed to be a secret or anything. When I¡¯m not here, it¡¯ll probably help Brandon if Keh can make coffee for him. Keh and I made our way to the pantry nearby where I made coffee for Brandon before, and I started teaching him how to make my special ¡®Brandon¡¯ coffee. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 89 89 The Way He Likes It ¡°Essentially, it¡¯s not really what people would consider coffee. It¡¯s basically, coffee mixed with a lot of whole milk and a lot of sugar. The key thing is to make it as sweet and creamy as possible so that it sort of tastes like coffee ice cream. You know, the coffee ice cream that even little kids could enjoy because it¡¯s just so sweet...¡± I exined as I brought out the ingredients that I had used earlier. Keh watched me as I made ck coffee from the machine before pouring in whole milk and mixing in loads of sugar. I turned to smile at him only to find that he had a ghastly expression on his face. It was like he didn¡¯t want to believe the thing that he was seeing. ¡°Are you serious? I never knew that he liked his coffee like this...¡± Keh eximed before trailing off. ¡°It¡¯s notmon, I guess. It¡¯s so sweet and milky that it¡¯s not really like coffee anymore. Would you like a taste?¡± I offered followed by a giggle. Keh seemed surprised for a bit but then his expression softened, and he nodded before taking the cup from my hand. I wasn¡¯t trying to be mean, but I was curious to see Keh¡¯s reaction from drinking coffee the way that Brandon liked it. I watched as Keh took a sip from the cup and then his eyes immediately widened. In the next moment, he started sputtering on his coffee before coughing quite loudly. He stroked a hand on his chest as he tried to calm himself. ¡°Is it that bad?¡± I asked, unable to keep in myughs although Keh seemed to be suffering a little. ¡°Well, its...not ordinary...I guess...¡± Keh mumbled as he stared at the content in the cup. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. No one should be drinking stuff like this besides Brandon,¡± I said before smiling at him reassuringly. ... ..... When we made our way back from the pantry to Brandon¡¯s office, we found him copsed face down on his table. Keh was shocked and ran in immediately to check whether or not Brandon was still alive. I was more rxed about it since it was a sight that I was used to. I knew that he didn¡¯t die or anything like that. He just passed out from over work, which I guess may still be a big deal. ¡°He probably just fell asleep,¡± I said calmly. ¡°Really? I was so shocked. I thought he had a heart attack or something...¡± Keh said as he wiped sweat from his brows. He seemed truly shocked, and I wondered if this was his first time seeing Brandon like this. For me, it wasn¡¯t something new. This happened quite a lot when he was working hard to start thispany. I honestly still think that what he did and managed to pull off was extremely impressive. ¡°Maybe we should take him back home,¡± Keh suggested. ¡°Umm...ok...¡± I mumbled as I was forced to go along. I didn¡¯t even know where Brandon lived right now. I always met him here at the office and I realized that I didn¡¯t know much about him and his personal life anymore. ¡°I¡¯ll drive you two there. Thank heavens you are here with him today, Miss Elena. I wouldn¡¯t know what to do without you, seriously. Please help take care of Mr. Brandon until he feels better. Also, please don¡¯t tell anyone about this, it could affect the stock price if news or rumors leak out,¡± Keh warned sternly. ¡°Right. Of course...¡± I murmured in reply. ... Keh and few bodyguards did the perfect job of transporting Brandon to the car. Keh gestured for me to sit in the backseat, and I obediently followed his instruction. Brandon was ced in the car next to me. The moment, the car started moving, Brandony down with his headnding on myp. I peered at his sleeping face before I shook my head slightly to myself. I couldn¡¯t believe that he¡¯s still sleeping with all that¡¯s going on. Brandon slept like the dead with his head pillowed on myp without stirring all the way until we arrived at his ce. The car parked in front of one of the most prestigious high-rise condominiums in the city center. It didn¡¯t surprise me that someone like Brandon would live in a ce like this. Guessing that it was probably best to act like I¡¯ve been here before as to not blow our covers, I started going with the flow as I followed Keh and the others inside the building. The bodyguards support a sleeping Brandon and we entered a private elevator that only led to the one floor: the highest floor in the building. Great, Brandon lives in a penthouse. No surprises there. The elevator opened and there a well decorated entry way that led to a veryrge living room with a magnificent view of the city. The view was truly breathtaking and so was the fact that there was only one unit on this entire floor which meant that Brandon owned the entire floor. Sweet. This was truly like Brandon. This wasn¡¯t a blunt disy of his wealth alone but also a clear disy of his anti-social self. Brandon hated living with other people which made the years we spent together in that small and regr apartment a very weird part in his life¡¯s history. ¡°Maybe you guys can put him in bed. I¡¯m sure that he needs the rest and it¡¯ll be a while before he wakes up,¡± I suggested before smiling politely at the bodyguards. ¡°Yes, right away,¡± one of the guards replied politely before supporting Brandon¡¯s body in the direction of his bedroom. I followed close behind to make sure that Brandon would get to his bed safely. After they ced Brandon into bed and helped remove his shoes, I thanked them. ¡°We¡¯ll head back then. Have a restful day. I hope Mr. Brandon gets a chance to catch up on his sleep,¡± Keh said as he nodded at me. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll be here with him, so you don¡¯t need to worry,¡± I replied kindly. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 90 90 Can¡¯t Leave Him I waved goodbye to them as I ushered them into the elevator. Once the door of the elevator closed, I let out a loud sigh. Finally, they were gone, and I can drop this overly concerned girlfriend act. It was very tiring for me to be acting on top of being seriously worried about Brandon. Brandon¡¯s apartment was decorated luxuriously in tones of grey with matching white and grey marble and hints of gold here and there. It was very modern and very...Brandon. It also matches the tone used in his office which was also just like him to match up everything. I headed back to his bedroom to check up on him. I wished that he would just sleep the whole day away because that was what he needed the most right now. Slowly I opened the door to his bedroom and peaked in to see that Brandon had not moved. He was stillying in the same position as before on his back. I walked into the bedroom, careful not to make any sound that could risk waking up Brandon from his peaceful slumber. So much light was shining in from outside through therge floor to ceiling ss panes. I walked towards it as I admired the view of the city from up here. The view was breathtakingly beautiful. As expected of a top tier penthouse on one of the highest residential skyscrapers. This ce probably costed Brandon a small fortune. My eyes lingered on the view for a brief moment longer before I reached for the curtain controller and pressed on the button tomand it to close. The curtains slowly closed from both sides and the light shining into the room narrowed until no more light shone inside. The dark grey curtain kept out all the light and now the room was almost pitch ck. This was indeed very ideal for sleeping. I turned on the shlight on my phone and began making my way to switch on amp that was located next to the bed. Warm orange light lit up the room in azy glow once themp was switched on. This shouldn¡¯t disturb Brandon and it gave me enough light for me to see. Now as for the main task at hand, I looked down at Brandon¡¯s sleeping form on the bed. I approached the bed and Brandon started to stir in his sleep. No surprise there, he wasn¡¯t sleeping in the mostfortable or normal position right now. I guess, I should try to at least remove his suit jacket and put a pillow under his head. After that, I nned to leave this ce immediately. Brandon wouldn¡¯t wake up any time soon anyways. Carefully, I sat down on the edge of the bed next to Brandon¡¯s head. He¡¯s still sleeping, he must be very tired after working non-stop for so long. My eyes lingered on his face, taking in his attractive features. His nose, lips, even his closed eyes, everything about him were still as attractive as I had remembered in my mind. I used to watch him while he slept like this back then too. If I reached out my hand and stroked his hair, he would smile automatically even when he was still sleeping. I wondered if he would react the same way if I stroked his hair now? Carelessly, my right hand began inching towards his hair. Just before his hair brushed against my fingertips, I quickly pulled my hand back in panic. That was close. What was I thinking just now? I shouldn¡¯t touch him like that anymore... ..... I must have lost my mind just now as the old memories of our time together came flooding back. That was so dangerous. I closed my eyes and counted to ten silently in my mind to gather my wits and my control. He¡¯s not the same Brandon from back then anymore and neither was I the Elena from back then. Most importantly, we¡¯re not dating for real anymore. When I opened my eyes again, I felt very calm and collected. That¡¯s right, that was then, and this is now. Without hesitation, my hand reached out and began patiently tugging at his suit as I tired to remove it from his upper body. Every now and then, I would nce nervously at his sleeping face to make sure that he was still sleeping. It was a struggle, and it took much longer than I initially thought, but finally, I seeded in removing Brandon¡¯s suit from him. I reached towards the head of the bed and grabbed a pillow. Slowly, I ced my hand under his head, feeling the texture of his soft ash blond hair against my hand as I lifted his head up slightly before quickly slipping the pillow under his head. Perfect! Finally, I did it. I looked down at Brandon¡¯s sleeping form now and was satisfied at the result of my efforts. He should be able to sleep well in this position without waking up with muscles aches here and there. I should leave now, there¡¯s nothing for me to do here now anyways. Good night, Brandon. Gently, I began moving to get off the bed. However, just as I turned around something wrapped itself around my waist and began pulling me back. I looked down in shock as I realized that Brandon¡¯s arms were wrapped around my waist and hugging me. He began pulling me back in one swift motion. My bodynded with a small thud against something warm and hard. His arms around me tightened very quickly, pulling me firmly into his embrace and holding me. The hardness of his muscr body pressed close to my back as his arms wrapped me to him. ¡°Brandon...¡± I whispered his name in shock. Turning my head around to look at him, I saw that his eyes were still closed. Is he still sleeping? Is he doing this in his sleep? Brandon didn¡¯t respond to me; however, he lifted a leg over my thighs and wrapped it around my body. My eyes narrowed at the not-so-funny situation that I had found myself in. He¡¯s using me as his body pillow now. This is crazy... ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 91 91 How it was Between Us ¡°Brandon...¡± I said his name louder this time as my hand started pulling on his arm to let me go. The more I pulled, the more his arms wrapped tighter around my waist. He¡¯s hugging me so tightly that it¡¯s starting to get harder to breathe. I¡¯m going to kill him when he wakes up... His body heat enveloped me along with his smell. It was like he was sucking me in and absorbing me as a part of him. We were so close with his body pressed all along my back. His regr breathing stirred the small hair close to the nape of my neck and made my body tremble slightly. His leg over my body felt heavy and I couldn¡¯t move my lower body at all. I¡¯m trapped... ... ¡°Oh, Brandon...you look like a ghost. You¡¯ve been working non-stop again, right?¡± I asked as a very-tired looking Brandon walked into our bedroom. ¡°You were away for too long...¡± he muttered aint with a dissatisfied look on his face. In my own defense, I was away on a trip with my friends for a project for only two days and one night. It wasn¡¯t that long and so I found it adorable that he was alreadyining. Brandon trudged into the room with dark circles under his eyes. ¡°Were you working all the time while I was gone?¡± I asked to confirm my suspicion. ¡°Of course. You were gone...¡± Brandon replied, sounding depressed. ..... He approached me and without saying anything more, wrapped his arms around my body and hugged me tight. His soft lips kissed my neck as he buried his face there and began breathing in my scent. Instinctively, I wrapped my arms gently around his broad back. ¡°You¡¯re tired. You should get some sleep,¡± I urged in a gentle voice. I was the one who just came back from a trip, but Brandon was the one who looked like he had been through a week-long walk through the forest without any food. He¡¯s been overworking himself very often nowadays after saying that he¡¯s almost there in getting something right for the newpany that he was bringing together. I didn¡¯t know much about what he was doing because it was beyond me so I just decided to do whatever I could to support him. ¡°Then put me to sleep...¡± Brandon whispered seductively into my ears. His hand slowly stroked its way from my back down to my waist and then lower to cup my ass before pulling my lower body closer to his. He¡¯s already so hard. Hisrge hands cupped my buttocks and began lifted me up until his hardness grinded against my pussy through our clothes. I could feel his hardness and his shape against my pussy. ¡°But...you should sleep...¡± I mumbled a little shyly. ¡°How am I supposed to go to sleep like this?¡± Brandon asked teasingly. His hand released me, and I slid down his body back to the floor. Quickly, Brandon grabbed my hand and ced it against his erect cock. His shape andrge size filled my palm as he stared down at me with desire dancing deeply within his captivating grey eyes. I nced down shyly at his blunt request to have his way with me. I could feel his eyes on my face as he waited for me to respond to him. ¡°You¡¯re always like this...¡± I said softly as I pretended to pout at him. Whenever he overworked, Brandon would get a hard-on right after and his sex drive would go out of control. This wasn¡¯t the first time, so I knew very well what was about to follow. ¡°Should we go to the bed, or do you want to do it right here?¡± he asked, clearlying to the end of his restraint. ¡°The bed...please...¡± I whispered shyly. Even before those word hadpletely left my lips, I was already in Brandon¡¯s strong arms as he carried me princess-style towards our bed. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he smiled down at me. His crazy good looks get me every time that he smiles at me like that with a look of need in his grey eyes. He ced me carefully on top of the bed before leaving me enough to strip himselfpletely naked. ¡°I can¡¯ be gentle but...let me know if it hurts too much,¡± Brandon quickly advised. I didn¡¯t even have time to nod in acknowledgement before his hands were kneading my breasts through my clothes. A moan left my lips at the sudden pleasure of his hand massaging my breasts. He had just started but he was already being so rough. It¡¯s going to be a rough ride... ¡°Brandon...¡± I whimpered his name as desire coursed through my body. He lips crushed on mine to capture my passionate moans into his mouth. His wet tongue thrusted deftly into the depths of my mouth after roughly parting my lips. The familiar taste and pleasure of his kiss filled my mouth as his tongue entwined with mine in an impassioned dance. His kiss seduced me until my mind was full of nothing but him. Brandon broke our kiss suddenly before smiling down at me with a naughty look in his grey eyes. His hand tugged on my shirt, freeing it from my skirt before pulling it up and off over my head. He threw the shirt away in one swift motion and his hands were on my bra, pushing it up above my breasts. My soft womanly flesh sprang out from their restraints into his awaiting hands. I heard Brandon let out a low groan as his hands cupped and massaged my naked breasts directly. The heat of his hands sunk into my soft flesh as he kneaded my breasts. Small whimpering moans escaped my lips as my body began writhing from the pleasure of his touch. My back arched as my chest thrusted upwards, pushing my breasts into hisrge manly hands. I felt my nipples grow taunt at his seductive caresses. ¡°Your nipples are hard. Does it feel good?¡± Brandon asked needlessly. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 92 92 How He Loved Me I moaned louder in response to his question as he took my nipples in between his fingertips and began pulling on them softly. He rolled them expertly in between his fingertips and I threw my head back and moaned like I was possessed. I could feel his eyes on my face as he enjoyed my enraptured reaction. Hot wet heat engulfed my right nipple, and I bit my lower lips as Brandon took my nipple into his mouth. I stroked my hand on his hair, running my fingers through it as he sucked loud and hard on my nipple. My body writhed wildly under him as my hips began moving to cope with the heat that was rapidly gathering in between my legs. He sucked on my nipple harder as his other hand began its journey down the curve of my body. Hisrge hand stroked and teased on my lower abdomen until my core throbbed with so much desire for him that it felt like I was going to explode with need. I called out his name as my hot wetness gushed out to wet my underwear. He¡¯s making me so wet for him and I knew that he was getting my body ready to take in hisrge cock. My pussy throbbed with a longing ache that I knew only he could satisfy. ¡°Brandon...please...¡± I pleaded sweetly for him to pleasure me more. ¡°Begging for more already?¡± Brandon teased as his hands slipped under my skirt and grabbed the edge of my panties. His grey eyes stared deeply into mine from above as his hand slowly slid down my panties over my hips and down my legs. I felt his hand stroking deliciously up my thighs and I parted my legs for him invitingly before thrusting my hips upwards invitingly. My pussy got wetter as more love juices gushed out from my love entrance and I couldn¡¯t wait for him to touch me there. His hand pulled my skirt up to reveal my thighs and my love opening to him. I felt his hungry eyes on the wet mess in between my legs and I blushed a little at how exposed I was to him. His hands spread my legs even further apart as he crouched down and buried his face in between my legs. ¡°Brandon! Ahhh!¡± I cried out loudly. His fingers gently parted my pussy lips before I felt the texture of his tongue caressing the length of my wet slit. Brandon buried his face in between my legs and began licking up my juices, running his tongue up and down the length of pussy opening. ..... ¡°So wet...tastes so good...¡± he whispered seductively from between my legs. I moaned and cried out loudly with each flick of his tongue. My hips thrusted up and down in abandon. Brandon¡¯srge hand held my hips in ce before he directed his attention to my swollen clit. His tonguepped at the sensitive nub, and I cried out in a strained voice. Seeing how turned on I was, Brandon doubled down on his effort and began sucking hard on my clit repeatedly. ¡°No...I¡¯m going to cum...if you don¡¯t stop...¡± I managed to say between my harsh panting. Brandon continued to suck on my clit and my mind went mad with lust and desire for him. He¡¯s making me feel so good. It¡¯s unbelievable. It feels like I can cum at anytime now... ... Hmm...was that a dream just now? Why did I have that dream? Those memories were from long ago... I stirred a little. Where am I now? I put a pillow under Brandon¡¯s sleeping head, and I was about to leave. Then, he grabbed me and hugged me tightly to him. Then...what? What happened next? With that sudden realization, my eyes snapped opened as panic took over me. Why couldn¡¯t I remember what happened after that? ¡°You¡¯re finally awake. Did you have a good dream?¡± Brandon asked teasingly. Brandon, he¡¯s awake. I¡¯m awake now. Does that mean that I¡¯ve been sleeping? I fell asleep here with him? I nced down in shock to see Brandon crouching down in between my widely spread legs. It¡¯s just like in the dream. Was that...just a dream just now? ¡°Ahhh! What...are you...¡± I tried to speak but my lewd moans got in the way of my words. My mind was a mess, and I wasn¡¯t sure what was dream or reality anymore. This pleasure coursing through my body as Brandon sucked on my clit, is this really happening? ¡°Brandon...wait...¡± I whimpered weakly as I tried to control myself. ¡°Why? You¡¯re enjoying yourself so much...¡± Brandon replied in a muffle voice from between my legs. His head dipped lower, and his tongue worked its magic against my pussy again and I found myself crying out at the pleasure. Why is he doing this to me? ¡°Wait...please...¡± I begged softly. ¡°Just spread your legs and stay still,¡± Brandon ordered bluntly. My back arched as my body continued responding to the joy of his tongue licking up my wetness. He nibbled on my clit teasingly and I screamed despite myself. He¡¯s too good at this... ¡°Ahhh! Brandon...oh...¡± I moaned and called out his name in my ecstasy. ¡°Your pussy is flooded. It¡¯s gushing out so much...I¡¯ll lick you clean...¡± Brandon offered. His tongue licked me there before he sucked hard on my throbbing opening as if truly sucking on my honey. My body trembled and my pussy clenched madly at the exquisite pleasure. Strength evaporated from my body as I was left feeling weak. ¡°This isn¡¯t good. The more I lick the more it leaks out...¡± Brandon teased me shamelessly. His tongue licked my clit teasingly as his fingers began stroking along my opening. My legs opened further apart as I thrusted my hips up wantonly against his fingers. Sensing my desire, Brandon thrusted his thick and long fingers into my wet hole, making me cry out at the sensation of being stretched and filled down there. ¡°You love it when I thrust here. I remember everything about you, Elena. Every secret spot where you like to be touched...¡± Brandon said, sounding almost proud of his knowledge. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 93 93 Enjoying His Passionate Attention His fingers quickly found the spot deep inside of me that felt good before he pounded his fingers against it fast and hard. It¡¯s so good. I¡¯ve never felt this good since thest time I slept with him that night at his hotel. It¡¯s as he said, he really knows how to give it to me good. His fingers fucked my hole faster and harder. He thrusted his fingers skillfully against my g-spot while his tongue continued to lick my clit. This double pleasure was getting to be too much for me to handle. I can¡¯t anymore...I¡¯m going to... ¡°I...I¡¯m gonna...cum!¡± I yelled loudly before my mind was totally consumed by the heat of my own orgasm. He made me cum so hard. It felt so amazing...but I knew that we shouldn¡¯t be doing this. Even if it felt so mind-blowingly amazing... By the time I could open my eyes again, Brandon had already stripped himself of his clothes. My eyes were immediately on his thick and erect member. His love stick stood up proud and ready in between his legs. His desire for me was apparent and my pussy started quivering in excitement as my mind imagined the pleasure of being filled by his massive cock. ¡°Brandon...we can¡¯t...¡± I protested in a whisper. His hands grabbed my thighs and pushed them up before spreading them. He positioned his hips in between my legs. He¡¯s so ready to take me and I don¡¯t think I could stop him. Worst, I wasn¡¯t sure if I wanted to. ¡°Why? You¡¯re practically melting...¡± Brandon teased as his hand positioned his heated member at my sopping wet entrance. ¡°The contract...¡± I whispered the only reason that I coulde up with as my resistance melted awaypletely. ..... ¡°You came here with me so you must have expected this. You know how horny I always feel after working so hard, don¡¯t you?¡± Brandon said before smiling a little down at me. I guess, I knew... ¡°Rx. Let¡¯s enjoy this together,¡± he said before smiling at me from above. The thick head of his cock positioned itself at my entrance and I tried to rx my pussy to take him in. His fingers parted my hole as his cock started pushing into me. I sighed as his thick cock started prating me. The head of his cock probed and thrusted inside of my flooded love hole. Brandon slowly pushed his massive rod deeper into my love tunnel. The heat and size of his entrance filled and stretched me, and I parted my legs even wider for him. He¡¯s so big...he¡¯s filling me deeper... I moaned and whimpered as I struggled to take him in. His cock felt so hot inside of me as he thrusted harder, ploughing his cock deeper into me. My pussy walls stretched to amodate his size as it hungrily sucked him deeper inside. He hasn¡¯t moved yet but just having him fill me up like this already felt so satisfying. ¡°A bit more...¡± Brandon said encouragingly as his hips thrusted forward, sinking his length further into me. ¡°It¡¯s...so deep...already...¡± I whispered as I panted. ¡°You¡¯re so wet. It feels good...¡± Brandon groaned as his hips grinded against my opening. His entire length now buried inside of my love tunnel. He rotated his hips and his cock stirred up the wetness in my love hole teasingly. My hips began moving a little under him as my pussy clenched hard around his cock as if trying to remember the shape of him inside of me. ¡°Let me know if it hurts too much,¡± Brandon repeated once again. He reared back his hips suddenly before pounding into me with full force. His exited me again before pumping his entire length into my pussy hole. Over and over, he sunk his cock into me faster and harder. I cried out and wed wildly at his back. My nails digging into the skin of his back as I struggled to deal with the pleasure erupting inside of my love hole. His cock pounded into my wetness, making wet lewd sounds fill the bedroom. ¡°Ahh! Ahhh! So good...Brandon!¡± I screamed like a wild woman in heat. As if turned on by my lewd cries, Brandon began thrusting into me faster and deeper. His cock felt hotter and longer than before. He was growing inside of me as his cock pounded deeply against my womb and the pleasure spot deep inside my wet cunt. My pussy got wetter for him as more of my love nectar flooded my hole and lubricated his cock. Our hips moved together in rhythm as we mated. My hips rising to meet his rough thrusts halfway, burring him deeper into me. He prated me from various angles until I was crying out with each of his wild thrusts. Our body writhed against each other¡¯s as it tried to get even closer than we already were. Brandon sweated as he exerted himself and I felt his sweat on the palm of my hand as I hugged his back. My legs rose up to hug him to me as I neared my climax. The heat of his desire burnt deep inside of my lower abdomen. My core throbbed with desire and with each of his urately time thrust against my womb, my climax was creeping up to me. ¡°Brandon! Ahh! I...I¡¯m...cumming...¡± I cried out and then whimpered. My climax imed me and threatened to consume me whole. I cried out his name as he made me orgasm once again. ¡°You look so sexy when you cum...¡± Brandon said seductively. His body continued thrusting his cock wildly into me. He was groaning louder now as his own passion started taking over him. I could tell that he was also close to his release. It wouldn¡¯t be too long before he came too. I watched as his grey eyes turned a couple of shades darker while his cock fucked my hole faster and harder. My pussy clenched around him as his cock started twitching inside of my wet hole. ¡°Elena...arghhh!¡± Brandon called out my name before he groaned loudly. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 94 94 He Wants Me Back His body stilled above me as his cock shot his hot load into my eagerly awaiting hole. My pussy spasmed around his shaft as it hungrily sucked in his seed. He filled my womb with his release. His hot cum spurted into me in waves that made my entire abdomen feel warm with his heat. I hugged him as heid on top of me and buried his face in my hair. He kissed my ear softly as he whispered my name tenderly. We stayed like that for a while before he rolled off of me andid on his back next to me on the bed. That was some good sex that we just had. I had to admit at least that much. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that. I¡¯m not on the pill...¡± Iined softly after catching my breath. ¡°Is it a bad day?¡± he asked with some concern. ¡°I don¡¯t think so...¡± I replied. ¡°You should get on the pills. I¡¯ll keep doing you raw just like this...¡± Brandon said without any remorse. It was clear that he was nning to sleep with me again...and probably soon. How did ite to this? We¡¯re discussing contraceptives like we¡¯re regr sex partners now. ¡°Wait. I don¡¯t want to...¡± I began protesting. ..... ¡°You¡¯ll want to. Just get on the pills, Elena,¡± Brandon said with certainty. ... I got up from the bed and started dressing. It¡¯s high time that I go home before Brandon attacks me again. I felt his eyes on me, but he didn¡¯t say anything as he also started dressing leisurely. ¡°I¡¯m leaving. You don¡¯t need to walk me out,¡± I stated bluntly as I headed for his bedroom door. ¡°I¡¯ve got some manners, so I¡¯ll walk you out,¡± Brandon replied with a chuckle. I red at him before I sighed and shook my head. My legs felt weak, my pussy felt sore, and I wasn¡¯t in the best of moods right now. I really should head home, then I¡¯ll take a long bath and then I¡¯ll sit on the floor with my back leaned back against my bed while I shove ice cream into my mouth. Ignoring Brandon, I walked out of his bedroom. He followed after me casually. ¡°Your clothes are in the closet in that room over there,¡± Brandon said to me as he pointed a finger over at a closed door. ¡°My clothes?¡± I said in confusion. ¡°Yes, I got some tailored for you,¡± Brandon replied like it waspletely normal. ¡°Aha...thank you...¡± I mumbled. Wait, why are the clothes here and not at his office? Did he know... ¡°Did you know that we would end up here?¡± I asked, my eyes narrowing suspiciously at him. ¡°Of course. I knew that...and I also knew that I¡¯ll make you mine again today...¡± Brandon replied before grinning at me. ¡°I¡¯m not yours...¡± I said seriously. ¡°Watch what you say. I can do you till the sunrises,¡± Brandon said as he smiled charmingly at me. Honestly, I wasn¡¯t sure if he was serious or if he was just ying with me. ¡°You should sleep, and I should go home...¡± I presented my own conclusion. ¡°For today...¡± he muttered as he nodded his head slightly. ... The door to my small apartment closed with a loud m after I had entered. The neighbors are going toin but I didn¡¯t give a damn at that point. I dragged my feet with every step that I took. I felt tired and drained. Before anything else, I headed to the bathroom to take a shower. Everything else can wait for a moment. All I wanted was to stand under the warm water with my eyes closed so that I could escape from reality even if it was just for a bit. The warm water falling from above onto my skin made me feel slightly better. At least, physically it helped rx my muscles. Psychologically, I wasn¡¯t sure how much it helped but it was better than nothing at all. I washed my hair and after putting a robe on, I stepped out of the bathroom with enough control over myself to have a decent conversation. I pulled out a pint of ice cream from the freezer and grabbed a spoon. Sitting down on the floor with my back leaning against the side of my bed, I started shoving some ice cream into my mouth. I closed my eyes and sighed as I felt the coldness of the ice cream in my mouth before the sweetness spread all over my tongue. The coldness started melting in my mouth and I prayed that I wouldn¡¯t get diabetes beforeughing deliriously to myself. With the spoon still in my mouth, I reached for my mobile phone and started dialing Justin. He has to hear about this. I¡¯ve just gotten myself into another mess...again... ¡°Hello baby girl, how are you doing?¡± Justin¡¯s cheerful voice answered the call. ¡°I slept with Brandon today,¡± I confessed straightforwardly. ¡°Slept? As in...¡± Justin asked as if to make sure that he understood correctly. ¡°I had sex with him,¡± I stated bluntly. ¡°Oh...right. And?¡± Justin asked after stuttering. ¡°I don¡¯t know...I¡¯m very confused...¡± I replied honestly. ¡°Umm...are we about to lose another client?¡± Justin asked fearfully. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just thought that I should tell you about it...¡± I mumbled. ¡°Do you want me toe over?¡± Justin offered and I could hear the concern clearly in his voice. ¡°No, it¡¯s ok. I think I just need some time to sleep on it,¡± I said. ¡°Sure. Honestly, as I told you before you started, this isn¡¯tpletely abnormal. Although sleeping with two out of three of your clients is a little...haha...¡± Justin said beforeughing a little. ¡°You know, maybe I¡¯m just not a good fit for this job...¡± I said without any real regret. ¡°Do you want to quit?¡± Justin asked after a short pause. ¡°I don¡¯t know...I¡¯m sorry, I know that I¡¯m not making sense,¡± I apologized sadly. If only quitting was an option for me right now. My debts are waiting for me, and I also didn¡¯t want to give up on this. It was probably me being stubborn and overly daring. I felt tired and depressed, but I knew that I could recover and that I had to turn things around. I can¡¯t give in... ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 95 95 Because of Me ¡°Just let me know...¡± Justin said calmly. ¡°I won¡¯t quit. Just...give me some time to sort myself out a little,¡± I replied determinedly. ¡°Alright. Don¡¯t stress yourself out,¡± Justin said encouragingly. ¡°Thank you...¡± I replied sweetly. I hung up and then tossed the phone onto my bed. It bounced a couple of times on the mattress before settling down. I stared down at the half-full ice cream pint and wondered if it was half full or half empty. Doesn¡¯t really matter either way. The calories that I had consumed would be the same no matter how I looked at it. Iughed a little to myself as I stuffed more ice cream into my mouth. If I ate it all, then I wouldn¡¯t need to worry if it was half full or half empty. If only my troubles will disappear along with this pint of ice cream... ... Due to my messy state of mind, I was permitted to stay home for the day. That didn¡¯t mean that I didn¡¯t have to work. It just meant that I didn¡¯t have to physically meet my clients. I had a call scheduled with Mark today. Although I didn¡¯t want to take the call, Justin had told me that it was only fair for me to answer their questions regarding my request to terminate the contract. That was that. Right on the dot of our appointment time, my phone rang, and I knew that it was Mark. He was a kind man and I really liked working with him; however, I thought that this call was pointless. The main reason was that I wouldn¡¯t honestly tell him what happened between EROS and me. Why can¡¯t they just terminate the contract and let me go free? Why can¡¯t he just ask EROS all about it? ..... ¡°Hello...¡± I answered the call softly. ¡°Hi, Elena. It¡¯s me, Mark,¡± Mark said politely through the phone. ¡°Yes, I was expecting your call,¡± I replied. ¡°Thanks for taking the time to talk to me,¡± Mark continued politely. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so formal,¡± I said casually. ¡°Right...then, let me get to it...¡± Mark said before pausing. ¡°Ok...¡± I said encouragingly. I could sense that whatever Mark was about to say wasn¡¯t easy for him to say. I could sense his hesitation or rather his struggle to put his thoughts into words. ¡°It¡¯s about your request to terminate your contract. I guess asking you for the reason why you chose to request for a termination wouldn¡¯t help us much. So, instead of asking that, I want to ask if it would be at all possible for you to reconsider your decision,¡± Mark requested politely. ¡°I¡¯m a little relieved that you¡¯re not asking why but I would like to stick with my decision,¡± I replied. ¡°EROS is having some trouble at work. Honestly, I¡¯m not even sure if it¡¯s rted to this but ever since you stopped turning up, he¡¯s been having trouble...¡± Mark confessed miserably. I could tell from the worry in his voice that it was probably a big deal. However, just like Mark had alluded to just now, I didn¡¯t think that it had anything to do with me. ¡°What trouble?¡± I asked. ¡°Well, things like, he¡¯s losing focus at work. He¡¯s extra moody like...I don¡¯t even want to start exining how bad it is. He¡¯s made no progress in his acting practice and says that he just wants to drop the project entirely. He¡¯s not cooperating with the producers or any team members on his new single either. The upper management is going crazy over this and of course, I¡¯m bearing the me as well...¡± Mark exined with a mix ofint. I could feel the pain and frustration that he was going through in this voice. However, I wasn¡¯t sure if I could do anything to help. Continuing to work with EROS isn¡¯t something possible for me right now. ¡°Right...¡± I murmured. ¡°So please...can you please reconsider your decision?¡± Mark pleaded. ¡°As you said, EROS might just be going through a tough time and it probably doesn¡¯t have anything to do with me,¡± I replied empathetically but I wasn¡¯t about to change my mind. ¡°I understand. Then, could you please meet with him. Please, just once is enough,¡± Mark said pleadingly. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it...¡± I replied softly. Mark probably wouldn¡¯t take a straight no for an answer. Although, I pitied the man and the rest of EROS¡¯s team members, I didn¡¯t really want to meet him, and I doubt that meeting him would help fix anything including his performance at work. It has nothing to do with me. ¡°Alright. Thank you...¡± Mark said gratefully. I stared at my phone screen after the call had disconnected as I wondered how EROS was doing. Then, I pped my cheeks with my hands to snap me out of my own thoughts. No, I am not worried about him. ... Staying alone in my apartment for a day wasn¡¯t a bad deal at all. I got to rest. I got to think and reflect about the various things that had been happeningtely. Life got a lot moreplicated after George passed away and I started a new life. The television in the room showed various news and I listened to it passively as Ized around on my bed. Tomorrow is another day of work because it would be Friday. So far, I had no idea who I would be seeing. I¡¯m seeing Adrian on Saturday so there was only Brandon left and things areplicated with him right now...so... While my mindzily reflected on all that was going on, something on the news caught my attention. A blonde female reporter was talking excitedly as she reported on celebrities and entertainment news. ¡®We are standing in front of GH Entertainment where the superstar EROS is about to make a public statement and announcement regarding histest single that is due to be released very soon. There are so many fans here and it¡¯s such a big crowd. We are waiting for EROS to make an appearance. Oh, here hees!¡¯ ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 96 96 His Public Announcement My eyes watched the television screen intently as the news started to gain my undivided attention. EROS is about to have a press conference about the release of his new single. Mark had mentioned just earlier that he had problem with his work. Did that have an impact on the release of his new single as well? Without realizing it, I had leaned forward with my eyes glued to the television screen as I watched an elegantly dressed EROS walk out from the building towards the podium that had been prepared for him in advance. He lookedpletely fine. He didn¡¯t seem to be in an outstandingly good mood, but he didn¡¯t look deted or depressed either. His aura still shone so brightly which just reaffirmed his superstar status. The sound of the crowd cheering loudly entered the camera and I could hear them so clearly as if I was standing right there with them in the middle of the crowd. The female reporter and camera man struggled to get a good viewpoint to film EROS. EROS took the stage before nodding and smiling towards the crowd of his fan. He wore an all-white three-piece suit with a ck tie. The crowd cheered loudly, and it was clear that they were looking forward to hearing good news about this brand-new single. I wondered what the song would be like. ¡°Thank you everyone for your time. Honestly, I did not expect such arge crowd to turn up. Thank you for always being here for me. I am eternally thankful for your continuous support. As requested by many, I am here to simply update everyone on the progress of my new single. The song is wholly written andposed by me, both the music and the lyrics...¡± EROS said politely. Although he smiled, he didn¡¯t seem very excited about the release of his new single at all. I cocked my head to the side as the camera zoomed in on EROS¡¯s beautiful face. I wondered what was wrong with him? During the brief pause in his speech, the reporters roared and screamed their questions at him. Their voice entering into the camera as a storm of undistinguishable words. EROS stood still with a smile stered on his face as he faced the reporter and the blinding light of the sh. ¡°Unfortunately, due to some issues, I regret to inform everyone that I am uncertain if the single is good enough to be released...¡± EROS continued before pausing again. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Will the single be released?¡± ..... ¡°Will the release date be postponed?¡± ¡°Please give us more details!¡± EROS stood and smile, clearly unaffected by the aggressive and shocked responses of the reporters and the fans. It was very loud now that EROS wasn¡¯t speaking. What does he mean by not being sure whether the single was good enough or not? ¡°I would like to bepletely honest to my fans about this. I¡¯ll find out soon if the song is good enough or not. If it is good enough then the single will be released on the scheduled date without dy. However...if the song doesn¡¯t quite cut it then, I¡¯llpletely scrap it and I¡¯ll consider cancelling the ns for releasing this single entirely. Hopefully, that won¡¯t be the case...¡± EROS said before stepping to the side of the podium and bowing his head low apologetically towards the crowd of his loyal fans. My mouth hung open in shock. His fans and the reporters were stunned into a moment of silence before the crowd exploded with shouts, cries, andments. The camera panned out and started capturing fans in the crowd. Some of them were crying and hugging each other like they had just heard that the world wasing to an end. ¡°I¡¯m sure that won¡¯t be the case. So many fans are waiting eagerly for the release of your single!¡± ¡°It is sure to be a hit that will top the chart for months!¡± The reporters made many simrments, but EROS just smiled a little and refused toment any further on the topic. After that the bodyguards escorted EROS back into the building, marking the end of the press release. I lifted the remote control and switched the television off. EROS...maybe something is really wrong with him right now... ... I woke up with a headache the following morning after my phone started ringing. Who would be calling so early in the morning? I grabbed my phone and answered it without looking at the screen. ¡°Hello...¡± I whispered. ¡°Did I wake you?¡± a familiar joyful voice asked soundingpletely guiltfree. ¡°Justin? Yes, you woke me...¡± I replied before yawning. ¡°Good news. You don¡¯t have to go meet any of your clients today. You do have a date with Doctor Adrian tomorrow at the zoo. You know that, right?¡± Justin asked. ¡°Aha...¡± I mumbled. I did remember. Actually, I looked forward to a fun date with Adrian and his daughter at the zoo. It would probably be a refreshing experience amid all that was going on. ¡°Good. Well, take care and enjoy some rest. Give me a call if you¡¯re bored!¡± Justin eximed excitedly before hanging up. I let the phone fall from my hand onto the bed before rolling around and going back to sleep. He told me to enjoy my rest, so I decided to catch up on some sleep. ... It was sometime close to noon when I woke up. It wasn¡¯t my choice to wake up at that time but the sound of my doorbell ringing non-stop was the culprit that woke me from my slumber. Seriously, who is it?! No one knows that I live here except for Justin and the guy who rented the room out to me. Justin just called so I was pretty sure that it wasn¡¯t Justin. Is it the building manager? I cursed softly under my breath as I dragged my ultrazy body out of bed and headed to the door. This better be worth my effort or I¡¯m going to scream at the poor soul standing in front of my door. Looking through the peephole, I could see an impatient delivery guy standing at in front of my door. I don¡¯t remember ordering anything, though. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 97 97 Say It In a Love Song ¡°Are you here to deliver something?¡± I asked after opening the door a crack. ¡°Yes. This package is for you, and it would be great if you could sign here,¡± the man said as he shoved a small package the size of my smartphone in my hand before pointing to where I had to sign. I took the pen from him and signed the papers. He thanked me in a hurry before heading off to his next destination. I watched him go until he disappeared from sight with a confused look on my face. My hand held the small package that had just been delivered and I stared down at it in wonder. The package was small and light and for the life of me, I couldn¡¯t guess what was inside. Honestly, I didn¡¯t order anything online. After closing the door and locking it, I sat down on the floor at my little table before starting to open the package. There¡¯s only one way to find out what is inside and that was to simply open it. The package was so properly sealed that I had a hand time opening it with my hands and fingers. I reached over for a scissor and that did the trick. There was a silver metal case inside the package and nothing else. Curious to find out more, I opened the metal case immediately. My eye blinked rapidly for a moment in a mix of surprise and confusion. There were only two things inside the metal case. One was a USB drive, and the other was a small handwritten note. I held the standard looking USB drive in my hand as I wondered why this thing was sent to me. My attention shifted to the small handwritten note. I don¡¯t recognize this handwriting at all. Well, it wasn¡¯t like I memorized people¡¯s handwriting. I didn¡¯t even remember George¡¯s handwriting and perhaps the only handwriting that I could remember was Brandon¡¯s. Although, I wasn¡¯t sure if his handwriting has changed over the years or not. The message on the handwritten note was short and simple: ¡®Is this good enough for you, ¡°My Naomi¡±?¡¯ That was it. The note was left unsigned. ..... Naomi... Is it that Naomi?! It can¡¯t be... I got up from where I was seated and quickly grabbed myptop. cing it down in front of me on the small coffee table, I turned theptop on and quickly inserted the USB drive. My fingers tapped against the table impatiently as I waited for the content on the drive to load. What is on the drive? There was only one file on the drive and from the looks of it, it was an audio file. This isn¡¯t what I think it is, is it? A strange feeling that I couldn¡¯t quite ce filled my stomach as my hovered the mouse over the icon of the file. I hesitated to open it. Precisely because I knew what the file was, I was even more hesitant to open it. I closed my eyes tightly as my palm got sweaty form my nervousness. Here goes nothing... After opening my eyes, I double clicked on the file to open it before I would change my mind. The sound of sweet yet sorrowful music filled my small apartment. A rich melody of a piano filled the room as the track continued to y. The music felt so fresh and clean. Simple without anyplications yet it felt very honest. After the introduction, the sound of EROS¡¯s voice started singing. It¡¯s EROS¡¯s voice without a doubt so this must be ERO¡¯s new song. Why did he send this to me? I closed my eyes as I listened to his new song, the sorrowful melody of the piano and his beautiful voice as he sang the song¡¯s lyrics. It was such a beautiful yet extremely sad song. The song had all elements of a sorrowful love. Misunderstandings, the inability tomunicate your thoughts and feelings to the one that you love, hurting each other in ways that couldn¡¯t be reversed or taken back. The chorus was the sweetest apology that I have ever heard in my life. It was honest with a smart y on words. I didn¡¯t know how to describe the feelings that I felt when the song ended. The song touched me in a way that I couldn¡¯t quite understand and the proof of that was the wet and warm tears flowing from my eyes. I brushed my tears away from my cheeks with the pad of my fingers before I sniffed a little. Up until the moment that the song ended, I never knew that a love song could sound so beautiful while also sounding so hurt and broken. I also never knew that an apology could take on such a beautiful and inspirational form like this. ¡®I said it all in that song. If she¡¯s too dumb to understand it, then that¡¯s her problem,¡¯ His words came back to me, and my eyes widened in sudden realization. Is this what EROS wanted to tell me? More tears welled up in my eyes until my vision was all blurry and I couldn¡¯t see the screen of myptop clearly anymore. I shook my head before reaching my fingers up to wipe the oing tears away from my eyes. In that moment, many things were not clear to me, but I was certain about one thing: I didn¡¯t want to be a dumb girl. I think EROS said something about finding out if this song was good enough in his press conference. If I remembered correct, he said something along the lines of... ¡®I¡¯ll find out soon if the song is good enough or not...if the song doesn¡¯t quite cut it then, I¡¯llpletely scrap it and I¡¯ll consider cancelling the ns for releasing this single entirely...¡¯ He¡¯ll find out soon... Don¡¯t tell me. I nced over at the small handwritten note as I started to understand why he sent me the file of his newest single. ¡®Is this good enough for you, ¡°My Naomi¡±?¡¯ My eyes read that short question on the small white piece of paper over and over again. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 98 98 Acting Like a Family It¡¯s supposed to be good manners and extremely romantic if I cooked something and brought it along to eat during our trip to the zoo. Like we would sit down and have my homecooked food as we looked at the animals. It would be a perfect little pic and we would act like a happy-go-lucky family. That was the dream. The reality was that the small kitchte in my studio apartment doesn¡¯t really function. The thing was so small and was clearly not made for real cooking. That fact didn¡¯t bother me at all when I first chose this room because I never thought that I would have to cook anything beyond using the microwave. Standing in front of it, I now knew that no amount of cooking ss during my school days could help me if I didn¡¯t have a proper kitchen to cook in. Should I just make some sad sandwiches? I woke up super early to figure this out, but it seemed like that idea had to go right out the window. Might as well spend the time dolling myself up to make up for theck of homecooked food. I decided to go with a chic but slightly casual look. Wanting to look quite feminine, I picked a white shirt with doll sleeves withce decoration and matched it with a ck skirt. Perhaps it was a little too short but since I had decided to wear ts instead of high heels to add to mobility, short skirts will make my legs look longer topensate for theck of heels. I curled my hair into waves and decided to keep it down. Adrian¡¯s butler greeted me when I arrived at his house and a valet quickly offered to handle my car. I thanked them both before I was invited in to wait for Adrian in the sitting room. While I was waiting, I decided to walk around a little to look around instead of just sitting on the sofa. I realized it before but after walking around, my suspicions were confirmed. There were many photos of Adrian and his daughter around the living room but no matter where I looked, there wasn¡¯t a single photograph of his wife. Millie¡¯s mother seemed like a big mystery. Since she passed away when Millie was very young maybe they didn¡¯t get a photo together? It wasn¡¯t likely but even if I decided to let that slide, it didn¡¯t exin why there were no photos of her together with Adrian. Was he so distraught over her death that he couldn¡¯t bear the pain of seeing her photos? ¡°Elena, I¡¯m d you could make it,¡± Adrian called out to me. I turned to see Adrian walking into the room followed by Millie and her nanny. Adrian looked stunningly delicious in casual clothing. His outfit sort of matched mine, I thought as my eyes traveled down the length of his body form his white long sleeve shirt to his ck jeans. ¡°Of course. We have a date, don¡¯t we?¡± I replied with a cheerful smile. ¡°You¡¯re right about that. If you¡¯re ready, shall we?¡± Adrian said as he offered me a hand. ..... Oh...he wants to hold hands... I smiled a little shyly at him as I gently ced my hand into his muchrger one. His hand and his fingers are so beautiful, I thought once again. The warmth of his hand enveloped mine as he pulled lightly on my arm for me to follow him. ¡°Hi, Millie. Let¡¯s have a great time together at the zoo!¡± I said enthusiastically before shing her one of my brightest smiles. ¡°Ok...¡± she replied, sounding very shy. Well, we had an entire day ahead of us to work on that. ¡°The driver will drive us there,¡± Adrian informed me reassuringly. He led me to arge family van before inviting me to get into the seat next to his. Millie and her nanny took the seat towards the back. Getting into a van like this really made me feel like we were on a family trip. It was a clear contrast to Adrian¡¯s luxury limited edition sportscar for sure. ... We arrived at the zoo and my real mission of getting closer to Millie while making her enjoy the trip truly began. What are we supposed to do at the zoo apart from looking at the animals? This clearly wasn¡¯t within my area of expertise. I nced over at Millie who was holding her nanny¡¯s hand while she looked around the ce excitedly. ¡°What animals do you like, Millie?¡± I asked her sweetly as I bent down to her level. ¡°Tigers...and penguins...¡± Millie replied a little shyly. ¡°Wow. Let¡¯s go see them. I¡¯m sure they¡¯re here in the zoo,¡± I replied cheerfully. Millie nodded still acting quite shy. We entered the zoo and after getting our tickets and maps of attractions, Adrian and I began discussing where we should go first and how we should spend the day. That made me realize how organized Adrian was and the fact that he liked to do some nning. I smiled as I watched him point out the various attractions to me. ¡°What about this route? If we follow this path, we can stop by all the main animal zones, and of course, Millie will get to see her favorite tigers and penguins,¡± Adrian suggested as his fingers traced a path around the zoo. He was right. That route seemed most optimal, and we would be able to cover most of the zoo without ending toote in the day. ¡°That sounds great but what about we stop around here too? I¡¯m sure Millie would want to take some photos with her daddy,¡± I replied as I pointed to an attraction made for visitors to take photos together. ¡°Alright. We can take photos together there,¡± Adrian said as he smiled at me. I found myself smiling back naturally. Spending the day with Adrian started to feel like an easy task. If I can just worry less and get along with Millie, today will probably turn out to be a fun day for me too. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 99 99 Building Rtionships ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Adrian said as he reached down and held my hand in his. It was strange but I haven¡¯t gotten used to holding his hand. Although we were just holding hands, I found myself blushing a little. My eyes widened in surprise as I turned to meet his gaze when Adrian intertwined his fingers with mine tightly. I didn¡¯t know what to say when he smiled at me like that. Millie and her nanny walked in front of us after we told her nanny about the route that we wanted to take. I came to appreciate the nanny so much. She seemed so responsible and could handle Millie all on her own. It was like we didn¡¯t even need to be there, and we didn¡¯t need to worry about taking care of Millie. That gave Adrian and me a lot of time together, but I wasn¡¯t sure if this was what a standard family outing was supposed to be like. Our first stop were animals from the savannah. Zebras, lions, tigers, and various other animals from the savannah were on disy in well decoratedrge cages that were supposed to resemble their natural habitat. ¡°Tiger! Tiger!¡± Millie shouted loudly in her excitement of seeing live tigers. ¡°That¡¯s right. Their fur looks so soft but don¡¯t put your hand into their cage...¡± I said before warning her. ¡°I know...¡± she replied with her eyes still glued to the tigerszing around in their cage. ¡°They¡¯re so big and look at their stripes,¡± I said encouragingly. Millie seemed to be enjoying herself and that was a great thing. I could feel Adrian¡¯s eyes on us, and I turned to smile at him. I wasn¡¯t sure if Adrian was enjoying himself, but he was willing to carve out time from his busy schedule to spend time with us here. ..... ¡°Big cat...¡± Millie said happily. It was probably because the tigers were one of Millie¡¯s favorite animals that we spent quite a lot of time in the savannah zone before moving on to our next destination. ¡°Millie seems happy,¡± Adrian said softly at my side. ¡°Yes, I think so too. Do you bring her to these types of ces often?¡± I asked. ¡°Not really, but I try to. Most of the time she just goes with her school, with her friends, or with her nanny,¡± Adrian replied casually. ¡°You must be so busy. Thank you for taking the time toe with us today...¡± I thanked him. It was my idea to invite Millie out to bond with her all for the sake of my job and with that Adrian got dragged out as well. I hoped he didn¡¯t mind, though. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m having a good time,¡± he said to ease my worries. The way his hand tightened slightly around mine made me believe that he was telling the truth and I found myself smiling like a fool as we walked side-by-side to our next destination. ... ¡°Fish fish fish!¡± Millie cried out excitedly when we stood in front of the aquarium section of the zoo. ¡°Not just fishes. Your cute little penguins are in there too,¡± I told her as I ced a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Penguins! Penguins!¡± she said happily as she turned to smile at me. It was the right decisioning to the zoo. Millie was so excited that she began dragging her nannie¡¯s hand, pulling the poor woman after her in a hurry to go inside. Iughed a little to myself as I watched them go on ahead of us. ¡°Shall we?¡± Adrian said invitingly. He offered me his arm teasingly and I thought that he looked like a prince but just dressed in casual clothing. I smiled at him before I nodded and slipped my arm around his. His arm in mine felt warm andforting and the way he would slip his arm around my waist or pull me close when someone was passing by close to us, made me feel like we really were a couple. Adrian is amazing at handling girls. I let Adrian lead me into the aquarium. There were a lot of families and couples there probably because it was a Saturday. It was a lot dimmer inside and only the pathway and the fish tanks were lit up with light. We followed Millie as she jumped from one fish tank to another. ¡°This one is Nemo,¡± I said as I pointed to an orange fish with white stripe. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right,¡± Millie said with a nod as her eyes grew wide. ¡°It¡¯s a clown fish,¡± I said before turning to smile at her. ¡°It¡¯s so cute. So pretty...¡± Millie whispered in awe. Millie¡¯s attention shifted to anotherrge fish tank and tugged on her nannie¡¯s hand to lead her there. I smiled after her, thinking how adorable she is. Millie seemed like a sweet and normal girl despite her family¡¯s situation. I wasn¡¯t sure if Adrian was over thinking things or not because Millie didn¡¯t seem that affected by the fact that she didn¡¯t have a mother like the other kids. Well, as far as I could tell. As I was about to follow Millie, Adrian tugged on my hand and pulled me back. His slightly forceful pullnded me against him. I looked up to see Adrian¡¯s face close to mine and he was smiling down at me mischievously. ¡°Adrian?¡± I called his name softly and questioningly and I wondered what he wanted. His arms wrapped around my waist from behind, pulling me even closer to him. The heat of his body against my back made me very aware that we were pressed very closely together. We¡¯re in public and there¡¯s so many people around. What is he doing? ¡°Millie can hang out with her nanny so what about we go on our own date?¡± Adrian suggested as he whispered into my ear seductively. A date with Adrian didn¡¯t sound bad but aren¡¯t we supposed to act like a family for Millie today? A couple on a date walked past us and I started to wonder if Adrian and I looked like a couple on a date together just like that. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 100 100 Just the Two of Us ¡°I¡¯ll text the nanny, so you don¡¯t have to worry. Ok?¡± Adrian said reassuringly as his warm breath tickled my earlobe making me shiver slightly in his arms. Adrian let go of me very briefly to text the nanny before he wrapped an arm around my shoulder. Suddenly, my heart was beating very fast. We¡¯ve been together in the zoo for a long time now together, but it was just now that I realized that I was on a date with Adrian. The thought excited me a little. ¡°The fish tunnel is this way...¡± Adrian whispered in my ear. Was it just me or was his voice so smooth and seductive just now? Not knowing what to say, I just nodded my head slightly and let him take the lead in leading us to the fish tunnel that he mentioned. This aquarium was supposedly famous for their long and winding fish tunnel that cut under water so that you could see the fish swimming around and above you through the clear ss. The tunnel was even darker than the other areas with the main lighting from the lit fish tank. There were many people in the tunnel from families with small kids to couples on a date. I guess Adrian and I are one of those couples on a date now. ¡°It¡¯s so dark...¡± I murmured as I lifted my face up towards the light from above from the fish tank. Arge stingray swam by showcasing its white belly to me. I wasn¡¯t sure if that was its belly, but I smiled thinking that it was. ¡°It¡¯s a lot less crowded here, thankfully,¡± Adrian said to me. ..... ¡°Adrian...¡± I murmured his name as he wrapped his arms around my waist from behind. Once again, I found myself being pulled into his warm hug. My body began rxing against his as I enjoyed thefort of his embrace. It felt so natural being with Adrian like this. It was a strange feeling, but I felt so at home and at ease when I¡¯m with him. It was like I¡¯ve known him for a long time although we had just met. ¡°You smell good...¡± Adrian whispered seductively from behind me. ¡°No...please...I¡¯m all sweaty...¡± I protested softly and shyly. We¡¯ve been walking around the zoo, and I had started to sweat since that time when we were in the savannah zone. Adrianpletely ignored my protests and began sniffing my neck. I let out a small cry of surprise when he ced a firm kiss on the side of my neck. I immediately turned around to look around us. The people walking by didn¡¯t pay us any attention or perhaps it was too dark for them to see clearly. Regardless, I was d that no one was paying attention to us. ¡°Adrian...¡± I whispered his name before a soft moan escaped my lips. ¡°Keep your voice down...¡± Adrian whispered teasingly. I couldn¡¯t believe that he intended to make out with me in a ce like this. We¡¯re supposed to be spending our time with Millie. Now that I think about it, couples probably liked making out and showing their affection in ces like these. Not that I had any experience with standard dating venues like these. I wondered if Adrian had loads of dating experience and then thought that he obviously did. His lips continued to nt small kisses along the side of my neck as he pressed my body harder against his. His arms tightened around my body as his sweet kisses quickly became more demanding. The wet tip of his tongue slipped out and started licking the sensitive skin of my neck. I moaned and closed my eyes, no longer caring about the fishes swimming by in the tank. His tongue slowly traced upwards before he began sucking on my earlobe. He¡¯s so naughty but he¡¯s making me feel so good. It wasn¡¯t long before I had to admit that he was turning me on so much as he continued to y with me. His hands began exploring the curves of my body slipping down from my waist to caress my hips before reaching up to grope my breasts through my clothes. Adrian let out a satisfied sigh when his hands reached my breasts before he began massaging them. I moaned and bit my lower lip to keep myself from making loud lewd sounds in public. Adrian didn¡¯t seem to care at all that we were in public and that there were people asionally walking by. Although the ce wasn¡¯t crowded and dark, I was still quite aware that we were in a public ce. I wondered how far he would take this and then I wondered how far I would allow him to take this. Perhaps his naughty and slightly rebellious streak was rubbing off on me because I found myself enjoying his attention more and more. I didn¡¯t protest when his hand started slipping under my shirt to caress the skin of my tummy directly. Hisrge hand teased my skin and I whimpered. His other hand turned my head towards him and before I could react, his lips were on mine. His kiss was firm and determined. His lips felt warm and soft on mine as he crushed against my lips. His hand crept up my skin towards my chest. I moaned into his kiss as his hand reached my breast and cupped it over my bra. ¡°Mhmmm...¡± I moanedzily. Adrian took that as a signal to probe my lips open with the tip of his wet tongue. I let out another moan of pleasure as his wet tongue slipped into the depth of my mouth. He tasted me as his tongue intertwined with mine and engaged in a fervent dance. My body started to feel warmer, and I began melting in his arms from his seductive techniques. His hand gently peeled the cup of my bra away from one of my breasts before his hand cupped my naked breast directly. The heat from his hand seeped into my sensitive skin and my nipple quickly hardened as I got even more turned on by him. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 101 101 His Private Entertainment He continued to kiss me passionately as our kiss got deeper and wetter. My body began responding freely to him as I squirmed a little in his arms and began kissing him back ardently. Adrian slipped another hand under my shirt and both hands began kneading my breasts simultaneously. My body felt hot as it burned with the fire of desire that he had lit within me. A throbbing heat started settling in my lower abdomen before moving lower to the sensitive spot in between my legs. His skillful fingers pulled on my nipples, and I moaned into our kiss at the intense pleasure. My nipples grew hard and taunt as he continued to pull and tug on them. I thrusted my chest outwards towards his hand invitingly and he responded by rolling my hardened nipples between his fingertips. The throbbing heat in my core grew hotter before leaking out from my love hole. A hot wetness gushed out from my love opening in between my legs and onto my panties. Adrian was making me so hot and wet for him. I closed my legs tightly together as my pussy throbbed with need and desire. By the time that he broke our kiss, my head was swimming in the clouds and my body felt like it had melted into a hot mess in his arms. There was a look of mischief and dark desire in his green eyes as he stared closely at me. Hisrge hands dropped to caress the sides of my hips before I felt his obvious hardness grind against my ass from behind. He¡¯s so hard already... ¡°Adrian...¡± I whispered his name lustily. Adrian smiled down at me before his hand lifted to tuck a lock of my stray hair behind my ears. I could see desire swimming in the depths of his eyes and wondered how we were going to put out the fire that he had started in both of us. ¡°Don¡¯t say my name like that, I¡¯m already having a hard time holding myself back...¡± Adrian whispered close to my ear as he hugged me closer to him. If this was Adrian holding himself back, then I didn¡¯t even want to imagine what he would be like if he wasn¡¯t holding back. I nced down shyly as I wrapped my arms around his back and held him close. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll wait till we get home...¡± Adrian said before he stroked the back of my head adoringly. ..... Are we going to...do it when we get back? That question hung in my mind, and I didn¡¯t dare voice it out loud. Desire swirled in my lower abdomen and my pussy still throbbed with desire for him. ¡°We should go and find Millie and her nanny...¡± I suggested softly. ¡°Guess we should...¡± Adrian quietly agreed. His arms rxed around my body as he let me go. I was scared that things might get awkward between us but when he smiled charmingly at me and took my hand into his, everything seemed like normal. It seemed like my fears were unfounded. Adrian gave the nanny a call and we were able to meet up with Millie soon after that. Soon it was lunchtime, and we ate at a simple restaurant in the zoo. There wasn¡¯t a lot of options avable, but I was fine with anything at that point. Thankfully there were many menus for kids and Millie had a good time eating her ice cream after her main meal. ¡°I wished I could have cooked something and brought it along for like a pic of something...¡± I mumbled regrettably. ¡°You can cook?¡± Adrian asked with interest. I could cook only some menus that the school taught me so I wouldn¡¯t go as far as to say that I could really cook. ¡°I can cook some things, I guess. There were some serious cooking sses during my time at school...¡± I exined. ¡°Really?¡± Adrian asked with even more interest. I felt like I needed to manage his expectation well before he thought that I could cook up a feast for him. ¡°I¡¯m not a pro and I¡¯m not even that good at it...¡± I said a little shyly. ¡°I love cooking. I¡¯m not a pro either, but what about cooking together some time soon? I can cook for you, and you can cook for me. How¡¯s that?¡± Adrian suggested before shing me a charming smile. Sounds like a magical date if you ask me... ¡°Sure...let¡¯s do that,¡± I replied with a gentle smile. Adrian looked ecstatic as heughed a little. It was clear that he was looking forward to us cooking together. I have my own worries about cooking with other people though; however, I decided to keep that to myself for now. ¡°Can youe over to cook at my ce?¡± he asked enthusiastically. ¡°Umm...sure...¡± I replied. It¡¯s got to be at his ce because I don¡¯t even have a functional kitchen in my small little room. ¡°This is a really pleasant surprise. I¡¯ll set the date as soon as possible,¡± he said happily. I smiled at Adrian before I felt Millie¡¯s eyes on us, and I turned to smile at her. Millie seemed very happy now that Adrian seemed happy. Perhaps, the easier and shortest way to Millie¡¯s heart was through Adrian. I was sure that the little girl wanted her father to be happy and that made me wonder what Adrian was like when I¡¯m not around. Is he as happy and cheerful as he is now? What is their rtionship really like? For some reason, I felt like there was more to this family than met the eye. Although I didn¡¯t know what it was exactly that was bothering me. The rumors that I heard about him came flooding back; however, when I looked at him enjoying himself so carefreely or when I thought about how he handled me with such care, I found it hard to believe that those rumors were true. After lunch, we walked around for a little while before stopping at the photoshoot location. The ce was packed with people. I guess it wasn¡¯t surprising for people to share the same idea of having their couple or family photo taken here. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 102 102 Sessful Mission The zoo had built quite an impressive disy of animal statues with a beautiful disy of flowers and nts. It was the perfect spot to take a memorable photo for anyone¡¯s trip to the zoo. ¡°I¡¯ll take the photo for you, Sir,¡± the nanny quickly offered. ¡°Thanks,¡± Adrian replied kindly before handing her his phone. ¡°Come this way, Millie. Let¡¯s take a photo together,¡± I said as I offered her my hand. Millie hesitated a little before cing her smaller hand into mine. Her hand felt soft, and I thought that she was extremely cute. I helped her over to a status of a tiger because she liked tigers. Adrian came to stand next to me before wrapping an arm around my waist and pulled me slightly closer to him. ¡°Please look this way,¡± the nanny said as she waved at us to focus on the camera. ¡°Smile!¡± I told Millie. We all put on our best smiles while the nanny took multiple photos of us. I was quite certain that the photos would turn out great, and hopefully, we would look like a family. I had to say that the day progressed smoothly all thanks to Millie being on her best behavior. My life could have been very different had she had been such a difficult child. Then again, I might just break off the contract because I didn¡¯t like dealing with snobby children. No one does, right? ¡°What about a photo with just you and your father?¡± I suggested brightly. ..... Millie nced up at Adrian with hope in her eyes. Iughed at how shy she was sometimes towards her father. ¡°Do you want Adrian to carry you?¡± I asked suggestively. ¡°Yes...¡± Millie mumbled. I turned to smile at Adrian who sighed a little before giving in. He lifted little Millie into his arms and posed for their photo to be taken. The two looked picture perfect together and Millie was all smiles. She really loves him. Adrian is so lucky to have such a darling daughter like Millie. ¡°Can we take a photo together?¡± Adrian turned to ask me once he had ced Millie back on her feet. ¡°Me?¡± I asked, a little surprised. ¡°Of course. Who else?¡± Adrian teased before pulling on my wrist. ¡°Umm...ok...¡± I mumbled as he quickly pulled me to his side. ¡°Look this way!¡± the nanny said. Millie was already standing at her side. I stood next to Adrian before he ced his arm around my waist and pull me even closer. He smiled down at me before we both turned to smile at the camera. Then his arm pushed me further closer to him. ¡°Adrian...¡± I whispered. ¡°Come closer...¡± he said as he urged me even closer. We were so close that I had to put a hand on his chest. I smiled one of my best smiles at the camera as the nanny took photos of us. ¡°Thank you...¡± I thanked her when we were done. ¡°Mille, are you tired?¡± the nanny asked. Millie shook her head but even I could tell that Millie was very tired. It looked like she was ready to fall asleep where she was standing. The nanny quickly noticed that too and scooped Millie up into her arms. ¡°We should head back. I think Millie¡¯s had her fill of zoo animals for the day,¡± Adrian quickly agreed. Millie looked a little dissatisfied that we were going home earlier than nned but when we got back to the car, she fell asleep in no time at all. ¡°I guess she really was tired...¡± I whispered as I nced at her adorable sleeping face. ¡°She¡¯s tired, miss. She walked a lot, and she was excited all day...¡± the nanny replied. Iughed softly before turning back in my seat to focus my attention on the handsome man sitting right next to me. Adrian still held my hand, and I was stillforted by his touch. ¡°Are you sleepy? You can take a nap, you know?¡± Adrian suggested tenderly. ¡°Hmm...a little...¡± I admitted. ¡°You can lean your head on my shoulder,¡± Adrian offered kindly. I smiled up at him thinking that I wasn¡¯t a child; however, I decided to take him up on his offer and slowly leaned my head on his shoulder as I hugged his arm to my side. His body felt so warm and when he reached out his hand to stroke my hair softly, my eyelids started to feel heavy and soon my eyes had drifted closed. ... Adrian woke me up from my pleasant slumber when we arrived back at his mansion. I can¡¯t believe that I truly fell asleep at his invitation. Does this count as sleeping on the job, I wondered. ¡°Good morning...¡± Adrian said teasingly. ¡°Morning...¡± I repliedzily. It wasn¡¯t morning though. By the time we arrived back at the mansion, it was veryte in the afternoon and evening was fast approaching. Millie had just woken up too and she seems very sleepy and disorientated. The nanny saved the day once again by carrying her into the mansion while she was still drowsy from sleep. ¡°I¡¯ll take Millie to her bedroom. She probably needs more sleep. I wish that I could shower her first because she¡¯s so sweaty but...¡± the nanny said very quickly. She must love Millie quite a lot because she took care of the girl so well. I smiled at her as she quickly excused herself. ¡°Thank you, Elena,¡± Millie said softly. I reached out a hand to stroke her soft brown hair. She¡¯s so adorable but our little angel has lost almost all of her energy. ¡°You¡¯re wee, dear. Have a good nap,¡± I replied sweetly before waving my hand at her. ¡°Ok...¡± she mumbled. The nanny took Millie up the stairs, and I continued waving to her. As she disappeared from sight, I felt like my mission for the day hade to a decently sessful end. First family outing ticked. ¡°I d today went smoothly. Honestly, I was very nervous about how it would turn out at first,¡± I confessed truthfully to Adrian. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 103 103 Continuation of our Love ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you,¡± Adrian said with a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. It¡¯s all thanks to Millie for being such a sweetheart. Seriously, I think you¡¯re too harsh on her,¡± I replied. ¡°Am I? I think I might have spoiled her a little too much when she was younger. Now that she¡¯s starting to grow up, I want to make sure that she is raised right,¡± Adrian said determinedly. ¡°If you say so. Anyways, if there¡¯s nothing else, I should head back now...¡± I said quickly to excuse myself. I could use a bath because my skin feels sticky with sweat from walking around the zoo all day. Going back to my little apartment to enjoy a shower beforezing around on my bed would be the perfect way for me to gather back my energy. ¡°Are you in a hurry?¡± Adrian asked. ¡°Umm...no, not really,¡± I replied as I wondered what was it that he wanted. ¡°Come with me for a bit. I¡¯ll like to talk to you,¡± Adrian said, and I felt his hand at the small of my back. ¡°Ok...¡± I replied as he led me along a hallway. ..... We stopped in front of a veryrge wooden door and Adrian opened it and gestured for me to go in. The room seemed to be a study or some sort with lots of books on shelves along the wall. There was arge set offortable-looking sofas and a veryrge wooden desk. ¡°This is my study. I have another room on the second floor too, but I like this one more. It¡¯s cozier,¡± Adrian exined wlessly. ¡°I see. There¡¯re so many books...¡± I said admiringly. ¡°I like reading although most of the books here are medical texts and business-rted books. So, probably not that interesting for most people...¡± Adrian exined. ¡°I think business is very interesting. I don¡¯t know about the medical text, though,¡± I replied with a smallugh. Adrian gestured with his hand for me to take a seat on the sofa and I did. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what he wanted to talk to me about. Perhaps it had something to do with our visit to the zoo today. I felt like I had a couple of things I wanted to discuss with him concerning Millie too. ¡°Adrian, about Millie...I think she¡¯s a very nice girl and quite mature for her age. I know that you¡¯re worried about her not having a mother and all but from what I can see, she seems very happy with the life that she has now,¡± I said, daring to voice my observations. ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m d that she¡¯s happy. There isn¡¯t much that I can do for her...about her mother...¡± Adrian replied as he sat down next to me on the sofa. I realized that we were quite close, but I didn¡¯t mind. At that moment, I was more concerned about how Adrian¡¯s tone seemed to darken at the mention of his deceased wife. He seemed hesitant to even mention her and that sparked my curiosity anew. I hated poking my nose into other people¡¯s businesses but is my contract boyfriend considered as ¡®other people¡¯. I had a feeling that knowing more about his deceased wife could help me help him and Millie better. Even then, I was hesitant to ask... ¡°You told me that your wife passed away...¡± I said softly to test the waters. ¡°I did...¡± Adrian replied curtly. This isn¡¯t going to be easy. At all. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I guess I shouldn¡¯t ask but if you don¡¯t mind...¡± I began saying hesitantly. Adrian smiled at me, and I hesitated to say anything more. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be sorry. It wasn¡¯t your fault that she died. It¡¯s all in the past now, you don¡¯t have to worry about it,¡± Adrian said firmly. ¡°Ok...¡± I agreed softly. It was apparent that Adrian did not wish to discuss this topic any further and that he wasn¡¯t willing to offer any information regarding his deceased wife. ¡°Elena...¡± Adrian called my name seductively. His hand reached for mine before he brought my hand up and kissed the back of it tenderly. My heart felt like it was going to explode in my chest at the soft and warm caress of his lips on the back of my hand. ¡°Yes...?¡± I replied, still a little shock at the sudden shift in pace. ¡°Let¡¯s continue where we left off...¡± Adrian murmured invitingly as his lips continued to kiss my hand. ¡°Ahh...¡± I moaned softly when his tongue began licking my palm. I never knew that my hand was this sensitive. The way he held my hand and the way he was licking it and sucking on it softly made my mind hazy. My legs felt weak and when he took my middle finger into his mouth and sucked on it, I whimpered weakly. ¡°Adrian...¡± I called out his name, my voiceing out as a weak and pleading whisper. ¡°I told you not to call my name like that...¡± Adrian warned mockingly. His lips began trailing sweet little kissing up the length of my arm before he pulled me closer to him. It tickled a little but that just made my body feel extra sensitive than it was before. I recalled how he yed with me while we were in the aquarium earlier in the day. My body trembled as it recalled the pleasure from his touches. ¡°Like what?¡± I asked teasingly. ¡°Like...you want me to have my way with you...¡± Adrian replied seductively. I let out a small cry when he pulled me onto hisp. If Adrian wasn¡¯t serious about this before, I could tell that he was now. Perhaps it was partly my fault for teasing him. Things were moving a lot faster now that he had me sitting right on hisp. His lips found the side of my neck and began kissing it. I moaned and those kisses turned into small nibbles. ¡°Ahh...Adrian...¡± I moaned breathlessly as he blew seductively into my sensitive ear. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 104 104 ying with His New Toy The desire that I felt for him earlier in the day quickly returned and the fire that we had going quickly reignited. Just like the times that I spent with him, being held in his arms, and being touched by him like this just came very naturally. He felt so familiar to me that sometimes, I found it scary. He wrapped his arms around my body and hisrge hands quickly found my breasts and began fondling them. A pleasured moan escaped my lips as I leaned back against his hard chest. My breath quickened as the pressure of his hand on my breasts increased. He messaged my breasts through my clothes for a bit before his hand slipped under my shirt again to touch me directly. His hand reached behind me and quickly unhooked my bra before his hands slipped underneath it to cup and fondle my naked breasts. I cried out at the sensation of his hands kneading my naked breasts. My nipples grew hard immediately and my core started throbbing once again with heat. My pussy quivered and clenched as I got more and more turned on. ¡°Adrian...¡± I whispered his name before his lips silenced me in a rough and hungry kiss. His mouth devoured mine as his tongue quickly thrusted deeply inside of my mouth. My tongue readily danced with his as I started kissing him back wildly. I ced my hand on the side of his handsome face as we continued to kiss and taste each other. His hands pulled on my taunt nipples, and I moaned louder into out wet kiss. The heat of my own desire burned brightly and started to consume my mind. Our unsatisfied desire from earlier in the day only made us want more of each other and in that moment, I knew that I couldn¡¯t stop myself or Adrian. My body writhed on hisp from the pleasure and lust that I was feeling. When he broke our kiss, I stared into his eyes dreamily. His hands wandered down the length of my body and I sighed. Hisrge hands pulled my short ck skirt upwards to reveal my thighs and I found myself blushing when I felt his eyes on my bared legs. I watched as his hands slowly stroked my naked legs from my knees upwards along my inner thighs. My pussy clenched in anticipation of his touch on my most sensitive feminine part. The desire in my lower abdomen melted and squirted out of my love hole as I got wetter and wetter. ¡°Ahh...Adrian...¡± I moaned seductively. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten very wet. Your panties are soaked here...¡± Adrian whispered alluringly into my ear as he pressed his finger against my crotch through my panties. ..... He began stroking me through the thin fabric of my panties and the texture of the fabric began rubbing against my soaked entrance and my sensitive clit. I moaned at the pleasure of his touch as I wished that he would start touching me there directly. His pleasurable touches only made me wetter down there. I felt another gush of hot heat in between my legs, and I started feeling embarrassed at how hot and wet I was getting. ¡°Can I touch you...¡± he asked needlessly. I appreciated that fact that he asked but it was even more embarrassing for me to say it out loud. Instead, I nodded my head as I let another moan leave my lips. ¡°Lift your hips a little,¡± Adrian instructed. When I did, he quickly slipped my panties off of me. He nudged my legs apart wider with his foot before his hands spread my legs even further apart. ¡°You¡¯re so sexy, Elena,¡± Adrian whispered in a thick voice, and I could feel his eyes on me. ¡°Ahhh...Ahhh!¡± I moaned and cried out. His hand dipped in between my legs and his fingers delved into the wetness in between my legs. My body jerked upwards, and I cried out when his fingers finally touched the lips of my pussy. His fingers stroked the wetness sending waves of pleasure throughout my body. ¡°You¡¯re so wet, Elena...¡± Adrian said with satisfaction. ¡°Ahhh...no...it¡¯s...¡± I moaned and began protesting as his fingers started stroking me faster than before. It felt so good, and he was just using his fingers to please me. His fingers quickly found the small sensitive seed in between my legs and started ying with it. My body trembled as the walls of my pussy clenched as he stimted my clit in circr motions. ¡°Does this feel good?¡± Adrian asked before licking my ear. The pleasure that I felt multiplied, and I moaned loudly in response. I couldn¡¯t stop the lewd sounds that I was making. He pinched on my clit, and I cried out even louder. ¡°Your body is very sensitive. I really like it...¡± Adrian said admiringly. He continued to y with me like he was exploring his new toy and I willingly melted in his embrace. My hips thrusted upwards when his fingers plunged into my wet love tunnel. I closed my eyes and cried out at the bliss of his fingers prating my love hole. His beautiful fingers disappeared into my wet hole as my pussy sucked them in invitingly. ¡°Look, your pussy just sucked in my fingers. You¡¯re twitching so much inside, does this feel that good?¡± Adrian teased. I couldn¡¯t reply to him, and I couldn¡¯t stop my hips from moving around lewdly as it tried to seek out more pleasure from the fingers that were buried deep inside of my hole. ¡°Calm down. I¡¯ll make you feel so good...¡± Adrian said with an adoringugh. ¡°Ahh! Ahh! Ahhh!¡± I cried out repeatedly. His fingers began moving inside of me; however, instead of thrusting in and out of me, his fingers moved around inside as if stretching me in all angles. It felt different but so good as his fingers bumped and applied pressure to all parts of my pussy walls. He¡¯s so good at this. It feels so good. I¡¯m going crazy! ¡°You like this? Scream louder, Elena. I love all the sounds that you make when you feel good,¡± Adrian said encouragingly. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 105 105 His Straightforward Desire I was already crying out loudly. His fingers began thrusting in and out of my wet hole. I looked down to see his hand moving in between my legs. The palm of his hand pressed against my clit and stimted it with each thrust that he moved to ram his fingers inside of me. Adrian was rubbing my clit as he fingered me. My legs went weak, and I felt myself get wetter from the double stimtion. The speed and strength of his thrusts intensified and I cried out even louder. ¡°Adrian...¡± I called his name and moaned even more. He watched my face as I cried out from the pleasure that he was feeding my body. He curled his fingers upwards and began feeling along the top of my love cave until he found my sensitive spot. He smiled seductively when he found what he was looking for. ¡°Oh! Ahhhhh...it¡¯s so good!¡± I cried out when his fingers began thrusting against my g-spot. He thrusted against it and then stroked it. I felt my orgasm fast approaching. Adrian was about to make me cum from his fingers. I spread my legs even wider as my hips rocked against his fingers in abandon. ¡°Adrian...I...¡± I whimpered weakly as my orgasm started taking over. ¡°I know. Cum, Elena. I want to watch you cum...¡± Adrian whispered seductively to me. His fingers thrusted faster and deeper inside of me and he didn¡¯t stop even when I had reached my climax. Iy exhausted from my intense orgasm with his arms around me. He kissed my temple lovingly as he waited for me to calm down again. ..... ¡°Should I drive you back or would you rather spend the night?¡± he asked before kissing my cheek softly. ¡°Please...drive me back...¡± I managed to whisper. Adrianughed a little at me as he helped me adjust my clothes back to its original position. ¡°You¡¯re so stubborn...not that I dislike it,¡± he murmured close to my ear. ... The ride back to my ce wasn¡¯t supposed to be awkward at all but I managed to make it awkward for myself by getting all nervous now that I was in the car alone with Adrian. He seemed to be in a very good mood as he drove me home. The same as before, he had agreed to drop me off at the nearest intersection. The car came to a stop at a red light and the silence in the car made me feel more nervous and conscious of how close he was to me. This wasn¡¯t normal. I usually felt very at ease when I was with him. What has gotten into me? Is it because we had sex just now? ¡°Elena...¡± Adrian called my name suddenly. ¡°Yes...¡± I replied. ¡°There¡¯s a use prohibiting us from having sex in the contract,¡± Adrian said sternly as his green eyes watched me intently. ¡°Yes, there is,¡± I replied while wondering where this was going. Is he going to apologize for what he had done because it vited the contract? I was also at fault so... I didn¡¯t know how to feel about what we just did anymore. If Adrian hadn¡¯t stopped then, would I have gone all the way with him in his study of all ces? ¡°Can we drop it?¡± he asked straightforwardly. My eyes widened in shock at his words. Did he just ask me to kill the use prohibiting us from having sex? Just like that? ¡°...What?¡± I asked, still in disbelief. Adrianughed a little at my shocked expression before he continued. ¡°I want to have sex with you. So, if you¡¯re ok with it, then I would like to remove the use that doesn¡¯t allow us to have sex,¡± Adrian repeated clearer and with more details this time. It wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t get what he was saying. I just couldn¡¯t believe that he was saying it and that he was asking me this outright. He¡¯s...too honest...and too straight forward... I didn¡¯t know what to say as my tongue tied itself into a knot and refused to move. I was even too embarrassed to look him in the eye any longer. He just told me that he wants to have sex with me. Did he stop without going all the way because of the term in the contract? ¡°There¡¯s no rush. Just think about it for me,¡± Adrian said kindly. I was dumbfounded so I just nodded. Thankfully, the light turned green, and Adrian shifted his attention back to driving. ... Sunday arrived. Finally. I made it. I survived the week and made it to Sunday, the only day in the week where I officially didn¡¯t have to work as someone¡¯s girlfriend or wife-to-be. Waking upte was a reward that I chose to reward myself with. Afterzily getting out of bed, I decided to clean my small room a little before doing theundry. I chose superfortable clothes, my face was make-up free, and I had thick sses on. After cleaning up and doing theundry, Ized around some more in my room while I did some research on local bars around my ce. It had been a while since I¡¯ve gone out alone. As my marriage with George deteriorated, we reached a point where we stopped going out together unless it was for business purposes. I used to go out drinking at overpriced rooftop bars to kill the time. The night air felt good on my skin and sipping a cocktail outdoors with the view of the city at night had its own charm. I scrolled through the small local bars around my ce before giggling at how much my life has changed. Now, I didn¡¯t have to dress up pretty to go out drinking at night and I didn¡¯t have to go to an overpriced ce either. There were many bars around my ce that were within walking distance. After picking a ce that seemed to have a nice vibe and a pretty decent list of craft beer, I waited patiently for evening to arrive. Dressed in an army green sweat pant with a loose ck sweater, thick sses, and my hair up in an ugly bun, I felt excited and ready to hit the bar. I looked awful when I stared at my reflection in the mirror, and I loved it. Freedom, this is what freedom with a little rebellion looks like. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 106 106 Unexpected Visitor Coming out to a bar to drink beer all alone was such a great experience. I don¡¯t usually get toe to a casual bar like this. Either my adoptive parents or my ex-husband would kill me if they found me in a ce like this and dressed the way that I¡¯m currently dressed. Seriously, it felt so good to wearfortable clothes, thick sses with no contact lens or fake eyshes,pletely no makeup with my hair up in a random bun styled my none other than myself. No one in the small bar paid any attention to this geeky ugly girl who was sitting all alone by herself at the bar counter. None of the men there looked in my direction and it was a good change. I felt so rxed, and I could just be myself. I didn¡¯te here to get guys, so it was more than fine. It was a big relief that they¡¯re all staying away from me, honestly. The craft beer that I chose had a sweet smell and I found myself falling in love with it. The men in the bar were a little loud but I didn¡¯t mind. The other women were dressed to kill, and I hoped that they would find what they were looking for tonight. As for me, I felt so happy without a man, right now. I was a little tipsy when I decided to head back home. I didn¡¯te out here to get drunk, I just wanted to rx a little and to have some time to myself. It was veryte into the night when I left the bar. The street was pretty much deserted. The only ces still opened were the bars and the 24-hour convenient store. The cold wind blowing against my face felt pleasantly calming. Looking up at the dark sky, I couldn¡¯t see any stars. I wondered where they were hiding but then I knew that they were never in hiding. Too much light from the city was what was hiding them away from me. It took a while for me to return to my building because there was no need for me to be in a hurry. I enjoyed myte-night stroll to my heart¡¯s content. When I arrived in front of my building, I wasted some time fumbling in my bag trying to find the keycard for the building¡¯s front door ess. I knew I had it somewhere in my bag. ¡°You look really ugly right now...¡± A man¡¯s voice spoke up softly and when I looked in the direction of the voice, a tall man was standing there with his back leaned casually against the building¡¯s wall. I wasn¡¯t paying attention and I didn¡¯t realize that he was there until he spoke up. Even in this time of night when there wasn¡¯t a lot of people walking around, he was his disguise. ¡°Why are you here?¡± I asked as my eyes narrowed suspiciously. How did it slip my mind that this guy sort of knew where I lived?! ..... But all we did was run into each other on that fateful day. Was that enough clue for him to know that I lived here? Regardless, the fact that he was standing right in front of me and right in front of my apartment building right now showed me that he knew. I looked down at the outfit that I was wearing, and my hand instinctively went up to adjust the thick sses on my face. I¡¯ve never shown this look to anyone and one of my clients definitely shouldn¡¯t be seeing this. Well, he was my ex-client now, so maybe it didn¡¯t matter anymore. It¡¯s also a Sunday and I¡¯m not working right now. ¡°To collect some feedback for my new song,¡± the man replied before he stood up straight and began approaching me. I knew immediately that he was referring to that track on the USB drive that was delivered to me the other day. So, I was right. That was his new single. I recalled the words that he said in his press release about finding out whether his new single was good enough to be released. I didn¡¯t want to believe it, but it seemed like the opinion of the person who mattered the most to him right now was me. Whether or not the new single will be released to the public depended solely on my decision. Somehow, I felt like he had backed me into a corner. He wasn¡¯t ying fair. I thought of the crying faces of his fans on television that I saw that day, and then I wondered whether I should care about them or the public¡¯s sentiment. After all, whether or not this new song gets released or not doesn¡¯t really matter to me. My eyes wandered back to EROS and his golden eyes captured mine in the dark. EROS...I can¡¯t believe that he¡¯s actually here. Honestly, I didn¡¯t know what to say to him, so I decided to pretend that I didn¡¯t know what he was talking about. Sorry, but I have no idea what you¡¯re referring to. I said, sounding bored. I think you know exactly what I¡¯m referring to. He stated slowly but with certainty. For a moment, I started to hate him and how perceptive he was. ¡°It has nothing to do with me. Please go back,¡± I said, trying to sound patient. ¡°Did you listen to the song?¡± he asked. I stared into his eyes silently for a moment before replying. ¡°I did,¡± I replied honestly. ¡°So, what do you think?¡± EROS asked. I didn¡¯t know much about music, but I could tell that the song was very touching and that it would be very popr if it was released. The sincerity and emotion in the song would touch the hearts of the many listeners and his fans if it was released. Unfortunately, it was up to me whether or not the song would be released to the public. I thought that it was going to be aplete waste if something so beautiful, so touching and yet so hauntingly heartbroken would be swept under the rug forever. ¡°I think it¡¯s a beautiful and touching song. It¡¯s sad but beautifully sad,¡± I replied honestly. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 107 107 His Apology I felt his eyes on my face as he seemed to take in my answer. I wasn¡¯t sure if the answer I gave him was the answer that he was expecting or not, but it was my honest answer. EROS seemed lost in thought for a moment before he suddenly nodded his head firmly. ¡°Are you going to release the song?¡± I asked. ¡°That¡¯s up to you,¡± he replied without a second thought. He really was leaving it up to me. ¡°If it was up to me, then...of course, I think you should release the song. Many of your fans are waiting to hear this new song from you. They will be sorely disappointed if they didn¡¯t hear a love song this beautiful from Eros,¡± I said sincerely. ¡°What about you? Is this song good enough for you?¡± he asked. Suddenly, my heart started beating faster and I wasn¡¯t sure about the implications of his words. I was sure that he knew that his song lived up to the music standard and expectation of the industry. So, I wasn¡¯t sure why he was asking me whether or not this song was good enough, unless he meant it in another sense entirely. I recalled the content of the handwritten note that came along with the USB drive. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean,¡± I replied hesitantly. EROS¡¯s lips curved into smirk. ¡°Are you a dumb girl?¡± he asked. ..... I knew exactly what he was referring to. If I didn¡¯t understand everything he had put into the song, then I would be a dumb girl and I didn¡¯t want to be a dumb girl. I¡¯m not a dumb girl. ¡°The song is good enough for me, but I think you should leave. Take care,¡± I said as I ced the key card against the sensor to unlock the front door of the building. Suddenly, his hand was on my wrist. His grip was tight and firm, but it didn¡¯t hurt. I turned around and our eyes met. His golden hazel eyes held mine. I knew that he wanted to apologize for what he had done, but I wasn¡¯t sure whether he understood what it meant to really apologize to other people. ¡°It¡¯s not good enough,¡± I said, regrettably. His eyes widened in shock and then narrowed before his face fell in disappointment. For a moment it was like he didn¡¯t know what else to do. I don¡¯t think he understood what I was trying to say. ¡°The song is good enough and it should be released. However, if you want to apologize for me, you should do it properly, not in a song,¡± I said as I stared deeply into his beautiful eyes. ¡°I said it all in the song,¡± he whispered. ¡°If you feel guilty for what you¡¯ve done, or if you regret what you¡¯ve done and if you want to apologize to me, then apologize to me now,¡± I demanded, without willing to back down. ¡°I see,¡± he muttered after a short while of silence. We stood there staring at each other as I waited for him to apologize to me properly. The night wind blew around us and it was starting to get colder. If he wanted to have a proper rtionship with a girl, then he must learn how tomunicate properly with them. EROS looked very hesitant and it wasn¡¯t because he didn¡¯t want to apologize. It was probably because he didn¡¯t know how. I watched him struggle with himself as he bit his lower lip. ¡°It¡¯s not hard. All you have to do is say it,¡± I said encouragingly. ¡°...I¡¯m sorry,¡± he finally said in a small whisper. ¡°That wasn¡¯t so hard, was it?¡± I asked but he didn¡¯t reply. ¡°Why did you do it?¡± I demanded to know. ¡°Something happened, didn¡¯t it? To you...in the past,¡± he asked, but it really wasn¡¯t a question. I knew that lying to him at that point would be useless. However, I didn¡¯t want to tell him anything either, so I just nodded. ¡°It looked like you neededforting,¡± he mumbled softly. ¡°I see...¡± I whispered. EROSpsed back into silence, but his eyes still stared at my face. It was like he wanted to say something more, but he couldn¡¯t, and I didn¡¯t want to push him anymore. In a very twisted way, I had started considering that perhaps that was the only way EROS knew how tofort me. ¡°You should release the song. It¡¯s a good song. I really liked it. If there¡¯s nothing else, then...¡± I said as I was ready to excuse myself. By that time, all the effects of the alcohol had died down from my system. ¡°Wait,¡± he said as he stopped me by grabbing my wrist once again. ¡°What is it?¡± I asked a little impatiently. ¡°The contract. I want to renew the contract,¡± he said decisively. I could tell that he was serious. However, I wasn¡¯t sure what I wanted to do at that point in time. I knew he apologized. And he probably really meant it. ¡°I don¡¯t know...I¡¯ll think about it,¡± I replied vaguely. He nodded his head slightly at my words as his hand loosened its grip from around my wrist. After a few seconds of staring into each other¡¯s eyes in silence, I walked into the building, and we parted ways. I wasn¡¯t lying when I said I needed to think about it. I wasn¡¯t sure how I felt, and I didn¡¯t know what I should do next. I¡¯ll consult Justin and see what he says. I thought that EROS was fine with giving me some time to think it through; however, I soon found out that I was wrong. Just as I was about to walk through the building¡¯s entrance, I felt his arms around my waist before he started pulling me back against his hard body. I gasped in shock when I felt the heat of his body against my back. Then his warm breath was on my ears. ¡°Don¡¯t go...¡± EROS whispered desperately into my ear. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 108 108 Don¡¯t Go ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked in surprise. ¡°Don¡¯t go. Don¡¯t leave,¡± he repeated passionately. He hugged me tighter from behind before burying his face in the side of my neck. His lips kissed the sensitive skin of the side of my neck before he drew in long breaths of air along with my smell. My body froze from shock for an instant before I started rxing in his arms. ¡°Promise me that you¡¯ll renew the contract,¡± he demanded as his arms refuse to let me go. ¡°I told you that I¡¯ll think about it,¡± I replied. ¡°Not good enough. That¡¯s not good enough,¡± EROS muttered sternly close to my ear. ¡°Please let me go,¡± I said softly. ¡°No. I won¡¯t let you go until you agree to be my contract girlfriend again,¡± EROS said stubbornly. I could tell that he was deeply disturbed and perhaps everything that Mark had told me over the phone was true. It was just hard for me to believe that I could have such a huge impact on EROS like this. He continued kissing my neck and hugging me until my body began reacting to his seductive touches. ..... ¡°Come back to me, Elena,¡± EROS whispered seductively in my ear. What other choice did I have? I can¡¯t stand out here all night in his arms... ¡°Will you promise not to mistreat me again?¡± I asked. ¡°Mistreat you? Why would I ever do that?¡± EROS asked in pure surprise. ¡°You should ask for permission...¡± I told him clearly. He cocked his head to the side as if still confused. I wondered what was so hard to understand about that. ¡°I thought you wanted it...maybe I misjudged or maybe...you¡¯re just too stubborn to admit it,¡± he said with a thoughtful face as if he truly was trying to figure it out. ¡°That¡¯s...¡± I whispered. That¡¯s ridiculous. How can he say such a thing? ¡°Never mind. I¡¯ll make sure to ask properly the next time that we do it,¡± he said casually. I did not miss that he was already referring to the next time. ¡°There¡¯s a use prohibiting sexual activity in the contact,¡± I reminded him. ¡°Oh, that? Take it out. Since we¡¯re renewing the contract, we might as well fix the terms all in one go,¡± he said like it was no big deal. ¡°You should go back now...¡± I said, not wanting to deal with him any longer. ¡°What about tonight?¡± EROS asked seductively. ¡°What about tonight?¡± I asked in return. ¡°You live alone, don¡¯t you?¡± he asked suggestively. ¡°I don¡¯t work on a Sunday. That¡¯s not even the main issue...I don¡¯t want to...¡± I said sternly. ¡°I think I can change your mind in less than a minute...¡± EROS said with certainty. I didn¡¯t want to find out... ¡°Go back. If you want the contract renewed, you will start listening to what I say and following my instructions,¡± I demanded strictly. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you could be so mean and controlling. Not that I mind...¡± EROS said, and his armspletely freed me from his overbearing hug. I breathed a little easier now that he had stepped away from me. ¡°Goodnight,¡± I blurted before almost running into the building. ¡°Goodnight, Elena...¡± EROS said with a satisfied smile. I turned back to see him waving at me before he ced the ck face mask that was part of his disguise back on his face again. ... ¡°Ok, so what you¡¯re telling me is that all three of your clients are asking to remove the condition prohibiting sex from the contract, is that correct? Seriously, girl. All three at once?¡± Justin asked with his eyes opened wide. ¡°Yeah,¡± I replied not knowing what else to say. ¡°Well, that¡¯s not a problem for me, if it¡¯s not a problem for you. Honestly, I¡¯m d to have all three clients back,¡± Justin said with a sigh of relief. I had given Justin a call bright and early on Monday morning to get this load off my chest. Apparently, it came across as pretty good news for Justin and his business. ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± he asked with worry. ¡°Yes,¡± I replied. I had spent a lot of timest night, thinking long and hard about these three contracts and my three clients. After debating with myself for hours and not reaching any conclusion, I decided that the best way was just to give it a go so that I could see for myself how it would y out. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re sure, then I¡¯ll process the documents. While I¡¯m doing that. If you¡¯re fine with it, Mister CEO has requested to see you for dinner,¡± Justin said. ¡°Today?¡± I asked to make sure that I understood him correctly. ¡°Yes, today,¡± Justin replied, suddenly sounding tired. ¡°Ok...¡± I replied with a nod although Justin couldn¡¯t see it through our phone call. ¡°By the way, Mark, from EROS¡¯s agency wants to see you too,¡± Justin informed me and I knew that he was worried. I wasn¡¯t sure what Mark wanted to talk to me about since I already gave Eros the green light tounch the new single. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to him,¡± I replied casually. ¡°OK then,¡± Justin said. Apparently, Mark had asked to meet with me in private, but Justin disagreed. So instead, we will be meeting at Justin¡¯s office. Ever since I started working with Justin and his agency, I haven¡¯t been to his office at all because it wasn¡¯t required. This was the first time that I would be in Justin¡¯s office. When I arrived at the address that Justin had provided me, Mark was already there waiting. Justin led us to a small meeting room so that the three of us could have a chat. I wasn¡¯t sure why Justin was acting very overprotective, but he wouldn¡¯t leave Mark and I to have a private conversation. It didn¡¯t bother me that Justin wanted to stay. ¡°I know you¡¯re busy, so I¡¯m going to get straight to the point,¡± Mark said. I nodded my head to show him that he had my full attention. ¡°EROS told me that he sent the demo of his new song to you. Is that true?¡± he asked straightforwardly. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 109 109 The Unavoidable ¡°Well, yes...¡± I replied. ¡°He¡¯s so selfish. Why would he do something like that? He knows well that it¡¯s against the rules of thepany. None of thepany¡¯s senior management or his producer has heard that song and no one has the file except for you and him. Regardless, can you give the file to me?¡± Mark asked desperately after havingint to his heart¡¯s content. ¡°Why can¡¯t you get it from EROS?¡± I inquired. ¡°He¡¯s refusing to hand it over until he¡¯s confident that it¡¯s good enough. He¡¯s being super stubborn about it. He told me that if it isn¡¯t good enough, he¡¯ll just delete it all and announce that he won¡¯t be releasing a single anymore. This is crazy. The upper management is going mad all over it,¡± Mark said, and I could hear the frustration in his voice. I guess EROS hasn¡¯t told him that I already approved of the new song. ¡°The truth is, I already spoke to EROS and told him that the song is good enough. EROS will probably release the song, so you don¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± I exined. ¡°When did this happen?¡± Mark asked in shock. ¡°Umm...Sunday night. EROS didn¡¯t tell you?¡± I asked with slight confusion. ¡°No. He didn¡¯t tell me anything. Why am I surprised? He never tells me anything...¡± Mark beganining again and it was like he was on the verge of losing his mind. ..... ¡°Anyways, I think that it¡¯s best for you to talk to EROS directly. You don¡¯t have to worry too much. I¡¯m sure that EROS will release the song,¡± I said reassuringly. ¡°Thank you. I can¡¯t thank you enough, Elena,¡± Mark said before sighing with a mix of exhaustion and relief. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything so there¡¯s no need to thank me,¡± I replied honestly. After that Mark thanked me over and over again until I had to invite him to leave so that we could both get on with our day. I walked Mark to the elevator to send him off. Judging from the dark circles under the poor man¡¯s eyes, I bet he hadn¡¯t slept well for a few days. EROS really was causing trouble for everyone around him. Now that the single would be released, I hoped that things would go well for everyone, EROS included. ¡°So, are you going to meet with the CEO?¡± Justin asked the moment that I returned to the room. I knew that he was referring to Brandon. ¡°Should I?¡± I asked for a second opinion. ¡°That¡¯s up to you but if you asked me, I say that you should,¡± Justin replied with a firm nod my way. Maybe he¡¯s right. There¡¯s no point in me running and hiding away from Brandon. If he wanted to, he could find me anytime. The fault was partly mine, I let my guard down and I slept with him. Then I just got all confused with memories of the past and the present. ¡°What about I just do dinner with him?¡± I suggested. Spending the rest of the day with him would be a little much since there¡¯s so much time left. I also had no idea what he had in mind, but I wasn¡¯t sure that I wasfortable spending almost the whole day with him. ¡°He¡¯s open for anything actually in his request. I¡¯ll propose dinner...or do you want to talk to him directly?¡± Justin asked but it was more of a suggestion. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll give him a call...¡± I replied before offering Justin a weak smile. ¡°Hang in there, girl. If these billionaires don¡¯t have one of two screws loose, they wouldn¡¯t be paying you for a job like this,¡± Justin said encouragingly. ¡°I bet they have more than a few screws loose...¡± I mumbled. ¡°I¡¯m sure that there¡¯s nothing that you can¡¯t fix,¡± Justin said with aforting smile. Oh, how I wished that was true. ¡°I didn¡¯t graduate from mechanical engineering or anything like that...¡± I joked. ¡°I¡¯ll help you work on the new contracts based on your request but if you ever feel ufortable...¡± Justin said before trailing off. ¡°Thanks,¡± I replied with a smile. I knew what he wanted to say. If I get ufortable, I can terminate the contract from my side too. Although, it maye with some penalty fees. ... Running away from reality wasn¡¯t an option for me and the monthly repayment schedule for my debt was a harsh reminder of that. Regardless of my difort, I decided to face Brandon head-on and meet him for dinner. I¡¯ve been to this restaurant a couple of times before with my friends from my previous life as George¡¯s wife. Personally, I liked the atmosphere and the food, but I didn¡¯t remember ever having a good time there. Perhaps, it was thepany of the people that I was with that was to me for that. I picked out a deep red dress that hugged my figure well to show off the curve of my breasts and my hips. The dress was knee length and after pairing it with patent ck heels, I had to say that I looked quite delicious. After inspecting myself in the mirror, I started thinking that this might be a little too much provocation considering what had just transpired between us thest time that we met. Come what may... The traffic was light, so it didn¡¯t take me long to arrive at the restaurant where I was supposed to meet Brandon. When I took Brandon on as one of my clients, deep down, I knew that it was highly probable that we would rekindle our physical rtionship even if we couldn¡¯t bring back what we once had as a couple. I also had sex with him even before we signed the contract. He must have liked it...sleeping with me... After ordering our food, I started to feel nervous as I sat opposite Brandon in our private dining room with nothing but a beautifully lit candle in between us on the table. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 110 110 Regr Lovers The way the orange light reflected in his grey eyes made my heart skip a beat in a very dangerous way. However, I didn¡¯t need to feel nervous for long because Brandon got right to the point immediately. ¡°I want you toe see my parents with me at our vacation estate out of town,¡± he stated it like an order more than a request. His parents?! Vacation estate?! ¡°Huh? Do I really have to go?¡± I asked after recovering from my initial shock. ¡°Of course, you do. Why else would I be telling you so?¡± Brandon said like it was supposed to be obvious. Yes, he was telling me and not even asking me... ¡°Well, this is a really big deal, isn¡¯t it?¡± I asked in surprise. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to be engaged so isn¡¯t it expected that I announce our engagement to my family?¡± Brandon asked a little sarcastically. ¡°I guess...¡± I mumbled, admitting that he was sort of right. ..... ¡°Let¡¯s go someday soon,¡± he said casually. ¡°What about your work?¡± I asked, bringing up the only excuse that I could think of. ¡°This is technically my work...¡± Brandon replied without a second thought. ¡°Oh...right...¡± I mumbled inplete defeat. ¡°Good. That¡¯s settled,¡± Brandon dered with extreme satisfaction. ¡°No, wait! I haven¡¯t agreed to anything,¡± I protested. ¡°After that ¡®I am so in love with Brandon¡¯ speech that you gave in front of the board members, you still think you can back out of this one?¡± Brandon asked as he arched a brow at me. ¡°That¡¯s...¡± I murmured. Shit, I really did say all that just to prove to him that I could be the perfect contract wife. It wasn¡¯t like I regretted it, but he was right, I¡¯vee too far to back out now and if I did, what would happen to Brandon? While I was hesitating, Brandon seemed to have his idea to ease me of my hesitation. There was a small thud on the table in between us and when I nced up from where I was looking at my fidgeting hands under the table, I was shocked to see a very impressive diamond ne with matching earrings. ¡°What do you say?¡± he said with a wicked smile. ¡°You¡¯re bribing me?¡± I gasped as my eyes widened. ¡°Is it working?¡± Brandon joked with a smallugh. ¡°Of course, not...¡± I mumbled scornfully. ¡°No, I¡¯m not bribing you. I¡¯m just throwing in a little incentive...or you could call it a bonus,¡± Brandon said with a charming smile. That smile had more impact on me than any magnificent diamond ne ever would. Not that he needed to know that. ¡°Your parents...¡± I began saying. ¡°Great. It¡¯s settled then. We¡¯ll go see my parents tomorrow,¡± Brandon dered resolutely before I could even finish voicing my concern. ¡°Tomorrow?!¡± I eximed loudly. Thankfully we had a private room because I was very loud just now as my shock took over me. It was bad enough that I had to see his parents but seeing them so suddenly was just on another level entirely. ¡°What¡¯s so surprising? Better to get it done and over with, right?¡± Brandon said, sounding rxed. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little too sudden?¡± I voiced my concern. ¡°Not at all...¡± he replied without hesitation. ¡°You said someday soon...¡± I countered. He did say ¡®someday soon¡¯ just now. ¡°Tomorrow is someday soon,¡± Brandon replied unfazed. I stared at himpletely speechless as Brandon smiled at me before he startedughing. My mouth was still hanging open from shock when Brandon got up from his seat and came over to my side. Slowly, he put his arms around my neck from behind and I realized that he was putting on the huge diamond ne on me. ¡°It looks amazing on you. That¡¯s no real surprise, though,¡± Brandon whispered gently into my ear after putting on the ne for me. ¡°Brandon...I don¡¯t think...¡± I began protesting softly. For some reason, I didn¡¯t feel like it was right for me to ept his gift. He was already paying me a massive amount for working for him and he had already started giving me back the bags, jewelry, and artwork from my personal collection. This seemed like a little too much of a bonus on top of everything else. ¡°You can sell it to repay your debt if you want. I don¡¯t particrly mind so just ept it,¡± Brandon said. ¡°...ok...¡± I mumbled. However, the thought of selling a present that I received from Brandon never entered my mind. It just felt impossible and ridiculous. Although I was sure that this gift was worth a fortune in its own right, it probably didn¡¯t cost much in Brandon¡¯s point of view. The ne wasrge and felt slightly heavy on my neck. It was unfortunate that I didn¡¯t have a mirror right in front of me right now. ¡°You look beautiful...¡± Brandon whispered seductively close to my ear. ¡°You mean the ne?¡± I asked teasingly. ¡°I mean you,¡± he replied directly. His warm breath tickled my ear for a moment before his hand traced along the side of my neck. My body stiffened at little at his seductive caress before rxing. His hand slowly flipped away the hair that was covering my neck before he ced his warm and tender lips against my sensitive skin. He kissed my neck softly a couple of times before his tongue snaked out and started licking the side of my neck. ¡°Brandon...¡± I called his name sternly with a hint of disapproval. ¡°Hmm?¡± he made a questioning sound but didn¡¯t stop licking and sucking on the side of my neck. His arms hugged me from behind as he continued to pay loving attention to my neck. My body trembled slightly in his arms and his hug tightened around me. I soft moan escaped my lips as I closed my eyes in bliss. ¡°Did you think about it?¡± he asked in a low voice close to my ear. ¡°About what?¡± I questioned. ¡°Having regr sex with me...¡± he replied bluntly. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 111 111 Hot Dinner ¡°Justin should be reaching out to you about the new contract...¡± I replied. ¡°Awesome. So, I guess no one wouldin if we started a little early...¡± he said with a satisfied smile. With that, he pulled me up from my seat before he sat down on my chair instead. Then his hand began pulling me down onto hisp. I found myself sitting on hisp and his arms were around my waist in no time at all. ¡°Brandon, let¡¯s not...¡± I murmured softly. ¡°Wrong dress...¡± he said as his hands began cupping my breasts. His lips captured mine in a yful kiss that put all my protests on hold. His lips felt warm on mine before he parted my lips with the wet tip of his tongue. Slowly, I parted my lips and granted his tongue entry into my mouth. He moaned softly into our kiss before his tongue began dancing fervently along with mine. Our kiss quickly deepened as Brandon began kissing me from various angles. Hisrge manly hands kneaded my breasts over my dress. I moaned into our kiss as his hand began caressing the naked skin of my chest. He broke our kiss before his mesmerizing grey eyes captured mine. I was left panting from our heated kisses. My core throbbed with desire, and I let out a soft moan as his hand dipped into my dress to caress my breasts directly. ¡°You love it when I y with them like this...¡± he said knowingly. Hisrge hand massaged my breasts in turn, and I whimpered his name as desire started to cloud my mind. His touch was familiar, and it felt so pleasurable that I couldn¡¯t stand it. My nipples grew taunt at his stimtion and my pussy throbbed with need. As he continued to knead my breasts skillfully, the heat in my lower abdomen intensified until it became almost too much to bear. I moaned louder when I felt my hot wetness gushing out from between my legs. ..... My pussy throbbed and quivered with desire, and I knew that he had made me very wet down there. I moaned his name when he began peeling down the front of my dress. My soft breasts sprung out into his awaiting hands. I looked down to see his beautiful fingers syed across my breasts as they moved expertly to give me immense pleasure. ¡°Brandon...please...¡± I whimpered weakly. ¡°You want more, don¡¯t you?¡± he asked teasingly. His fingertips pinched my nipples between them, and I cried out. Although we were in a private room, we were still in a restaurant. However, the way he was ying with me told me that it would take more than I had in me to stop him. Brandon had always been like this. His sex drive was crazy. ¡°Maybe we should...¡± I began protesting weakly. ¡°Stop? No way...¡± he brushed my concerns away before his lips captured mine again to silence me. His kiss was aggressive from the start. Sucking all the breath out of me as he threatened to devour me. His hand continued pinching my nipples in rhythm before rolling them in between his fingertips. I cried out into his kiss when he applied more pressure onto my nipples. It hurt a little but the pleasure that coursed through me from the peaks where his fingers were squeezing felt mind-blowingly good. My body began writhing for relief on hisp as my body got hotter. One of his hands started making its way down the curve of my body from my breast down along the in of my stomach to the curve of my hips. He yanked up my skirt before his leg nudged my legs apart. I moaned as my legs spread wider for him. His hand caressed my naked thigh and my pussy clenched in anticipation of his touch. I moaned his name, and he began sucking on my ear lobe, drawing a much louder cry out of me. His hand pressed against my core through my panties and my body stiffened. His fingers probed my wetness through the thin fabric of my panties. I let out soft whimpering moans as the pressure began rubbing the fabric against my sensitive and swollen clit. ¡°Your panties are soaked through, Elena...¡± Brandon whispered lustily into my ear. I didn¡¯t have the time to respond to him before I felt his fingers pulling the thin fabric that was covering the entrance of my wet tunnel to the side. Then his fingers were stroking my wetness directly as he ran his fingertips up and down the length of my wet slit. ¡°Ahhh...Ahhh...Bran...don...¡± I moaned as my head moved from side to side against his broad shoulder. ¡°Shhh...you¡¯re getting too loud,¡± Brandon whispered a mocking warning to me. Although he told me to keep my voice down, his actions continued to draw loud moans of pleasure from me. His fingers brushed against my clit softly before he stimted it harder and faster in circr motions. I cried out his name as my hips began moving shamelessly against his fingertips, grinding my swollen clit against his fingers. ¡°Does it feel that good? You¡¯re getting wetter...¡± Brandon teased. He knew well that he was making me feel so good. He was doing this on purpose and we both knew it. I cried out as his fingers thrusted sharply and deeply into my wet hole. My hips bucked at the shock of his entrance as my pussy clenched vigorously around his intruding fingers. Although it was just his fingers inside of me, it already felt so good. He began feeling around inside of me with his fingers and my hips began thrusting up and down. My pussy working hard to suck in his fingers so that I could feel more of him deeper inside of me. **ring ring ring** My eyes widened at the sound of his ringtone ringing. Someone is calling him. Casually, Brandon removed his hand from my breast and answered his phone with one hand. I nced up to see him press his phone against his ear casually as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Multi-tasking was something very easy and basic for Brandon. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 112 112 Multitasking While he listened to whoever was talking to him on the other end of the line, his other hand continued thrusting his long and thick fingers in and out of my hole. I bit my lower lip to keep myself from crying out despite myself. ¡°Can Chandler and his team handle it?¡± Brandon asked sternly. I whimpered as my body continued writhing on hisp. His fingers continued to finger my hole relentlessly. Although he was on the phone, his fingers were still actively thrusting in and out of my hole. His fingers stretched and filled my hole as it worked to stimte the pleasure spots deep inside of my love hole. His fingers curled up inside of me as he explored around the upper walls of my pussy until he found my sensitive spot. I ced my hands over my mouth as I cried out from the pleasure of his fingers thrusting fast and hard against my g-spot. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to their CEO soon about it. I just met him recently,¡± Brandon spoke into the phone. My pussy clenched tighter around his finger as my hips continued thrusting up and down. Brandon rammed his finger into me as he continued exining something to the caller on the phone. My mind was too upied with the bliss that he was making me feel for me to hear or even understand what he was saying. It didn¡¯t matter to me anymore. If he keeps on moving his fingers against my pleasure spot like this, I¡¯m going to cum very soon. ¡°Brandon...¡± I whimpered his name and his finger stirred up my wetness even faster than before. Lewd wet sounds erupted from between my legs as I opened my legs further apart. His thumb pressed down on my swollen clit, and I bit my lower lip to muffle my cries. His fingers jerked in and out of my wetness and I felt my climax creeping up on me. ¡°Ahh...Ahhh...I¡¯m...¡± I murmured, lost in paradise. As if knowing that I was on the verge of my climax, Brandon fingered my wet pussy hole faster and harder. The movement of his fingers against my pleasure spot drove me over the edge and I climaxed intensely right on hisp. ..... ¡°Send me a report on the situation by tomorrow morning. Tell Chandler that I¡¯ll go into the office to see him now. That¡¯s all,¡± Brandon said sternly into the phone before disconnecting the call. I was a melted mess in his arms by the time that his full attention returned to me. I squirted out so much juice when I climaxed that my pussy waspletely flooded. Brandon slowly withdrew his fingers from my body and my pussy quivered as his fingers left my hole. ¡°You came. You always look much prettier after you¡¯ve just climaxed,¡± Brandon said appreciatively. I felt his eyes on my face and I felt heat rush to my face as I blushed red. My legs felt weak, and my insides felt funny. I was still working hard to catch my breath and recover from the aftermath of my climax. Brandon got up and lifted me into his arms in the process. I blinked in surprise as I looked at his handsome face while my arms automatically wrapped itself around his neck. ¡°Where are we going?¡± I asked, a little absentmindedly. ¡°I¡¯m driving you back now. Sorry but I have work to do at the office,¡± Brandon said before smiling a little regretfully at me. ¡°Oh...¡± I murmured. I had figured as much from his phone call that something was amiss. Brandon really was a busy man, and I didn¡¯t want to get in the way of his work. If Brandon has to personally return to the office to deal with it at this hour, then it must really be a big deal. ¡°Sadly, I have to go. We¡¯ll pick this up soon. I promise,¡± Brandon coaxed into my ear before he kissed my earlobe tenderly. ... ¡°You¡¯re meeting his parents? Already?!¡± Justin eximed in shock. Yes, I knew exactly what he¡¯s thinking and feeling because I thought and felt the same way when I first heard about it from Brandon. I decided to drop by Justin¡¯s ce for a simple ordered-in dinner based on his invitation. ¡°Yes. He told me today and he expects me to go with him tomorrow,¡± I replied solemnly. ¡°Oh dear, this is getting serious very fast...¡± Justin mumbled with widened eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sure it will just get even more serious after we meet his parents. They¡¯re not fond of me from way before so I doubt that they¡¯ll change their mind that easily,¡± I confessed with a disheartened sigh. ¡°Well, he is their only child, and they are ultra-loaded with wealth in all forms possible...¡± Justin said with understanding. ¡°Yeah...¡± I mumbled before rolling my eyes. ¡°Well, if Brandon is the one inviting you over, he surely has some ns on how to handle them already, right?¡± Justin suggested and I knew that he was trying to make me feel better about the situation. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that...¡± I said thoughtfully. Thinking back to when he randomly sprang that board of directors meeting on me, I doubt that Brandon had everything all figured out for me regarding his parents. More likely, meeting his parents is probably another one of the challenges that he had in store for me. I had no choice but to find a way to pass it. Brandon seemed to be taking this charade of a rtionship very far and very seriously. He¡¯s involving everyone possible, even his parents. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder how far he was going to take this. ¡°You¡¯re sighing again, girl...¡± Justin said worriedly. ¡°This isn¡¯t going to be easy, but I guess I knew that when I took on this case. Don¡¯t worry about me...I¡¯ll figure something out...¡± I said before smiling weakly. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll figure something out. Let me know if there¡¯s anything that I can help with,¡± Justin offered. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll head back now...I need to stock up on my sleep to deal with tomorrow...¡± I said. ¡°Alright. Let me drive you back,¡± Justin readily offered. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 113 113 Family Estate Visit I smiled and nodded at him thankfully. Not knowing what was in store for me for tomorrow, I felt slightly nervous, but I tried to stay optimistic about everything. There¡¯s supposed to be a very thin line between nervousness and excitement. If I worked myself up the right way, I could end up feeling excited about facing the unknowns of tomorrow. As agreed with Brandon, I met him at his office and from there he would drive us to one of his family estates where we would be meeting his parents. I had to admit that I didn¡¯t manage to work myself up the right way. Overall, I still dreaded meeting his parents and visiting his family estate. However, this was part of my job, and I knew that I had to suck it up and get it done. ¡°You¡¯re right on time,¡± Brandon said as a way of greeting me. He was leaning against his luxury sportscar, and I wondered how long he had been waiting for me. I offered him a smile and he gestured for me to take the passenger seat. I followed him to the passenger side of the car, and he opened the door for me to get in. ¡°Thank you...¡± I whispered before lowering myself onto the car seat. ¡°We might have to hurry a little. I want to get there in time for lunch,¡± Brandon said before closing the car¡¯s door. He got in the driver¡¯s seat, and we were on our way to our destination. Brandon seemed well rested, and he seemed to be in an unusually good mood. This didn¡¯t make much sense to me because I found it hard to imagine that Brandon was looking forward to seeing his parents. If my memories served me right, Brandon didn¡¯t get along that well with his father, but his mother always treated him overly well. His father was strict and wanted Brandon to inherit their family business and run it right. ¡°Are we having lunch with your parents?¡± I asked as a sense of dread filled me. ¡°That¡¯s right. They requested for it. I guess they can¡¯t wait to meet you...¡± Brandon said with his eyes on the road. ..... ¡°Do you have any idea what they want from us?¡± I asked, getting right to the point. ¡°A child,¡± he replied bluntly. Rich and prominent families wanting to assure their line of session wasn¡¯t an unusual thing and neither were parents wanting to see their child have children of their own so that they could be grandparents. I had expected this but to hear it so bluntly still made me feel uneasy. Of course, Brandon and I were not in a real rtionship so making a baby was definitely out of the question. ¡°I see. So, what are we supposed to tell them?¡± I asked. ¡°If they ask, just tell them that you¡¯re looking forward to having my baby,¡± Brandon replied like it was nothing. ¡°Right...¡± I murmured. Just as I had already suspected, this meeting with his parents wasn¡¯t going to be a walk in the park. Since there was nothing that I could do about it at this point, I decided to enjoy the ride and Brandon¡¯spany for the time being. Brandon was right on the estimation of our arrival time. We arrived at his family estate just about on time for lunch. I had never been to his family estate before even during the time that we were dating, and he didn¡¯t like to talk much about it or his family for that matter. Although I was prepared for something massive and over-the-top like some mansion hidden in the mountains, I was still astounded by the sheer size and beauty of the ce. The estate was located on a mountain which was entirely owned by Brandon¡¯s family. The mansion sat on top of the mountain surrounded byrge beautifully decorated gardens. On the outeryer beyond the gardens were grass fields where there were farms and horses. Brandon acted like a perfect tour guide as he exined to me the various sights along the way to the mansion. It was quite unlike him to be so talkative, but I did appreciate his effort to keep me informed and entertained. Brandon parked the car right in front of the mansion and we were immediately greeted by an old man with grey hair who was dressed in a professional butler suit. I could tell by how polite the man was that he must be very experienced. ¡°Master Brandon and Miss Elena, we¡¯ve been expecting you. Wee home,¡± the old man said with a polite bow. ¡°Thank you,¡± Brandon replied. I felt the warmth of Brandon¡¯s hand on mine as he casually took my hand into his and held it firmly. I nced over at him and wondered if he was feeling a little nervous or if he was just trying to reassure me. It was probably thetter because I found it hard to believe that Brandon would ever feel nervous. ¡°I have already prepared a bedroom for you and Miss Elena as you have instructed. I am honored to wee you here at this estate, Master Brandon,¡± the old butler said before bowing respectfully. A bedroom?! For us?! I looked at Brandon with wide eyes as I silently demanded for an answer. This was the first time that I¡¯ve heard anything about us spending the night. I thought we woulde here and then had back at the end of the day and what was this about us sharing a bedroom? Brandon must have noticed the look that I shot his way because he grinned at me before his hand dropped from the small of my back to caress my ass. With a polite smile stered on my lips, I pped his offending hand away from my buttocks. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m sure that we¡¯ll enjoy our stay,¡± Brandon replied casually. It felt like we were staying at a luxury hotel more than one of his family estates which was supposed to be his house or home. Brandon seemed used to this type of treatment, and I wasn¡¯t surprised. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 114 114 Meeting His Parents ¡°The Master and Madame are waiting for your arrival in the main dining room. They¡¯ve asked for you to join them for lunch once you¡¯ve arrived,¡± the butler quickly informed Brandon. ¡°Thank you. We¡¯ll head there now,¡± Brandon said casually. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about your luggage, I will put them in your room for you,¡± the butler said. Luggage? I don¡¯t remember packing anything since I didn¡¯t even know that I had to stay over for the night. Was there a way that I could get out of this one? Maybe if I talk to Brandon... ¡°Thank you. Our luggage is in the car,¡± Brandon replied smoothly. I shot him another inquisitive look and he winked at me. It was clear that he nned all this. I hated the way that Brandon always seemed to get his way in everything. I rolled my eyes when the butler had turned away from us. ¡°Come on, Elena. I¡¯ll take you to meet my parents,¡± Brandon said with a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t remember agreeing to spend the night with you here,¡± I muttered usingly. ..... ¡°What are you talking about? The estate is quite far away from the city. Plus, I would love to show my fianc¨¦e around my estate. We¡¯ll spend the weekend together here,¡± Brandon replied smoothly. ¡°You¡¯re kidding me...¡± I murmured. ¡°My parents want me to spend the weekend here with them, so I figured that you could keep mepany,¡± Brandon said with a smallugh. ¡°Why do I have to keep youpany?¡± I snapped in frustration. I¡¯m not supposed to work on Sundays. ¡°You¡¯re my fianc¨¦e so if you don¡¯t keep mepany, then who will?¡± he asked as he gave me a look that told me that he thought that I had nothing in between my ears. ¡°I¡¯m just going to bite my tongue now...¡± I retorted before walking a head of him. I rolled my eyes with my back to him and suppressed the urge to pull my hair out. Brandon¡¯s yfulugh followed me everywhere as he slowly caught up with me. ¡°The dining room is his way, my dear fianc¨¦e,¡± Brandon said teasingly as he took a hold of my hand and started leading the way. ¡°I hate this...¡± I muttered and I wasn¡¯t referring to Brandon¡¯s teasing of the fact that I had to stay overnight. ¡°I know. I hate meeting them too...¡± he said before he turned to face me. To my surprise, Brandon offered me a tender smile before pulling me into his embrace. His warmth and his smell enveloped me, and my heart skipped a beat before it started beating faster in my chest. ¡°I¡¯ll return your entire bag and art collection to you if you can just survive this weekend with me,¡± Brandon whispered into my ear. ¡°Are you serious?!¡± I said, a little too loudly as I pushed him away enough so that I could see his face. ¡°Yup. I¡¯m dead serious. So, do we have a deal?¡± he asked with charming smile. ¡°Of course, we do...¡± I replied, feeling very pumped up about all this. Come what may. I am going to get my collection of bags and artwork back no matter what. Hang on a while longer My Lord and My Lady, Elena is on the way! ¡°Suddenly, you look so motivated. You¡¯re so simple...and I like you so much for it...¡± Brandon said with a smallugh as he pushed me forward towards our destination. ¡°Don¡¯t forget our deal,¡± I said as I squinted my eyes at him. ¡°Survive this weekend first, then we¡¯ll talk,¡± he replied sternly. ... ¡°Come in,¡± an icy woman¡¯s voice called out politely to us after Brandon had knocked on the dining¡¯s room door. Now that I was standing in front of the door, I realized that I felt more nervous than that day when I was about to meet the board members to Brandon¡¯spany. My hands were sweaty, and my lower lip was quivering as panic started to take over. I took in long and deep breaths in an attempt to try to calm myself down. If Brandon felt the same way that I did, he definitely did not show it. On the surface, he was as calm and collected as ever with just a hint of boredom on his handsome features. ¡°Let¡¯s go...¡± he whispered to me. Hisrge hand pushed the door opened slowly and I found myself being semi-dragged by my hand into the room after him. The dining room resembled more of a ballroom with a single long table in its center. The light from the crystal chandeliers hanging above felt blinding and for the life of me, I couldn¡¯t understand why they needed a room thisrge simply to have a meal for four people. ¡°Brandon...¡± a beautiful woman quickly got out of her seat to approach us when she saw Brandon step into the room. Without a doubt, I knew that that was his mother. I recognized her face because I¡¯ve seen many photos of her before from when she attended multiple public events to support her son. Usually, she likes to keep herself away from the spotlight regardless of her wealth and how much the press really wanted a taste of her. However, she was very supportive of her only son and did not hesitate to appear in public to show her support. ¡°Mother...¡± Brandon said simply in greeting. I stered the politest smile on my lips as she approached us. My eyes darted to the other figure who was still sitting at the dining table and knew immediately that that man must be Brandon¡¯s father, the man who I should fear most of all in this estate. ¡°Come and join us for lunch. I¡¯m sure that you¡¯re hungry,¡± his mother said before smiling at him. It was clear that she intended topletely ignore me and the fact that I was also in the room or also the fact that I also existed in this world. She didn¡¯t say a word to me or even look my way. That didn¡¯t bother me, though, but I knew that it bothered Brandon and his ns. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 115 115 Setting Conditions Brandon gave my hand a reassuring squeeze as he led me towards the dining table. I was partly d that I didn¡¯t have a meal like this with his parents when we were really dating. This was going to be aplete disaster and I knew it. Brandon didn¡¯t seem too disturbed by his mother¡¯s openly cold attitude towards me. It was like everything was proceeding along just like how he had expected it to. Brandon pulled out a chair for me and gestured for me to take a seat. I thanked him politely as I put on my perfect smile. Brandon took the seat next to mine. Looking up from the hands that I had clenched on myp, my gaze came in direct contact with those of his parents who were seated opposite from us. ¡°Dear, Brandon is here to have lunch with us...¡± thedy spoke up sweetly as she addressed her husband. ¡°I can see that already,¡± the master of the estate replied coldly. I had to say that I could see where Brandon got his good looks from and also his slightly cold attitude at times. My body stiffened and I sat up slightly straighter when I felt his father¡¯s grey eyes shift to look at me. ¡°This is Elena. I brought her to see you just like you had requested,¡± Brandon said directly to his father. I could feel the old man¡¯s eyes staring at my face and it took all of my efforts to not turn the other way under his intimidating stare. His eyes traveled from my face down to my body as if he was appraising my worth. His face was an emotionless mask, and I couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking at all. After a moment of silence, he looked away from me and I was able to breathe normally again. ¡°Wee,¡± the older man said. ¡°We¡¯ll spend the weekend here together before travelling back on Sunday,¡± Brandon stated his ns passively. ..... ¡°I hate wasting time so let¡¯s start talking about what we¡¯re supposed to talk about. Is she the one that you want to marry?¡± his father asked as he stared at Brandon. Once again, I was being ignored. The man was adamant on discussing about me in my presence. Although I appreciated his transparency in all of this, I didn¡¯t think that he was doing this for my benefit at all. ¡°Yes. I already told you so and I¡¯ll tell you the same thing as many times as you want me to,¡± Brandon replied, not bothering to hide his annoyance. ¡°I heard that she seemed to have garnered the approval of your board of directors,¡± his fathermented coldly. ¡°She has just like you specified,¡± Brandon replied, equally as coldly. These two might as well have been discussing a business deal rather than family affairs. There were clearly no emotions involved in the conversation and I was starting to wonder if this was always what it was like between these two father and son. Was everything just business for them? I held my tongue as I tried to mask my presence while I listened to their ongoing conversation. Brandon¡¯s father nodded his head as if he was recalling the conversations that they shared previously about this matter. ¡°I see. Very well then. Since you won¡¯t have any other woman, I¡¯ll let you do things your way this time around,¡± his father said after some thought. ¡°Thank you,¡± Brandon said passionlessly. That¡¯s it? Was the matter all settled and done now? I was surprised at how smooth things seemed to be progressing. What did the old man just say about Brandon not willing to have any other woman? My eyes widened as the meaning of his words sunk in. Was any part of that true or was it all just part of Brandon¡¯s act, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder silently to myself as I turned to stare at Brandon¡¯s wellposed face. ¡°I know very well what she has to gain by marrying a man like you. I will not officially acknowledge her until she provides this family with the heir that we¡¯ve been waiting for. Of course, she will be required to sign a prenup agreement,¡± his father said sternly. I bit my tongue to keep myself silent. Unfortunately, I knew exactly what he meant by ¡®what she has to gain¡¯. His parents clearly viewed me as nothing more than a gold digger that was slightly pleasant to look at because of my looks. I tried my best not to mind what they thought but it wasn¡¯t an easy task. Considering the circumstances that I was in, being paid to be his fake fianc¨¦e and all, perhaps it wasn¡¯t entirely wrong to call me a gold digger. I didn¡¯t want to marry him, though. Money or no money. ¡°We are well aware of that,¡± Brandon replied smoothly. ¡°To make sure that we are on the right track to achieve that, I ask that you submit results of a proper fertility test to ensure that your girlfriend won¡¯t have issues conceiving and bearing a child,¡± his father stated seriously. He¡¯s asking for what?! A fertility test of all things. I wanted tough at the ridiculousness of it all. The man was asking for a fertility test result to prove that I functioned well as a baby-making machine. Oh, the weird way that the world turns... ¡°Sure,¡± Brandon readily agreed without pause. What?! My neck almost snapped as I turned quickly to stare at Brandon in disbelief. I didn¡¯t walk into this room with that oue in my consideration at all. How can he readily agree to this without consulting me first? Brandon turned and smiled at me charmingly and I was forced to smile back although I wanted nothing more than to raise my arm and hit him as hard as I could. I have never gotten a fertility test before, and I wasn¡¯t interested in getting one... ¡°Good. Time for lunch,¡± the old man said as he picked up his utensils and focused on the food in front of him. It was evident that as far as the old man was concern the conversation hade to aplete close and he already had what he wanted. He was probably content to know that baby was supposed to be on its way soon. All he needed was confirmation of a fertility test and then he could wee his grandchild with opened arms. This is just twisted... ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 116 116 His Methods Brandon was spot on when he told me what his parents wanted from us. They wanted a child, badly, and they were blunt and open about it. I wondered how long they have been pressuring Brandon about producing the next heir to the family. That thought made a shiver run through my body. Thankfully, Brandon excused us from the lunch soon afterwards which was exactly what I wanted because I couldn¡¯t eat much. With the mood that I was in, I had absolutely no appetite and everything that I put in my mouth felt tasteless if notpletely disgusting. I wanted to be alone with Brandon so that I could give him a piece of my frustrated mind. ¡°Why did you agree to his request just like that?¡± I asked in a snappy voice when we were alone in the rooms that were prepared for us. The sitting room was luxurious decorated just like the rest of the mansion and adjoined to it was the bedroom that had been prepared for us. Brandon sat down on the sofa casually like the whole affair didn¡¯t bother him at all. ¡°It¡¯s just a fertility test. Do you have fertility problems?¡± he asked as he raised an eyebrow at me. I had no idea if I was a fertile or not but that wasn¡¯t the issue here! ¡°That¡¯s not the issue! You shouldn¡¯t have agreed to the test without my consent. You should have asked me first!¡± I argued desperately. How can he not understand something so simple? ¡°What if I asked you in front of my father and you said no? If you have to get it done anyways, we might as well just agree upfront,¡± Brandon said with a shrug of his shoulders. ..... ¡°It¡¯s my body we¡¯re talking about here. You should have let me decide...¡± I argued. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Are you happy now? Let¡¯s move on,¡± Brandon said dismissively. I blinked a couple of times at him as his words stunned me into silence. Brandon had not changed at all in this respect. He didn¡¯t like to argue, and he didn¡¯t like to give in to any of our arguments either. The result was him apologizing and brushing things to the side to end the argument. I sighed and closed my eyes before flopping down on the sofa next to him as if I no longer had the strength to stand up any longer. ¡°Get changed. I¡¯ll take you for a ride...¡± Brandon said calmly. ¡°Huh? Where?¡± I asked, surprised at the sudden change in topic. ¡°Not in a car. I mean the horses. You like riding, don¡¯t you?¡± Brandon asked with a knowing smile. This was another thing that hadn¡¯t changed about him. Whenever he knew that I was displeased with him, he would offer me something in return so that he could make up with me. So, he remembered that I liked to ride. I haven¡¯t ridden on a horse for a long time, though. As part of the ¡®perfect wife training¡¯, I had learned to ride horses and of all the useless things that I had to learn, I had to say that I particrly enjoyed this lesson. ¡°I do...¡± I replied begrudgingly. ¡°Then get changed or are you too tired for this?¡± he asked with some concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll get changed...¡± I replied, followed by a sigh of resignation. He really knew how to wrap me around his fingers. I decided to go with the flow because I was too tired to resist. I made a mental note to consult Justinter about what to do with the fertility test. Honestly, I didn¡¯t know the procedures involved in the test, but it sounded soplicated and invasive to me that I didn¡¯t look forward to taking the test. ¡°Good...¡± Brandon said brightly as he sprung up from the sofa. ... ¡°This estate feels like something back in the eras of dukes and duchesses or something. You even have stables and farms,¡± I said as I walked casually next to Brandon as he showed me the stables. I had no idea that there were this many stables and horses. It was truly impressive. The fact that I haven¡¯t ridden a horse for a long while made me feel a little more than excited. ¡°This is Will, the stable manager,¡± Brandon said in introduction. A middle-aged man with curling brown hair smiled and nodded my way politely. ¡°Thank you for having me here. Your horses look very impressive. I had no idea that the stables were this big,¡± I said before smiling kindly at the man. ¡°Thank you for your kind words but these horses belong to my master. Let me show you your horse...¡± Will said and I could tell that he was trying to be modest. I instantly developed a liking for the man and that was probably half due to his character and half because of his apparent love for horses. It didn¡¯t take a train eye to see how well the stables were managed. The ce was very clean, and the horses all seemed in good spirit and in good health. ¡°My horse?¡± I said questioningly as my eyes widened. I turned to Brandon for an exnation, but he just turned to look the other way as if he had no knowledge of such a thing. ¡°This way please...¡± Will said as he gestured with his hand for us to follow him. We passed many horses on our way to see ¡®my horse¡¯. My curiosity started taking over and I was excited to see the horse that I would get to ride. The weather seemed fine today. It was sunny with enough wind. All in all, the perfect weather to do some riding. ¡°We just got her, so she doesn¡¯t have a name yet. She¡¯s very healthy and high in spirits. Are you an experienced rider?¡± Will asked as he turned to look at me. My eyes were captivated by the beautiful ck horse with a white marking on its forehead. Her eyes were brown and framed with very long ckshes that matched her coat. She looked wonderfully beautiful and very calm. ¡°She¡¯s beautiful...¡± I whispered in awe as I took a step closer to the animal. ¡°Yes, she is. It took us a while to pick her out of you...¡± Will said proudly. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 117 117 A Date with Horses ¡°Oh, I forgot to answer your question. I know how to ride decently well even if I do say so myself. However, I haven¡¯t ridden for a long time now,¡± I confessed. ¡°She shouldn¡¯t be hard to handle. She¡¯s well trained and quite calm. Please take it slow at first,¡± Will suggested. ¡°I¡¯ll be with her so you don¡¯t have to worry, Will,¡± Brandon said reassuringly. ¡°Right. I¡¯ll help lead your horses outside with my boys so you can be on your way,¡± Will said with a few enthusiastic nods of his head. Brandon took my hand casually in his and led me out of the stables to the grass field that was located right in front of it. The white fence that surrounded therge lush green area made the scene look like something straight out of a countryside movie. The small white dandelion flowers that grew around the fence only added to the beauty and serenity of thendscape. I lifted a hand to shield my eye from the sun above as I admired my surrounding. The weather today was indeed perfect. The puffy white clouds in the sky looked so pretty against the perfect blue of the sky. It wasn¡¯t long before Will and the other guys brought out our horses for us. Mine was the ck mare that we visited earlier in the stables while the white stallion must be Brandon¡¯s. ¡°Ready? I¡¯ll help you up,¡± Brandon asked as he led me to the mare¡¯s side. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss. I¡¯ll hold the horse for you,¡± Will said reassuringly as he held onto the reins. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll manage...¡± I replied with a thankful smile. ..... I was out of practice, but I didn¡¯t have any issues getting atop my horse. The mare seemed to be the perfect height for me. She whinnied softly when she felt my weight on her back and I stroked her mane to calm her down. Brandon got on his horse easily. He didn¡¯t seem like someone who would ride horses that often and I doubt that he visited this ce often either. Regardless, he seemed a pro at handling his horse and I guess, for a moment, I was worried for nothing. ¡°Enjoy your time!¡± Will said happily. ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied before shing him one of my best smiles. Brandon led the way wordlessly into the field and I wondered where he wanted to go and how far he wanted to go. Our horse traveled at a rxed pace side by side, and it was the perfect time for me to start a conversation with him. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to get me a horse...¡± I said as I nced over at him. I guess, I should thank him for this, but I didn¡¯t really ask him for it. ¡°I thought that if I got you a horse, you¡¯lle and visit more often...¡± Brandon confessed without shame. ¡°You and your hidden agendas and here I was about to thank you for it. You know, you have to stop trying your luck,¡± I teased, although I was thankful for what he had done for me. ¡°I¡¯m the owner of various casinos, in case you¡¯ve forgotten...¡± he reminded me before he let out a softugh. ¡°Right. How could I ever let that fact slip my mind?¡± I asked in feigned wonder. It seemed that our short conversation made the atmosphere around us rx as the tension between us broke. For better or for worst, we¡¯re going to be stuck together for a while. He has to figure out his family issues while I deal with my mountain of debt. Feeling the horse move beneath me felt good. I hadn¡¯t realized that I missed riding until I got to ride again. Might as well enjoy this moment while I still can. ¡°Where do you want to go?¡± I asked. ¡°Anywhere...¡± he replied without stopping to think. ¡°How big is this estate anyways?¡± I asked in amazement. The green field seemed to stretch out endlessly until it reached the dark green forest that seemed so far away. We probably won¡¯t ride that far. If we did, I doubt that I¡¯ll have the strength to make it back. ¡°Want to take a little tour around?¡± Brandon suggested. ¡°Hmm...sure...¡± I agreed. ¡°How fast can you ride?¡± Brandon asked. That was a good question. I was wondering about that myself. An all-out gallop might be a little too much, but I could definitely go faster than a trot. ¡°Umm...I¡¯m not sure. Why don¡¯t you lead, and I¡¯ll see if I can keep up...¡± I suggested. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Brandon asked with concern. ¡°Yup. I mean, if I can¡¯t manage, I won¡¯t push myself for your sake. Don¡¯t worry,¡± I replied with a smallugh. ¡°Alright. Promise me that you won¡¯t push yourself,¡± he said sternly. I just nodded and smiled at him. Falling off this horse wasn¡¯t part of my weekend n for sure. Brandon grinned back at me before he urged his horse into a trot. I did the same and found out that I could still manage a horse pretty well. Brandon nced back to check if I was doing fine before he kicked up the speed a notch. The wind in my face felt blissful as I rode on the mare. She seemed to be enjoying her freedom as well as she followed after Brandon¡¯s stallion. The natural flower that grew all around us made the field much more lively. The smell of the air was clean and fresh. Unpolluted air in the countryside really does feel lighter than air in the city center. I wouldn¡¯t mind retiring in a ce just like this where I could fully enjoy the peace and get away from everything. ¡°There¡¯s a small stream up ahead not too far from here. Think you can go on?¡± Brandon asked after halting his horse. ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s go,¡± I replied. I looked forward to a little adventure. The river would be a good ce for the horses to rest and drink some water as well. It was a short ride from where we were to the little stream that Brandon mentioned. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 118 118 Conversation by the Stream Brandon swung his leg over his horse and gracefully dismounted. I quickly did the same so that our horses could rest. I led my horse over to the stream as I followed Brandon¡¯s example. ¡°I never knew that you liked the outdoors like this...¡± I said as I recalled his days working on theputer. He was always indoors and didn¡¯t seem like the active type. Of course, I wasn¡¯t surprised that he could ride. It was almost expected that we learnt these things as part of etiquette and to make sure that we could ¡®socialize¡¯ properly in the ¡®right society¡¯. I just never thought that he would enjoy it as much as he seemed to. ¡°I don¡¯t. I don¡¯t mind spending time with you, though,¡± Brandon replied before shing me a charming smile. That smile was very dangerous. I looked away as I pretended to pay attention to my horse before he would see me blush. Old habits die hard, and I found myself responding easily to his smile. ¡°The horses shouldn¡¯t run off but let¡¯s tie them to the tree here just in case,¡± Brandon suggested as he tied up his horse and then took the reins from my hands. Brandon came back to my side after tying up the horses. I could see them dipping their heads down to the stream to drink water. He had chosen a ce in the shade for them, and they seemed very rxed. I was certain that they had a good life and probably didn¡¯t have to deal with the headaches that we humans had to. ¡°Want to sit?¡± Brandon asked. ¡°Sure. The weather is great, and this is such a pretty and peaceful ce. Looks perfect for a pic,¡± I replied with a smile. ..... He took my hand and led me to the patch of lush grass next to the stream where we sat down. The wind blew my hair and I had to gather them in my hand. It was very quiet and peaceful. When we stopped talking, the ce became silent save for the sound of the water flowing in the stream and the sound of the wind. It was such a contrast to the busy city life that I led. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll choose a reputable hospital for you for the check-up. I¡¯ll also go with you if you want...¡± Brandon spoke up before smiling reassuring at me. His words took me by surprise. I had thought that our conversation about that was over, but it seemed like he had been thinking about it. ¡°No, that¡¯s ok. The reputable hospital part is great, but you don¡¯t need toe with me. Please...¡± I replied. It was bad enough that I had to get the test and I probably had to deal with the questions that came along with the test. It would just make matters worse for him to be there. For some reason, I knew that I would feel extremely embarrassed if Brandon was there with me. The doctors will probably think that we are seriously nning to have a child and then we¡¯ll both be asked many more questions. A shiver ran through my body just at the thought. ¡°If you say so. I¡¯ll cover all the bills of course. Also let me know if there¡¯s anything that you need or want,¡± Brandon said as he decided to respect my wishes. ¡°Ok...¡± I replied and hoped that we could just drop this conversation. It wasn¡¯t the bill for the check-up that I was concerned about, but I decided not to argue about it anymore. Partly, Brandon was right. Like it or not, I would probably have to get it over and done with so that we could move on with our farce of a rtionship. I looked up at the blue sky above before taking in a few deep breaths of fresh air to rx myself. The air felt light, and the faint smell of the grass made me very aware of the beauty of the nature around us. I wonder how long we can keep this sham of a rtionship going. After the results of the fertility test is out, how much time can we stall for? It probably won¡¯t take very long for people to realize that we weren¡¯t actually trying to conceive a baby. Brandon seemed so rxed about it that it made me wonder if he had a n in mind like he always usually does. My mouth opened before I slowly closed it again as I changed my mind. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t ask him about it after all. ¡°The water is so clear. I can see little fishes swimming here and there,¡± I said instead, as I stared down at the fish in the stream. I pointed to a few that I could spot to bring Brandon¡¯s attention to them. His eyes followed my fingers before he smiled. ¡°Probably one of the few positive things of owning this hill is that we can keep the natural habitat intact,¡± Brandon said as he dipped his fingers into the water. ¡°Is it cold?¡± I asked curiously. ¡°You try,¡± he urged as he grabbed my hand. ¡°Wait...¡± I mumbled, slightly shocked at his sudden touch. ¡°It¡¯s just water...rx,¡± Brandon said with a grin before he slowly dipped my hand into the water. ¡°Wow...it feels refreshing. Surprisingly, it¡¯s not cold at all,¡± I said. The water was so clear that I could clearly see our hands together in the water. A few small fishes swam by, and I wasn¡¯t sure if this kind of fish was small or if they were baby fishes. ¡°Do you think I can touch a fish?¡± I asked, randomly. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. They¡¯ll just swim away but you¡¯re more than weed to try...¡± Brandon replied with a smallugh. I felt very stupid after a while of trying to get my fingers to graze the fishes that were swimming by. They were so agile and fast. Brandon was right, in the end, I gave up before I could touch a fish. Iughed so hard at myself and what I was doing. Suddenly, there were small ripples in the stream, and I was sure that it wasn¡¯t from my hand. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 119 119 Together in a Storm To check if my suspicions were correct, I looked up at the sky. Arge drop of water fell right down on my forehead, and I closed my eyes in reflex. I was right, it¡¯s raining. Of all the days and of all times, it just had to rain now?! ¡°Oh, it¡¯s raining...¡± I said as I turned towards Brandon. At my words, Brandon opened his hands as he tried to feel the rain. He nodded when he caught a few drops of rain in the palm of his hands. The weather was so nice and peaceful until just now. There were no signs of rain, and I waspletely shocked and disappointed that it was raining. ¡°Should we ride back? I think we¡¯ll make it in time if we hurry,¡± Brandon said as he quickly got up and offered me his hand. Without hesitation, I took his hand, and he pulled me smoothly up to my feet. It was still drizzling, and I hoped that it would remain that way or the rain would just stop. At this rate, we can probably make it back to the mansion if we headed back now. It was unfortunate that our adventure with the horses had to be cut short but there was nothing that we could do about it. ¡°You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s head back,¡± I replied while trying not to sound too disappointed. As we headed towards where the horses were tied up not too far from us, it became clear that that was no longer necessary. The ripples in the stream gotrger and suddenly there were ripples everywhere as more raindrops fell into the stream. The light drizzle that I had hoped would remain just a drizzle had started to escte very quickly into a full-on rainstorm. ¡°It¡¯s raining so hard...oh, the wind!¡± I eximed as the wind blew against my face and my body. Suddenly, it was like a dam had broken up in the sky and rainwater was pouring down on us harshly from above. The wind only made it worst, and I could barely keep my eyes opened as I tried my best to shield my eyes with my hands. The rain beat down on us from above and I was sure that it wasn¡¯t just my imagination that the raindrops were nowrger than before. It didn¡¯t take long for the rain topletely soak the clothes that I had on. I could feel the cold seep into my skin from the rainwater and the harsh wind didn¡¯t help at all. ..... My clothes stuck to my skin and hung off my body heavily. I flipped a mass of wet hair back from my face as I cursed silently under my breath at the mess that we have found ourselves in. The dark clouds in the sky blocked out the sun and our surrounding got slightly darker than before. Brandon held my hand as he pulled me along after him towards where the horses were tied up. The ground under our feet started to soak up water and it became slippery very quickly. ¡°Watch your step,¡± Brandon warned as he pulled me to his side and wrapped an arm around my waist to support me. ¡°Thank you...¡± I thanked him as he pulled me even closer against his body. Suddenly, there was a sh of blinding light, and soon after, the loud crashing sound of thunder roared loudly around us. I screamed and covered my ears with my hands as I sat squatted down onto the floor in my fright. ¡°Elena!¡± I heard Brandon calling my name, but I was too scared by the thunder to respond. My body trembled in fear and my legs felt weak. There was no way that I can get back up. Why a thunderstorm now of all times? I squeezed my eyes shut tightly as my phobia began quickly taking over. My head throbbed painfully with my own fears as I started to panic. My chest felt tight, and it became harder to breathe. How are we supposed to get back like this? This is such a disaster...I can¡¯t even control myself... ¡°Elena...¡± Brandon whispered my name and I realized that he must have been quite close to me. When I felt his arms around me and the warmth of his body against mine, I knew that I was right. He wrapped me into a hug that felt warm and secure, a stark contrast to the coolness of my body and the fright that gued my mind. ¡°Elena...it¡¯s ok. I¡¯ll take you somewhere safe,¡± Brandon whispered right into my ear before he kissed my cheek softly. I knew that I was nothing but a burden to him at this point. It was still raining hard, but I couldn¡¯t move my body and he was stuck with me. I tried to gather my wits, but it wasn¡¯t an easy feat. Brandon continued whispering words offort and reassurance that everything was going to be fine into my ear and it helped me calm down somewhat. ¡°You¡¯re scared stiff. Calm down. I¡¯ll make sure that you¡¯re safe,¡± Brandon promised me before he kissed my cheek again. His hands covered mine and slowly started peeling them away from my ears. The loud sound of the rain filled my ears again and I tried my best not to cry. ¡°It¡¯s ok...¡± Brandon whispered. I opened my eyes and saw his face right in front of mine. His grey eyes looked at me with worry and care. It made me feel slightly guilty that I was so scared of the thunder. Mustering my courage, I nodded a head a little at him. ¡°Can you stand? Probably not...¡± Brandon asked me gently before answering his own question. I felt his arm under me before he lifted me up into his arms. It was still raining, and I felt very cold. Brandon held me tightly next to his body and I wrapped my arms around his neck to hold on. The sound of his beating heart next to my ear helped tofort me in a way that I didn¡¯t quite understand. Without another word to me, Brandon began walking with me in his arms. It must have been hard on him to carry me in this rain with such poor visibility. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 120 120 So We Stripped ¡°Where are we going? This is the opposite direction from the mansion...¡± I asked when I finally found my voice. ¡°There¡¯s a small stable near here...if I¡¯m not wrong...¡± he replied as he continued walking. I prayed so hard that he wasn¡¯t wrong. Brandon had very good memory, so if we said that there was a stable nearby then it was probably there unless it got torn down in his absence. ¡°What about the horses...¡± I asked softly when I thought about those gentle beasts. ¡°They¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯s just rain...¡± Brandon replied as he looked down at me. ¡°But...¡± I began protesting. Won¡¯t they get sick if they stayed out in the rain? Is that how it worked with the horses? I wasn¡¯t quite sure... ¡°I¡¯ll go get themter if you¡¯re that worried. Right now, you should worry more about yourself,¡± Brandon replied quickly, and I knew that he was trying to ease my worries. That shut me up and all I could do was nod my head solemnly. It was a longer walk than I thought to arrive at our destination. To my utter relief, there really was a small stable nearby where we were. The ce was small from what I could tell, and it seemed quite deserted. ..... ¡°I haven¡¯t been here for I don¡¯t know how long...¡± Brandon admitted, and I wasn¡¯t surprised. ¡°Thank you...¡± I mumbled as he ced me down onto a bench when we arrived inside. The ced was quite messy but the best part was that the roof was till intact, and it provided us the cover that we needed to escape from the rain. ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll go back to get the horses...¡± Brandon said as he patted my head. ¡°Wait!¡± I cried out so loudly that I shocked myself. Brandon seemed to freeze in ce, and I could tell that he was probably as shocked as I was at myself. It was then that I realized how scared I was of being alone and I didn¡¯t want Brandon to leave my side. ¡°Umm...¡± I mumbled, not quite sure how to exin myself to him. ¡°Still scared? I¡¯ll stay,¡± Brandon said understandingly. Before I could open my mouth to thank him, Brandon had plopped himself down on the bench next to me. ¡°Thank you...¡± I whispered as I hugged his arm to my body to keep him close. I don¡¯t know how long we sat together like that as we listened and watched the rain beating down from the opened door. The rain showed no signs of stopping and I was starting to fear that it wouldst all night long. That would be mean that we... ¡°Your clothes are wet. You should take them off before you catch a cold,¡± Brandon said as he turned to face me. I should...take off my clothes? What? Without bother to deal with me and my shock at his words, Brandon got up from the bench and began walking around as if he was trying to find something. I looked around the small shed where we were and found out that it had gotten quite dark, and I couldn¡¯t see very well. There wasn¡¯t much of anything. The ce was simply a mess of things that people had left behind. There were haystacks here and there. Some pots and pans and other odd utensilsying around. I didn¡¯t need to check to know that the stables were empty because the ce was too quiet. Orange light caught my attention and I turned to see that Brandon had sessfully lit up an oilmp and ced it on a table nearby. ¡°Better than nothing, I guess...¡± he mumbled. I watched as he continued wandering around and I could guess that he was looking for something or anything that might be useful to us right now. The ce was probably in used until recently, so it wasn¡¯t surprising when Brandon started finding things that still worked. After cing what he thought was usable onto the table, Brandon paused and then he began unbuttoning his shirt. He pulled his shirt off in one smooth motion and I gasped and turned away as if I haven¡¯t seen a naked man before in my life. Brandon probably heard me because I could feel his eyes on me. ¡°Why are you still in your wet clothes?¡± he asked and suddenly he sounded so close to me. My head snapped around to find him standing right in front of me. Half-naked with the muscles of his torso exposed and his hair still wet from the rain, Brandon looked so wild...and so sexy... ¡°Well...¡± I mumbled as I blinked rapidly to clear my mind of any...inappropriate thoughts... Does he just expect me to randomly strip? There¡¯s nothing else for me to wear so if I take off my clothes then...I¡¯ll be butt naked until we could leave this ce or until our clothes dried? Brandon¡¯s grey eyes continued staring at me as he waited for me to make a move. He raised his brows at me curiously when I didn¡¯t suddenly get up and started stripping. ¡°Need help? I¡¯m pretty good at stripping girls...¡± he offered with a pleased smile. To much information. Seriously, too much information. ¡°Thank you for your kind offer...but no thank you...¡± I replied as I hugged my arms over my chest protectively. Brandon scoffed at me and my ridiculousness before he startedughing softly. I had no idea what time it was at all, but it looked like it was slowly getting darker outside. Perhaps it was the storm and the rain clouds that was making it so dark. I could see through the open door that the rain was still in full swing and the sound of rain beating down on the roof felt deafeningly loud. ¡°Take off your clothes. I¡¯ll turn the other way while you undress if you¡¯re embarrassed...although I don¡¯t know why you would be...¡± Brandon urged for me to take off my clothes again. He was being insistent about this, and I could tell that he was genuinely worried. I knew that I shouldn¡¯t be feeling embarrassed at a time like this, but I felt it and there wasn¡¯t anything that I could do about that. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 121 121 His Warmth ¡°Ok...so...turn around...¡± I mumbled softly. Brandon nodded before he turned around. Seeing that he had his back to me, I slowly and hesitantly began undressing starting with my top. The rain had soaked through all of my clothes including my underwear. My bra was soaked and heavy with rainwater. I felt better when I removed all clothing from my upper body. The wind made me shiver but I knew that soon, my body would be dry. Slowly, I stood up from the bench to start removing my pants. ¡°Are you done?¡± Brandon asked. ¡°No, I¡¯m not...¡± I quickly replied in fear that he would turn around. ¡°You don¡¯t have to sound so panicked. I¡¯ve seen you naked before thousands of times...¡± Brandon stated matter-of-factly. ¡°That¡¯s an absolute exaggeration...¡± I said as I shook my head from side to side. ¡°What about hundreds of times?¡± he suggested a correction to his previous statement. Maybe that wasn¡¯t an exaggerated number, not that I would readily agree to his im. I pulled off my riding boots, socks and then my riding pants and my panties quickly followed. I stood in the middle of the messy shed in nothing but my skin while I wondered how I ended up here. My eyes went to Brandon, who still had his back dutifully turned towards me. Of all the people that I had to be stuck with... I¡¯m probably stuck with the most dangerous person of all... ..... ¡°Are you done?¡± he asked again. ¡°Yup...I¡¯m done...¡± I replied. ¡°Good,¡± he replied casually. I was starting to recover from my shock from my phobia of thunders just now and my legs have stopped shaking enough for me to stand quite firmly on my own two feet again. I bent down slightly to rub my legs, hoping to stimte my cirction as well as to warm myself up. When I was done, I nced up and saw to my utter shock that Brandon had turned around and was eying me quizzically. Naturally, I screamed as I covered my breasts with my hands and turned around. Why is he staring at me like that? I told him to turn around so why did he turn back around like that?! ¡°What¡¯s the point of me asking you to turn around if you¡¯re just going to turn back around to see me naked?!¡± I cried out in a mix of shock and anger. Which part of our agreement didn¡¯t he understand? ¡°I told you that I¡¯ll turn the other way while you undressed. Now that you¡¯re done, I don¡¯t need to turn the other way anymore, right?¡± he retorted casually. As if he was supposed to be in the right for everything all the time... What kind of logic was that? I closed my eyes tightly as my mind raced to figure out what I should do. Cursing my own fate, I wondered when the damned rain would stop so that we could head back to the mansion and get some dry clothes on. Suddenly, I heard footsteps and knew that Brandon was walking towards me. Biting my lower lip in dread, I kept my eyes closed as I felt himing even closer. It was just Brandon, I told myself over and over but that didn¡¯t ease my sense of panic at all. It wasn¡¯t just Brandon. It¡¯s Brandon... ¡°You¡¯ll really catch a cold...¡± he whispered from very close behind me. Before I could think of a response, I felt something warm wrap around my naked shoulders and then my body was enveloped in warmth. Looking down, I realized that Brandon had wrapped my body in a grey towel. The towel wasn¡¯t big enough cover the entire length of my body, but it did cover my upper body all the way down to my buttocks. ¡°Umm...thank you...¡± I murmured softly as I turned my head to face him. I was shocked to find him so close to me and then I realized that Brandon still had his arms around me. He smiled before he pulled me into a firm hug. The texture of the towel dug slightly into my skin where his strong arms hugged my body to his. The warmth around my body intensified as the warmth of the towelbined with Brandon¡¯s body heat. ¡°Better?¡± he asked. ¡°...Yes,¡± I admitted. After sighing softly, my body began rxing into his embrace as he continued to hold me. The warmth that his body provided felt so safe and my body readily took in all the heat that he was offering. After he held me for a while, my eyelids started feeling heavy and I realized that being in the rain must have made me feel extra tired. Suddenly, I felt very sleeping. ¡°You should go to sleep. Get some rest,¡± Brandon said as he let go of me. I nodded at him after turning around to face him. Brandon grinned at me, and I found myself smiling at him despite the dire situation that we were in. Brandon turned away from me before he turned back and offered me a nket. ¡°This is all there is. You should use this and find somewhere to sleep. Maybe sleeping on the hay like some farm girl might suit you,¡± Brandon advised teasingly. ¡°Thanks...¡± I mumbled as I took the banket from his hand. I turned towards the hay as I resigned myself to my fate of sleeping in the shed like a ¡®farm girl¡¯ like Brandon had just mentioned. ¡°What about you?¡± I asked. Just like he was worried about me, I guessed I was worried about him too. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. You should sleep first. I¡¯ll see if I can contact anyone to get us out of here...¡± he said with a small smile. I smiled in return before heading towards the hay and spreading the nket out on top of it to prepare my temporary bed. Brandon was probably saying that to make me feel better but I knew that there was probably no signal where we are right now. The rain probably made certain of that. If his phone had any signal, he would have called someone from the mansion to help get us out of here already. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 122 122 He¡¯s Gone It could have been the rain, the overly humid weather, or my exhaustion, or thebinations of all those things that made me feel so drained and sleepy. If I had thought that I would have problem sleeping on the hay with nothing but a towel wrapped around my body, I found out that I was so wrong. I didn¡¯t remember much of anything after Iy down and that was probably because I fell asleep almost right away. When I came to my senses again, it was dark outside, and it waspletely quiet all around me. The rain must have stopped. There was just enough orange light from themp for me to see around and that was when I discovered through my sleepy eyes that I was all alone. Where is Brandon?! Suddenly, I sat up as panic gripped me. Brandon was here with me when I fell asleep so where did he go? ¡°Brandon...¡± I called his name softly. There was no reply, but I wasn¡¯t surprised by that. I knew that he was no longer in the shed. Before I knew what I was doing, I had gotten out of my temporary bed and was making my way for the door. I was right, the rain had stoppedpletely. The sky above was dark but clear and I could see many stars twinkling up above. The sea of stars above me looked so beautiful, it was like I was staring at the gxy. I wished that I could stand there forever and just stare up at the beautiful stars in the sky, but Brandon was missing and finding him was the top priority right now. Seriously? It¡¯s so dark. Where could he have gone? ¡°Brandon!¡± I shouted his name loudly after sucking in arge breath of air. After straining my ears for a while, I was sure that I didn¡¯t hear anyone call back in reply. All I could hear was the sound of the strong wind howling all around. Maybe I wasn¡¯t loud enough with the wind blowing my voice away like this. ..... ¡°Brandon!¡± I shouted again, louder this time. I walked around the shed trying to find him. It was dark and if I walked too far from the shed, I couldn¡¯t see. With only the towel around my body, the cold was catching up to me fast and I ended up sneezing. Where is Brandon? Why did he have to disappear now of all times? Just when I was hesitating about what I should do next, I heard rather than saw the sound of something or someone approaching. I strained my eyes in the dark as I tried to see what was approaching. ¡°Brandon? Brandon!¡± I called out his name. ¡°Oh...Elena. You woke up?¡± he asked. I ran towards him and when I got close enough, I realized that Brandon was guiding our horses towards the stable. Did he go back to get them after the rain stopped. ¡°Where did you go? I was worried sick!¡± I cried out loudly as I tugged on his arm. In my fit of panic, I realized regretfully that I had scolded him although he hadn¡¯t done anything wrong at all. ¡°Were you worried? I just went to get the horses. The rain stopped a little while ago...¡± Brandon replied casually as he slipped his hand in mine and pulled me along with him. ¡°I woke up and I was all alone. You were...gone...¡± I whined openly. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Dawn should break soon, then we can ride back. Hopefully, our clothes are somewhat dry...¡± Brandon said with a sigh. ¡°You didn¡¯t get any sleep. You look like a mess...¡± I said with a hint ofint. ¡°Really? Well, I think you look like a pretty mess,¡± he said teasingly as he ced hisrge hand on top of my head and began ruffling my hair. ¡°Never mind me. You should get some sleep, Brandon...and stop walking around half naked...¡± I snapped a little at him as I tried to pull his arm away from my head. Brandonughed mockingly at my concern while he led the horses into the stables. I followed after him and was relieved to see that the animals seemed fine. Maybe Brandon was right when he said that it was ¡®just rain¡¯. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. I was worried sick!¡± Iined and ended up yelling at him. ¡°Calm down, Elena...¡± Brandon replied in a veryposed manner. This just reminded me of how I was always worried about him just like this. Why did he have to make me feel so worried about him? ¡°You should get some sleep. You haven¡¯t slept at all...¡± I said as I started pushing him towards the shed. ¡°Thanks to a certain someone hogging the bed...¡± Brandon muttered darkly. I knew that he was just joking, and it was just so like him to make it sound like it was all my fault. Somehow, Brandon let me push him all the way back into the shed before he let me drag him down onto the temporary bed where I had been sleeping up until just now. ¡°Wait!¡± I cried out as he pulled me down onto the bed along with him. I sighed when I felt his arms around me hugging me like a body pillow. I had expected something like this to happen. ¡°You still have problem sleeping?¡± I asked, although I had a good guess for the answer. ¡°Sort of...¡± Brandon replied vaguely. That was a ¡®yes¡¯ for sure. I could feel that he was tired as he held me tighter in his arms. His warm breath tickled the base of my neck as he hugged me to him from behind. His body felt warm against mine and my body started to rx. I tried my best to stay as still as possible so that he would fall asleep. It wasn¡¯t long before his breathing became steady as he fell asleep. ... ¡°I¡¯m taking today off,¡± I dered when Justin picked up my call. ¡°Sure. I heard you worked very hard over the weekend,¡± Justin replied mockingly. I did work hard. More urately, Brandon worked me so hard that I was amazed that I made it back alive. I wondered how Justin found out or how much he knew. It wasn¡¯t like Brandon to brag about our sexual activities to other people, let alone, Justin who was supposed to be something a little like my boss right now. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 123 123 Naughty Morning ¡°What did you hear?¡± I asked suspiciously. ¡°That you were on a baby-making trip...haha!¡± Justin replied before he burst outughing on the other end of the line. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it...¡± I quickly denied. ¡°You mean you didn¡¯t have sex with him?!¡± Justin asked, sounding shocked. ¡°We did...but I¡¯m on the pills so we weren¡¯t really making a baby...you know...¡± I exined. Why the hell am I exining this and to Justin of all people? Suddenly, I felt more drained than before and the ache between my legs that still refused to go away was bing annoying. Not bother to exin anything further to Justin, I hung up. Looking back, it was a miscalction on my part that led to this, but it was also Brandon¡¯s fault for not holding himself back at all. After getting his fill of sleep, Brandon woke up a little after the break of dawn, mostly because of the sunlight that poured into the shed. I was right about him not being able to make a move when he was sleep deprived and he probably wasn¡¯t in the mood but the same didn¡¯t apply when he woke up. ¡°Elena...¡± he whispered my name seductively. I gasped as his hands travelled naughtily along the curves of my body. He pulled me roughly against his body and I could feel the heat of his naked hard muscles against my back. I bit my lower lip to keep myself from moaning when his hands groped by naked breasts a little roughly. ..... ¡°Brandon!¡± I cried out his name in protest. ¡°So soft...your breasts feel the best...¡± Brandon whispered teasingly into my ear. I could tell that he was already very turned on. His hips grinded against my ass and I felt his hardness press against me. He¡¯s already so big and hard down there. Brandon¡¯s warm breath tickled my ear as he began whispering sweet loving words into my ear. His tongue slowly dipped into my ear before he began licking my ear softly and teasingly. ¡°Ahh...please...¡± I whimpered as my entire body shivered in his arms. Hisrge hands pumped my breasts harder and faster, and I pressed my thighs together as I struggled to deal with pleasurable yearning ache that was quickly building deep inside of my core. He whispered my name before he kissed my hair tenderly. His yful hands switched from squeezing my womanly flesh to ying around with my hardened nipples. My nipples stood up erect at the loving attention that it was receiving from his experienced fingertips. ¡°Ahh! Ohh...Brandon...¡± I moaned loudly when he began pinching my nipples. ¡°I know that you like it when I y with them this way. Your nipples are hard and swollen...¡± Brandon said knowingly as his fingertips began rolling my hardened peaks in between them. The pleasure from my hardened peaks spread all across my body and I whimpered weakly in his arms. His hips continued to grind against mine and soon, I could feel his thick cock rubbing against my ass cheeks. His cock felt hot, and I could feel him more than before. He¡¯s so big and hot already. ¡°Brandon...¡± I whimpered his name when he slid a hand down the curve of my body. His hand cupped my buttocks before he pressed his cock even firmer against me. I cried out when his hand reached between my closed thighs and tried to spread them. ¡°Rx, Elena...¡± Brandon coaxed seductively into my ear. My body felt like it was on fire as the heat of desire swirled in my lower abdomen. I pressed my legs tighter together as my pussy throbbed with need. My pussy clenched around wildly, and I knew that I was already flooded with my love juices. I could feel the heat of my arousal leaking out of my love hole in waves that wetted my inner thighs. Brandon wedged his hand and then his fingers in between my thighs and I slowly parted my thighs apart for him. He growled before he sucked in breath when his fingers reached the hot wet mess in between my legs. I closed my eyes tightly as I moaned loudly at the sensation of his fingers finally stroking the sensitive wet slit in between my legs. ¡°How did you get this wet already?¡± Brandon teased as his fingers began stroking along my wet slit. His fingers began moving faster and harder as he stroked my wetness. Just like his words, his fingers were teasing me mercilessly and I couldn¡¯t stop my hips from moving in rhythm to his fingers. My legs felt weak as pleasure and lust flooded my brain, filling it with lusty thoughts of him. When his fingers pinched and stroked the small sensitive seed at my opening, I cried out his name as my hips thrusted upwards sharply against his hand. ¡°You¡¯re so wet, Elena. If you get this wet, I¡¯m going to misunderstand that you want to do it...¡± Brandon continued teasing me. His voice sounded so sexy, and I felt like he was drawing me under his spell. All I could do was moan louder as Brandon continued to pinch and roll my clit and my nipple in between his fingertips. The pleasure from the double stimtion was driving me wild with need. I moaned his name louder as my his moved wildly against his hand, thrusting my wet pussy against his fingers. ¡°Brandon...¡± I whimpered his name. We panted and moaned together as we fooled around with each other¡¯s bodies on the hay. The daylight shining it lit up everything and there was no where for me to hide from his heated gaze. Brandon removed his hand from my breast and used it to hold my thigh to spread my legs further apart. Without warning, his thick fingers thrusted into my wetness. I screamed loudly at his sudden entrance as my pussy clenched hard around his fingers. ¡°So tight...your pussy is eating up my fingers...¡± Brandon said naughtily before he started moving his fingers inside of me. ¡°Ahhh...¡± I moaned before biting my lower lip. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 124 124 More Than Once His fingers wriggled inside of me, thrusting repeatedly against the pleasure spot deep inside of my hole. My pussy let out squelching lewd wet sounds that echoed all around us in the small shed as his fingers continued to stir up my honey pot. It didn¡¯t take long for my pussy to gush out more love juices onto his fingers. ¡°Should I fuck you faster?¡± Brandon asked needlessly. I was too busy moaning from the pleasure that he was feeding me for me to answer him properly. Brandon thrusted his fingers in and out of my hole fast and hard and my hips bucked against his hand. His fingers were thick and long, and they reached the spot where he knew that I liked to be touched. ¡°Cumming already?¡± Brandon asked at the exact moment that I felt my climax approaching. He knew me so well and I couldn¡¯t deny it. My pussy spasmed wildly around his fingers and Brandon fingers my pussy so fast and hard that I cried out at the mix of intense pleasure that was apanied by a slight pain. ¡°Brandon! Ahhh...no...I¡¯m...¡± I cried out loudly when I finally climaxed from his fingers. ¡°Good...just cum, Elena...¡± Brandon whispered seductively close to my ear before he kissed my temple. I felt his fingers slowly sliding out of my hole as he pushed me on my side before his hand skillfully lifted my leg upwards and wrapped it around his hips as heid behind me. Quickly, the empty void inside of my pussy was fill with something hotter, longer, and much thicker than his fingers. ¡°So wet and warm inside...¡± Brandon groaned with satisfaction as he sunk his cock into my wetness. ..... His thick cock stretched and began filling me as he thrusted it deeper and deeper into me. I cried out at the pure pleasure of bing one with him. His cock filled me all the way deep inside until he was buried all the way into me. I sighed and whimpered weakly at the satisfaction of having him inside of me. His cock felt hot as it began twitching in my love tunnel. ¡°Brandon...¡± I moaned his name as I turned my head back and offered my lips to him. He kissed me without hesitation, his mouth savoring my taste as his tongue thrusted wildly into the depths of my mouth. I moaned into our kiss as our tongues engaged in a fervent and passionate dance. At the same time, Brandon began moving his hips, ramming his cock deeply into my wet cunt. I moaned loudly into our wet kiss as his hand positioned my leg and hips for even deeper pration. My body rocked along to the rhythm of his thrusts as my hips moved naturally to grind my pussy hole against his long and thick pole. Brandon¡¯s cock got bigger inside of me, and my pussy clenched hungrily around his love stick. I closed my eyes in bliss before I had to break our kiss to cry out in response to the intense pleasure ripping through my body from his wild and fast thrusts. His cock pounded deeply into me, driving the thick and engorged head of his cock against my womb with each thrust. My core burned hotter and the throbbing in my lower abdomen became unbearable. It felt like I could feel him everywhere inside of me. Our body writhed together as we tried to get even closer to each other. Brandon moaned my name seductively into my ear and it turned me on even more. The way his cock was hitting me fast and hard inside was driving me closer and closer to my climax once again. He¡¯s about to make me cum again...so fast... ¡°Brandon...I¡¯m gonna...cum...¡± I confessed in between my wild pants and moans of pleasure. ¡°Just cum. I can¡¯t wait to cum inside you too...¡± Brandon replied softly before he groaned like an animal. It was like my words had an impact on him. His hips began moving faster, pumping his thick cock faster into my sopping wet hole. The angle felt so pleasurable that I almost came immediately. It wasn¡¯t much longer before I came splendidly while crying out his name at my release. My pussy spasmed uncontrobly around his cock before I squirted my juices onto his hot rod. Brandon screwed his massive member into me a couple more times before he let out a low growl. In the next moment, his cock spurted his hot seed into me in streams. His heat flooded my love tunnel and made my entire body feel weak as I melted against his body. He held me in his embrace as I struggled to return to earth from the peak of my climax. My pussy felt wet and sticky from thebination of our love juices. After Brandon carefully withdrew his cock from me, I felt the mix of our release gush out from my love opening. He came so much inside of me... ¡°We should head back...the sun is out, and the rain has stopped...¡± I quickly suggested as I tried to wrap the nket around my naked body. I tried to sit up, but hisrge hand reached out and grabbed my shoulder before pulling me back down onto the hay again. ¡°What¡¯s the hurry?¡± Brandon asked as his grey eyes met mine. I could see the endless desire swimming in the depth of his attractive eyes, and I couldn¡¯t bring myself to look away from him. In that moment, he grabbed me and pinned me down beneath him as he got on top and straddled me. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious!¡± I cried out in panic. We just did it... ¡°I¡¯m always serious about this...you know that...¡± Brandon replied casually as his hands pulled the towel away from my body. His hands were on my thighs before he pushed them up and spread them wide apart. Brandon quickly positioned his hips in between my legs, and I cried out when I felt the heat of his thick cock lodge itself at my sensitive opening. ¡°So...deep...¡± I whimpered weakly before I covered my mouth with the back of my hand to keep the lewd and louds moans from escaping my lips. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 125 125 Looking for Someone Brandon thrusted his hard cock into my pussy again, filling me all the way in one single thrust. His cock was hot and hard again, and it was like what he had just done wasn¡¯t enough for him at all. I cried out when his cock pounded against my womb with each of his deep and forceful thrust. My voice sounded hoarse, but I couldn¡¯t stop screaming from the intense pleasure of his cock beating into my cunt. He gave it to me fast and hard until I lost myself in the pleasure. Brandon made me cum over and over again until he reached his own climax. By that time, I had almost lost consciousness... My body shivered at the memory of our rough love making. I closed my eyes and sighed to snap me out of my thoughts. I could still feel the heat of his body on me like he was still close to me. After that, we rode the horses back to the mansion and after cleaning up and resting, Brandon willingly drove me back and dropped me off at the intersection close to my apartment. ... With the many things that took ce after George¡¯s passing and our ultimate separation, I haven¡¯t had the time to deal with this long overdue issue. Maybe in the back of my mind I had given up on this a long time ago, thinking that it would be useless even if I learnt anything or got any information. With the way that my life was before, I couldn¡¯t have done anything even if I found out anything useful. However, now that I was free to do whatever I wanted and live my life, it became obvious to me that I couldn¡¯t put this on hold any longer. I bit my lower lip subconsciously as I stood in front of a low-rise building. After taking in a deep breath, I walked straight into the building with renewed determination. Today, I am going to do what I should have done all those years ago. ¡°Excuse me. I¡¯m looking for someone...¡± I said as I stood in front of the service counter. ¡°My name is Phil, how can I help you, miss?¡± a middle-aged man who was slightly on the chubby side asked from behind the counter. ¡°You see...I¡¯m looking for someone. Umm...he¡¯s a teenage boy, I mean, he was a teenage boy. He should be a man by now and he used to live at the orphanage with me...¡± I began exining. ¡°Do you have his name? It¡¯ll make it easier to look...¡± the man said as he readied his hand to type on the keyboard in front of him. ..... That¡¯s the thing, I don¡¯t really know his name... ¡°Sorry but...I only know his nickname,¡± I said as I started to lose confidence. ¡°You don¡¯t happen to know his name orst name?¡± the man asked as he arched a brow at me. I shook my head sadly while I wished that he wouldn¡¯t treat me like aplete fool. Deep in my heart, I knew that this wouldn¡¯t be an easy task. So much time had passed between now and then and I didn¡¯t have a lot of information to base my search on. ¡°Umm...what about his age at that time? His date of birth maybe...?¡± the man asked as he struggled to help me. ¡°Sorry...I¡¯m not sure...¡± I mumbled in reply. I was too young and back then none of those details seemed to matter. On top of that, I always thought that we would be together. I honestly never thought that I would have to search for him like this. The middle-aged man looked at me through his sses like I was asking the impossible. I knew it. I knew that it was close to impossible for anyone to help me find him with the limited information that I had...but still... I¡¯m just not willing to give up. I can¡¯t give up on him...even after all this time... ¡°His name is Mikey. He¡¯s roughly 7 or 8 years older than me so...right now he should be around 32 or 33 years old. He¡¯s got auburn red hair and very beautiful green eyes...he¡¯s kind and always takes care of me...¡± I tried my best to describe the person that I was looking for. ¡°Miss, I really want to help you but with the information that you have...it¡¯s a little hard. Also, our records from back in the days doesn¡¯t include photographs of everyone. It is unfortunate but information was managed loosely and sometimes paper-based by some of the smaller orphanages,¡± he exined before pursing his lips into a tight thin line. ¡°I see...¡± I murmured. I wasn¡¯t surprised at all. The small ce where we lived in probably didn¡¯t have digital records of all the children back in the day. The fire that happened destroyed almost everything at the ce too, so I doubted that any of the record survived. I knew all this, but I still harbored hope that maybe there was still a way that I could find him. ¡°Also...I didn¡¯t want to mention this but even if we found him for you, depending on his current circumstances, we might not be able to tell you anything,¡± the man added regretfully. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± I asked, suddenly feeling panicked. ¡°Well, you see. If he¡¯s been adopted by parents that doesn¡¯t want his original identity to be disclosed, then we cannot disclose any information. It would be illegal. Some people want to start over anew, you know...¡± the man exined. ¡°I see...¡± I mumbled. That made sense. My adoptive parents felt the same way. ¡°So yeah, even if we found him, it¡¯s not like I can tell you where he is or who adopted him even if I knew...¡± the man said followed by a sigh. It was unfortunate but it became clear to me that he couldn¡¯t offer me any information that would be useful. Although I had expected this, a sinking feeling still formed itself in the pit of my stomach. I gave the man my thanks before politely smiling at him. After walking away from the counter, the sinking feeling worsened, and I was forced to acknowledge how disappointed I was. I should have looked for him sooner... ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 126 126 Back with EROS It was approaching the end of the workday and Phil was looking forward to getting off the job. Sitting behind the counter all day wasn¡¯t good for his back and he was feeling the pain more intensely today than the others. Few people came to contact his department today and that was a blessing to him and his colleagues. One nce from where he was seated showed that the ce was almost empty. ¡°Guess we can call it a day...¡± Phil mumbled to himself before he raised his arms up and stretched. ¡°Excuse me...¡± a man¡¯s voice said. Phil quickly entered work mode when he realized that a man was standing on the opposite side of the service counter. One look at the man and Phil knew that he was dealing with a VVIP person of some sort. The man looked impressive and so did the expensive-looking suit that he had on. ¡°Hello. My name is Phil, how can I help you?¡± Phil recited his usual greeting line while still slightly stunned at the sight of the man. ¡°Hi. I¡¯m actually looking for someone...¡± the man replied before offering Phil a kind and gentle smile. Phil stared at the man that was standing right in front of him with a puzzled look on his face. Reddish Auburn hair with green eyes... Phil watched the man closely as he began describing the girl that he was looking for. Why are so many people looking for someone today? His eyes scanned the man¡¯s handsome face as he tried to guess the man¡¯s age. His auburn hair with striking green eyes... ¡°Excuse me, sir?¡± the man said. ..... ¡°Oh, yes...please go on...¡± Phil stammered a little in his reply. No way...it couldn¡¯t be. There was no way that the world was that round. ... Coming back to work for EROS turned out to be easier than I had imagined. Recalling thest time that I met him in front of my building, I had to say that I thought that things would be awkward between us when I came back to work for him again. That was why it surprised me so much that that wasn¡¯t the case at all. If anything, EROS seemed to be in a much better mood than ever before on the day that I returned. That didn¡¯t mean that his schedule was less packed, though. ¡°It¡¯s a fully packed day again today. Please follow the schedule to the dot. No dys, please. Ending the day off with a press conference here in front of the office to announce the new single official release date,¡± Mark barked out orders to the team about the n for the day. I nced up at the overly handsome face of the blond man standing next to me before my gaze dropped to his hand that was pressed up against mine. I grinned a little to myself, knowing that he couldn¡¯t really hold my hand while in the office as EROS, he had probably decided to settle for a more discreet way for our skin to touch. The back of his hand felt warm against mine and for a moment, I started to wonder if this man was EROS or Sean right now. After the announcement came to an end, EROS walked away without a word to me. Mark approached me soon after with a relieved look on his face as he smiled politely my way. ¡°I¡¯m so happy that you¡¯re back. You cannot imagine what EROS put me through while you were gone,¡± Mark said with a hint ofint. ¡°You¡¯re right, I guess I can¡¯t imagine,¡± I replied teasingly. ¡°He seems to be in a good mood today. He even showed up to the morning briefing. He almost never does that...¡± Mark said before beaming a smile my way. For some reason, he reminded me of a puppy waiting to be petted andplimented by its owner. Not that I was even slightly inclined to do anything of that sort. ¡°Well, it¡¯s good to be back, I guess...¡± I replied vaguely. ¡°Please help take good care of EROS. You see, the movie casting is still pending...¡± Mark pleaded desperately. It seemed like everything was all good now regarding the new love song single, but the movie casting was still undecided. I felt a migraine building up on the side of my head when I thought about the script of that damn movie. Why can¡¯t they write about something else? ¡°Good luck to you,¡± I said bluntly before walking away. ¡°Wait! Elena...¡± Mark called after me, but I just kept on walking. ... ¡°Sit with me,¡± EROS requested when we arrived at the car. I was confused at his sudden request but decided to go along with it. EROS opened the door for me, and I got into the car. Sitting next to EROS in the back of the car felt strange. Unlike the other days when EROS would stare absentmindedly out the window, he was staring at my face instead. At first, I was determined not to let him bother me; however, EROS just wouldn¡¯t stop staring at my face. ¡°Is something on my face?¡± I asked with a hint of annoyance. ¡°Not at all...¡± EROS replied casually but his eyes did not leave my face. I decided to turn the other way instead. For some reason, I felt like today was going to be a very long and tiring day. When EROS stepped out of the car, he was in full professional mode, and I didn¡¯t have to worry about his unnecessary attention towards me anymore. As always, I observed and helped out where I could while EROS went through his tightly packed schedule of work and then more work. I don¡¯t know how he managed to pull it off, but by the time we were headed back to the office, EROS hadpleted the shooting for twomercials and a photoshoot for a magazine. ¡°Are you tired?¡± I asked as I handed him a bottle of water. ¡°No...¡± he replied before taking the water from my hand. We were standing right next to the car in the parking lot, and it was starting to get dark. I looked up at the darkening sky before I heaved a sigh. A sshing sound nearby captured my attention, and I turned in the direction of the sound to see EROS crouched down on the ground while he poured water from the bottle that I had just given him on his head. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 127 127 A Kiss and an Invitation That was cold water...gosh... ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold?¡± I asked as I quickly opened the car door to grab a towel for him. ¡°Elena...¡± EROS called my name softly. ¡°Hmm?¡± I made a questioning sound as I wondered what he wanted. ¡°Dry my hair...¡± EROS requested passively. ¡°Huh? No...you can do it yourself,¡± I refused. ¡°Dry my hair...¡± EROS said again, this time in a more demanding tone. Why is he asking me to do this all of a sudden? He¡¯s never asked me for something like this before... I nced over my shoulder to see Mark talking to the director and some other staff and knew that it would take a while before he returned here. Not that I thought that EROS would be satisfied with Mark drying off his hair in my ce. ..... ¡°Next time, you¡¯re going to have to do this yourself...¡± I muttered as I took the towel and ced it on his head. EROS stayed still as I crouched down next to him to dry his hair with the towel while I thought about why he had the sudden dump cold water onto his head like this. Won¡¯t he catch a cold at this rate? ¡°Why did you do this? Don¡¯t just dump cold water on your head...¡± I startedining while my hand busied itself with drying his hair. Suddenly, EROS¡¯s hand reached up to grab my wrist. Stunned at his sudden movement, my hands stopped, and the towel fell down from his head onto the ground. ¡°It¡¯s a little hard for me to concentrate when you¡¯re around...¡± EROS whispered into my ear after he pulled me in closer to him. ¡°EROS...¡± I whispered his name as he wrapped his other arm around my waist and pulled me even closer to him. His lips were on mine before I fully understood what was going on. Why am I kissing EROS in the middle of a random parking lot like this? People are going to see us... His lips on mine were warm and soft. His kiss felt surprisingly gentle as his lips began nibbling on mine teasingly before the wet tip of his tongue teased my lips opened. His hand moved to cup the side of my face as he deepened our kiss, his tongue skillfully slipping past my lips into the wet depths of my mouth. His other hand caressed my waist before moving down to the curve of my hips. His tongue began caressing mine tenderly and I let out a soft moan into his mouth. As if my moan turned him on more than before, his tongue thrusted deftly into my mouth and began grinding against mine. It feels so good...his kiss feels so good... It took all the sanity that I had left to break our kiss and push him away from me. I gasped for breath when his lips left mine. ¡°Don¡¯t kiss me all of a sudden...¡± I managed to say as I panted to catch my breath. ¡°Hmm...Elena, can I kiss you?¡± EROS asked after a moment of thought. What is he saying again? ¡°What?¡± I whispered breathlessly in my confusion. My eyes widened in shock when I felt the hardness of the car against my back, and suddenly, EROS¡¯s attractive face was right in front of mine as hisrger frame trapped me between him and the car. How did I get myself into this mess? I sat on the ground with EROS leaning over me and his face ising closer. His lips sought mine and I found myself getting lost in his seductive kiss. He kissed my lips over and over again, changing the angles of his kiss until my entire body felt weak. When this tongue entered my mouth, I moaned softly before we entwined our tongues together passionately. It felt so good. All the pleasure of his kiss made my mind felt all hazy and cloudy. Our kiss deepened until our tongues moved desperately against each other¡¯s. It felt like he was devouring my mouth and I found myself kissing him back with equal intensity. So passionate. So deep. When EROS finally let go out of mouth and withdrew his tongue, I was a panting mess. I could tell that EROS was very good at this even if he sucked at any kind of romantic rtionships. ¡°It wasn¡¯t sudden anymore, right? I did ask...¡± EROS said as if he wanted me topliment him. ¡°Then you should wait for me to give you permission before you kiss me...¡± I hissed at him. ¡°Is that how it¡¯s supposed to work?¡± EROS asked as he cocked his head to the side. I watched as he seemed to make a mental note of myment. Is he honestly trying to learn about forming rtionships from me? ¡°Yes, it is...¡± I replied firmly as I tried to get up. EROS moved to the side to give me some room to breathe. Thankfully this was all that he had in mind for now. It would be bad if he wanted to do more. I was more than conscious that we were still in the parking lot and although the car provided us with some coverage, people could walk around here at any time. It would be a disaster if anyone saw us. We need to be more careful. ¡°Hmm, I see. Elena?¡± EROS called my name questioningly. ¡°What now?¡± I snapped at him softly, afraid that someone will overhear our inappropriate conversation. ¡°Sleep with me tonight,¡± EROS said invitingly. Come again? ¡°What?¡± I asked inpletely disbelief. ¡°Have sex with me after work. You can sleep over at my room in the office after...if you want...¡± EROS suggested. ¡°Is that how you normally ask your girls out?¡± I asked in wonder. ¡°No. That¡¯s how they ask me for it, though...¡± EROS replied with a straight face. Oh...I don¡¯t even know where to start with this guy anymore... ¡°But I¡¯ve never taken any girls to my room before...¡± EROS volunteered additional information. ¡°Am I supposed to feel special that I¡¯ll be the first?¡± I asked, sarcastically. ¡°I think so,¡± EROS replied before he smiled innocently at me. I hated his smile and how weak it made me feel inside when I see it. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 128 128 First Love Song ¡°EROS? Elena?¡± Mark came calling for us. I could tell from his voice that he was close to us. EROS immediately got up before offering me his hand to pull me up. ¡°What were you two doing? Why is EROS¡¯s hair all wet?¡± Mark asked as his eyes traveled from me to EROS and then back again. I guess, I¡¯m the one who has to do the exining. ¡°EROS felt sleepy, so he poured cold water on himself. Then I had to dry his hair for him. We just finished that,¡± I exined before offering Mark a smile. ¡°I see. Well, you can take a nap if you need one. It¡¯ll be a while before we arrive back at the office. Then it¡¯s straight to the makeup artist and hair stylist for you. We have a press conferenceing up,¡± Mark said a little sternly as he pointed for us to get into the car. Thankfully that little passionate tryst of ours went undetected. However, I knew that we just happened to be lucky. I should never let EROS do something like that again while we are working and in public. If someone saw us... I didn¡¯t even want to think about it. ... ..... ¡°Thank you everyone for your time and patience. The wait is over, and EROS will now announce ns regarding the release of his new single,¡± one of the PR representatives of thepany said formally while standing behind the podium in front of the office building. We made it back right on time and EROS was ushered right to the dressing room where the team of makeup artists and other stylists helped him to get ready for his press conference. Finally, his new song, which was also his first love song, is ready to be released. Today, EROS would announce the official release date of his new song. I was happy for him, and the song felt very special to me, considering that I knew what we had to go through for that song to take shape and be released to all his eager fans. I watched from the side as EROS took his ce behind the podium. The stylish really did a great job and EROS looked like the superstar that he was. He sparkled brightly like the stars in the night sky, and I could understand why so many people were attracted to him. The crowd exploded in cries and apuded when he made his appearance before settling down to listen to what he had to say. ¡°Thank you everyone for always supporting me. I apologize for the slight dy and confusion on this but after much hard work, we are ready to release the new single that everyone has been looking forward to. The single will be released at exactly midnight in three days¡¯ time,¡± EROS said before pausing for effect. The crowd apuded and chanted his name so loudly that I thought I was going to go deaf. EROS just smiled and his smile was showed on countless big screens and probably in so many more screens of so many devices as people watched him on live broadcast. After the wild audiences settled down into silence again, EROS continued on with his speech. ¡°As all of you already know, this is my first love song...so please be kind in your reviews. I had a lot of fun working on this song from writing the lyrics,posing the music, singing it and everything else. I look forward to your continuous support for my new album and my future songs. Who knows, maybe I can release more love songs in the future. I¡¯m looking forward to learning so much more about love...¡± EROS said proudly before ending with a littleugh. The way his face transformed and lit up when heughed made my heart skip a beat and I was sure that many viewers felt the same way. Suddenly, EROS seemed to look my way before he smiled. It happened for just a brief and fleeting moment, and I wasn¡¯t sure if I had just imagined the whole thing or not. Did he just turn to smile at me just now? It was a true hassle for the bodyguards to escort EROS back into the building after the end of his speech. The fans went crazy and as always there were endless streams of gifts and letters for him from all his fans. Although it wasplete chaos outside, it was silent and calm on the inside of the building when we finally made it inside. EROS let out a sigh and stretched his arms above his head as he walked towards his private elevator. Mark was by his side as he began giving EROSments about the conference just now and next steps regarding the song¡¯s release. Apparently, the workday wasn¡¯t over for our superstar. EROS listened passively with an emotionless face as we rode the elevator together up to his floor. EROS stood in between Mark and I while Mark focused all his attention on getting his thoughts across to EROS in words. ¡°I have a meeting after this so I can¡¯t join you, but the CEO has asked to see you in his office. Please head there once you¡¯re done freshening up. Don¡¯t be toote, it¡¯ll put him in a bad mood...I¡¯m sure you already know that...¡± Mark said before he went on another topic. Wow, the CEO wants to see EROS. I guess work never ends for him. Suddenly, I felt a soft sensation running up and down the back of my hand. ncing down, I found out that EROS was gently caressing the back of my hand with his fingertips. My eyes were immediately on his face, but his face gave absolutely nothing away. His face was an emotionless mask as he listened to Mark with his eyes glued straight ahead at something invisible in the air. Regardless of that, his fingers were stroking the back of my hand sensually. How far is he going to take this? Someone will end up catching us... ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 129 129 Strained Rtionship I pulled my hand away before Mark would notice that something was amiss. To my utter shock, EROS grabbed my hand and held it tightly in his. This is even worst than before. If I pulled my hand back, Mark would probably realize. With a silent sigh to myself, I stood still while I let EROS entwine his fingers with mine until we reached our designated floor. ¡°Ok, I¡¯m off. Elena, make sure that EROS goes see the CEO and that he doesn¡¯t run away, ok? After that, we can all head home for the day. Finally!¡± Mark said enthusiastically while I wondered where he got his energy from after such a long day. Just like that I found myself standing alone with EROS in the hallway. EROS immediately turned on his heels and started walking away and I had a feeling that he wasn¡¯t walking to the CEO¡¯s office. ¡°Wait. Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± I asked as I reached out and grabbed his arm tightly to prevent his escape. ¡°I have something that I need to do...¡± he muttered while avoiding my gaze. ¡°That something would be meeting the CEO. Don¡¯t you dare run away. I don¡¯t care if you get into trouble, but I don¡¯t want to go homete tonight...¡± I quickly corrected him while trying to pull on his arm in the opposite direction. For some reason that I couldn¡¯t understand, EROS clearly didn¡¯t want to see the CEO of thepany. That didn¡¯t quite make sense, the CEO is supposed to be his boss and the one who gave him all the opportunities leading to his current and future sesses. Maybe he doesn¡¯t like having serious meetings? I could understand that, but won¡¯t the CEO get mad at him if he doesn¡¯t turn up? ¡°I¡¯ll walk you to the CEO¡¯s office...¡± I suggested brightly as I tried to pull him along. ¡°Do you have any idea where his office is?¡± EROS asked before he turned to grin wryly at me. ..... ¡°Oh...actually, I have no idea...¡± I admitted after realizing that I didn¡¯t know. EROS rolled his eyes at me before he started pulling me after him. Something told me that we were now on the right track to the CEO¡¯s office and so I decided to follow him obediently as I watched his broad back in front of me. ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to see the CEO? Are you nervous?¡± I asked in wonder. ¡°I hate him,¡± EROS replied coldly without bothering to turn my way. He...hates the CEO? Huh? ¡°Why do you hate him?¡± I asked. I knew that I shouldn¡¯t pry but I was more than a little curious to know about it. EROS rounded a corner in the hallway and soon we were riding what seemed to be a private elevator up to a very high floor in the building. No guesses required; we¡¯re definitely headed to the CEO¡¯s office. Now that we were alone in the elevator, EROS turned to face me before his hand removed mine from his arm and held it firmly in his. That was when I realized that I had been holding onto his arm naturally all this time. ¡°Do you really want to know?¡± EROS asked as his eyes watched me closely. ¡°I guess...¡± I replied softly. The elevator continued its way up as we stared deeply in each other¡¯s eyes. EROS slowly entwined his fingers with mine before he slowly brought my hand up to his lips and kissed it. His kiss on the back of my hand felt so tender and loving. It made me feel strange inside and I didn¡¯t know how to react to him. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you if you wait until I finish my meeting with him,¡± EROS said it like a promise. It wasn¡¯t like I was going to leave him and go home anyways. I wasn¡¯t sure if I wanted to know about his rtionship with the CEO, but I did want to know more about EROS. Frankly, the mystery surrounding him seemed to be sucking me in and I couldn¡¯t escape from it. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll wait for you,¡± I replied. EROS smiled such a cheerful smile at me that I could literally see flowers blooming all around his face like an animated special effect. Is this what it feels like to be infatuated and captivated by someone? The elevator came to a stop and the doors began sliding open. EROS led me through the elevator and into a very empty yet pristinely decorated hallway. I could tell that this must be the CEO¡¯s private floor. Just like EROS, the CEO probably had the whole floor to himself. ¡°It¡¯s this way...¡± EROS said, and he guided me along the hallway. I could tell that EROS was not looking forward to the meeting with the CEO at all. With each step that we took towards the CEO¡¯s office, I could sense EROS¡¯s mood darkening. Why does he hate the CEO so much? ¡°Wait here, ok?¡± EROS said as he turned to face me and offered me a beautiful smile. ¡°Sure...¡± I replied before EROS let go of my hand. It was just a glimpse, but I was sure that EROS made a very stern and slightly bothered face just now before he turned to enter the CEO¡¯s office. A knot formed in my stomach, and I started to have a bad feeling about this. Hopefully, things would go well in there. Suddenly, I felt very worried for EROS, and it wasn¡¯t long before I started pacing up and down the hallway like I was going crazy. I didn¡¯t know why or how it happened, but it seemed like the argument that we had had somehow brought us much closer together than before. At least, EROS was treating me a little better than before. That didn¡¯t change the fact that he was still a very hot and cold and super unpredictable person. After figuring out that pacing up and down the hallways wasn¡¯t going to help put my mind at ease, I sat down onto the ck leather sofa in the hallway. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 130 130 His Hidden Secret This was where guests were supposed to sit while they waited for their turn to talk to the CEO, I guessed. Although it felt like many hours had gone by, the reality was that only around 15 minutes had passed by before EROS emerged from the CEO¡¯s office. I heard some sounds of the two men talking close to the door and it sounded like they were arguing about something that I didn¡¯t understand. Feeling panicked, I stood up from the sofa just in time to see the door to the CEO¡¯s office open with a loud bang. EROS strode out followed by an older man who could be none other than the CEO. The CEO of GH Entertainment appears in the news quite often due to the nature of his work and so I sort of recognized his face, although this was the first time that I¡¯ve met him in person. ¡°I¡¯m not quitting. We talked about this already...¡± EROS said very loudly, and it was clear that he was upset. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. You¡¯re my only son and heir. How can you say something so irresponsible? Just listen to yourself!¡± the CEO yelled loudly as he followed EROS out of the room. The two men had their eyes on me, and I could tell that the CEO was surprised that there was someone waiting in the hallway. Plus, I had a feeling that he had no idea who I was. So how should I introduce myself? Hi, I¡¯m Elena, hired to be EROS¡¯s fake girlfriend to teach him about love and all that... ¡°Who¡¯s this prettydy?¡± the CEO asked as his eyes scanned my body from the top of my head to the tip of my toes. His gaze made me feel extremely ufortable. The CEO looks charming and extremely charismatic despite his age, and I could tell that the expensive suit that he had on covered a well-toned body. His face was a prime example of how men looked better with age just like fine wine. ..... ¡°This is Elena,¡± EROS introduced me grumpily without exining who I was. ¡°Elena...¡± the CEO said my name as if he was trying to recall me from his memories. That would be quite challenging because I was sure that we had never met before. I stered on a polite smile as the CEO walked past EROs towards me. Suddenly, he was towering over me as his eyes continued to stare at my face. He¡¯s too close and it was starting to feel suffocating, but I wasn¡¯t sure how to push him away. He¡¯s the CEO... ¡°If that¡¯s all that you have to say, we¡¯re done for the day. Let¡¯s go, Elena,¡± EROS said as he came in between the CEO and me. ¡°Right...we should leave. Good evening, Sir,¡± I said politely. ¡°Good evening,¡± the CEO said in low whisper. EROS quickly led me away from the CEO. I could feel his stare on my back as I walked away. Why did he seem so interested in me? Did we ever meet before? I doubt that was the case, though. Maybe he just found me attractive. I shiver ran through my body at the disgusting thought. He¡¯s too old and I wouldn¡¯t be interested in him even if was the CEO. What truly caught my attention was what I had coincidentally overheard while the two men were arguing. I nced over at EROS when we arrived back on his floor. He seemed more at ease now that he was no longer in the presence of the CEO, but his mood had notpletely improved. ¡°Dinner?¡± EROS suggested. ¡°Is this an invitation?¡± I asked teasingly. ¡°It is if you say ¡®yes¡¯,¡± EROS replied. I did have something that I wanted to ask him so... ¡°Ok, but is it fine for you to eat out?¡± I asked. ¡°I thought that you could cook something,¡± EROS replied casually. ¡°Stop pushing your luck. I can order in some food. Any special requests?¡± I offered the best that I could do. ¡°I can eat anything...¡± he replied immediately. ¡°Ok...¡± I responded. ... Not surprisingly, I found myself in EROS¡¯s living room after the food got delivered to us. I didn¡¯t even bother to ask myself how I ended up here and all alone with him. I sat opposite him at his dining table as we ate our non-borate dinner. It tasted great. Comfort food was the best. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you¡¯re the CEO¡¯s only son...¡± I said softly. EROS eyes widened in surprise at my words before he nodded his head slightly as if recalling that I must have heard what the CEO had said just now. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to overhear the conversation between you two...¡± I quickly apologized. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. That old man was screaming his head off...for no good reason...¡± EROS replied before taking another bite of his food. ¡°Haha...I guess you¡¯re right about that...¡± I said as I startedughing a little. ¡°It wasn¡¯t like I was intentionally trying to keep it a secret or anything. I just didn¡¯t think it was something I should have written all over my forehead, that¡¯s all,¡± EROS said, obviously referring to the fact that he¡¯s the CEO¡¯s son. My eyes widened at his straightforward words. Who would have thought that the famous EROS is the only son of the CEO, and therefore, the sole heir to this entertainment empire. ¡°Of course. It¡¯spletely up to you if you want other people to know or not. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell anyone. I promise...¡± I quickly said to reassure him that his secret was safe with me. ¡°Thanks. People probably find it hard enough dealing with me as just EROS without needing to add in even moreplexities of me being that man¡¯s son on top of it all...¡± EROS muttered darkly. He wasn¡¯t wrong about that. I wondered why he hates the CEO so much, but I didn¡¯t dare to ask. It had absolutely nothing to do with me and that was exactly what I told myself. I shoved thest of my food into my mouth as dinner came to an end. ¡°Well, I should head back now. Thanks for having me, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow at work...¡± I said as I got up from my seat. ¡°Wait...¡± EROS said as he also got up. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 131 131 Superstar Complications ¡°What is it?¡± I asked. EROS seem to hesitate a little which wasn¡¯t at all like him. After a moment of picking his words, he looked directly at me, and I could see the seriousness in his golden eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t go near him,¡± EROS said sternly. Near him? As in the CEO? ¡°You mean the CEO?¡± I asked, frankly quite surprised. ¡°That¡¯s right. Don¡¯t go near him, Elena,¡± EROS warned again. I didn¡¯t quite understand why EROS was warning me about this or why he seemed so serious all of a sudden, but I didn¡¯t think that it would be a problem. My work doesn¡¯t have anything to do with the CEO anyways so meeting him today was nothing more than a coincidence. ¡°Umm...ok. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be running into him any time soon either,¡± I replied with a smallugh as I tried to lighten the heavy mood. ¡°Right. Just do as I say...¡± EROS said softly. ..... ¡°Ok. Well, if there¡¯s nothing else, I should be heading back now. Is it already thiste?¡± I said as I looked at the time on the screen of my mobile phone. ¡°Wait...¡± EROS said. I turned around to see him hesitating as if he had something that he wanted to say. It was getting veryte so I better head back to my apartment. Tomorrow was another early day at work. ¡°Is...something the matter?¡± I asked, sensing that he seemed disturbed by something. ¡°Nothing. I¡¯ll drive you,¡± EROS said before he headed straight for the door. He was out the door before I could stop him. I never said that I wanted him to drive me! I grabbed my bag and followed him out of the door. At least I had to admit that this was better than him begging me to stay the night which was what I partly expected him to do. ¡°You don¡¯t have to drive me. I can get back by myself,¡± I quickly turned down his request when I finally caught up to him. ¡°No, I¡¯ll drive you,¡± EROS replied back stubbornly. I felt like I was arguing with an image of myself because he was probably as stubborn as I was...if not more so... ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for you to do that and I don¡¯t want you to drive me back,¡± I said firmly. During that time, we already made it to the elevator and EROS had already pressed the button. He turned to me, and I was scared of the determination in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯ste. I¡¯ll drive you,¡± he said just as the door to the elevator slid open. Before I could utter a word, EROS grabbed my upper arm and dragged me into the elevator with him. I heaved a long sigh. It wouldn¡¯t kill me if he drove me back. EROS knew where I lived anyways so I don¡¯t know why I was being so stubborn about all this. What bothered me was that EROS seemed on edge and that was probably since he had that conversation with the CEO who was also his father. Mind blown... Their character seemed to be so different. It was hard for me to believe that they were rted let alone father and son. There was another thing that bothered me... ¡°We¡¯re here. Get in,¡± EROS said curtly as he opened the passenger door of the car for me. Superstars sure have fancy cars. Period. ¡°Did you think that I¡¯m any poorer than your other clients?¡± EROS teased me with a wicked grin. Well, I wasn¡¯t sure how much a superstar of this caliber made but the fact that he was also the heir of GH Entertainment meant that he was super wealthy alright. I could do the math if I really wanted to figure out his worth but...those days of my life are gone... ¡°You¡¯re the heir of GH Entertainment and also EROS so of course, you¡¯re not poor. Good for you...¡± I said softly before I offered him a tight smile and got into the car. That had absolutely nothing to do with. As long as I got paid the rate agreed upon on my contract, I didn¡¯t care how rich or poor he or anyone else was. The drive with EROS was strangely silent. It wasn¡¯t like EROS was a very talkative person to start with but the atmosphere in the car felt awkward. It felt like we both had something to say but we were both avoiding it. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s weird for someone like me to be a superstar?¡± EROS suddenly spoke up when the car stopped at a red light. ¡°As in for the son of thepany¡¯s owner to be the key talent of thepany? Well, it¡¯s not that strange, I guess. Makes it more like a family business...¡± I replied with my honest thoughts. Was this what had been bothering him? Surprisingly, it was also what I was wondering about. After all, I heard it loud and clear when the CEO basically told EROS to quit being a superstar. It just sounded crazy, why would the CEO want one of his biggest money makers to quit? ¡°I see. You heard him when he told me to quit being EROS, didn¡¯t you?¡± EROS asked his eyes glued straight ahead. ¡°Yes...I did. I am a little curious as to why he would say that...¡± I replied softly. EROS was silent for a moment, and I got the feeling that he didn¡¯t want to reply to that question. Perhaps, I was prying too much into his private life. ¡°He doesn¡¯t like the reason why I became a superstar. It¡¯s all a big inconvenience for him,¡± EROS confessed so softly that I almost didn¡¯t hear him at first. ¡°Oh, take a turn here and we should be at my ce soon,¡± I said to change the topic. Soon we arrived and EROS parked his eye-catching sportscar in front of my building. It waste at night, and no one was walking around this area anymore which wasn¡¯t surprising considering that it was a weekday. ¡°Thank you for driving me...¡± I thanked him as I started getting out of the car. ¡°Elena...¡± EROS called my name softly. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 132 132 Summoned ¡°Yeah?¡± I said questioningly. ¡°Nevermind...wave to me from the window or send me a text when you¡¯re safe in your room,¡± EROS said. ¡°Sure. Good night,¡± I said while feeling slightly confused. ¡°Goodnight,¡± he replied. I decided to go to the balcony of my room to wave down at EROS who had gotten out of his car to lean leisurely against it. When he saw me waving at him, he lifted his hand in acknowledgment. I watched him drive away in his shy car while I giggled a little to myself. I got to say, that was the first time a guy asked me to wave at them to make sure that I made it to my room safe and that was exactly why I had decided to give it a try. There¡¯s a first time for everything or so they say. That night I went to bed with a nagging feeling at the back of my mind like I had forgotten something important. But for the life of me, I didn¡¯t know what it was. That nagging feeling brought with it insomnia and I tossed and turned in bed while I tried to dig deep into my soul to find out what was causing that feeling. After around an hour of deep thought, I finally realized that after all that talk with EROS, he never got around to telling me the reason why he wanted to be a superstar. ... ¡°He asked to see me?¡± I asked inplete disbelief. After a long and tiring day of going around with EROS and his team for his various jobs, we arrived back at the office early in the evening. EROS still had dance practice for one of his shows and it amazed me where he got his energy from. ..... ¡°Yes, the CEO has asked to see you in his office. Do you know what this is about?¡± Mark asked me in a hushed whisper as he came to stand closer to me. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to tell me that? Why does he want to see me? Did I...do something wrong?¡± I asked, feeling slightly panicked about this. Although I ran into the CEO yesterday when I was waiting for EROS, it never urred to me that he would want to see me the next day. For some reason, I had a feeling that it wasn¡¯t for something good. Mark seemed clueless as well as to why the CEO would want to see me. ¡°Regardless, he¡¯s waiting for you now so you better head up there. You know where his office is, right?¡± Mark asked with clear concern. ¡°Yes, I know where it is,¡± I replied. ¡°Well, I wish that I can at least walk you there, but my house is also on fire right now...¡± Mark said before he heaved a long sigh. ¡°That¡¯s ok. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s anything serious. I¡¯ll be back in no time,¡± I said more to reassure Mark than to fool myself. ¡°Alright. Good luck, Elena,¡± Mark said and then he was off. I followed the same route that EROS took to the CEO¡¯s office yesterday while feeling d that I paid some attention to the way yesterday. Despite the brave front that I put on in front of Mark, I didn¡¯t have the confidence to meet with the CEO at all. The fact that I didn¡¯t know why he wanted to see me seemed to ce me at aplete disadvantage. The door to the elevator opened and I stepped foot out onto the CEO¡¯s floor. I was here in this exact spot with EROS yesterday. ¡®Don¡¯t go near him, Elena¡¯ I heard EROS¡¯s voice and warning just like he was standing right here next to me, and it gave me the chills. When I readily agreed with himst night, I honestly never thought that I would ever need to get close to the CEO. It wasn¡¯t like I could turn down this meeting, though. Maybe just talking to him in his room wasn¡¯t exactly going ¡®near him¡¯. ¡°Hello. It¡¯s Elena here...¡± I spoke a little loudly after knocking on the door to the CEO¡¯s office. ¡°Come in,¡± the CEO replied immediately. After taking a deep breath, I pushed open the door to his office firmly and walked in. The CEO was seated behind his huge work desk. The atmosphere in the room and how everything was decorated and positioned, made the CEO look very powerful and overbearing. ¡°I heard that you wanted to see me...¡± I said politely. ¡°Take a seat here,¡± he said as he gestured to the chair positioned on the opposite side of his desk. I smiled politely at him before approaching the chair and sitting down on it. I could feel his eyes on me, and it made me slightly ufortable. Now that I could see him up close, I had to say that some men really do age like fine wine. Although I¡¯ve been hanging around the social scene for many years, I have never had the chance to meet this man face to face like this. ¡°I¡¯m Simon, it¡¯s a pleasure to finally meet you properly. Sorry that it took so long for us to have this meeting,¡± Simon said with a smile that seemed genuine. ¡°I¡¯m Elena. It¡¯s an honor to meet you,¡± I replied smoothly. ¡°The honor is mine. I guess you¡¯re wondering why I¡¯ve asked to meet with you today,¡± Simon said casually. I didn¡¯t know what to say to that so I just kept silent while putting on one of my well-trained smiles. ¡°I would like to apologize for the unsightly disy yesterday. It was unfortunate that you had to witness that and I¡¯m sure that it didn¡¯t leave a good first impression for me,¡± Simon said before he chuckled a little as if recalling that awkward incident. Well, if that was it then this meeting wouldn¡¯t turn into anything difficult or ugly. I suddenly felt relieved that I was probably worried for nothing at all. ¡°There¡¯s nothing for you to worry and of course, I will never speak of it to anyone so you can rest assured about that as well,¡± I said in anticipation of what he wanted. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 133 133 Prying into My Past ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t mind about that. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re actively trying to keep the fact that Sean is my son a secret or anything. We just don¡¯t feel like it¡¯s something that we should outwardly advertise about,¡± Simon said with a rxed smile. Well, if this piece of news does leak out, I am sure that the fans and the public will have more than a few things to say about it and their opinions could be very divided indeed. ¡°Ipletely understand...¡± I replied vaguely. Just when I thought that meeting must havee to an end already, Simon spoke up again. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re helping EROS out with his work right now. How is that going?¡± Simon asked with keen interest. How do I describe this...? ¡°It¡¯s going well. I¡¯m not sure how useful I am to him, but I do try my best to support him,¡± I replied smoothly. ¡°What about your role as his contract girlfriend? What do you do for him exactly in that...respect...?¡± Simon said as his eyes narrowed suggestively at me. As in...do we fuck? ..... ¡°The contract that we initially signed at first does not allow any sexual activities; however, the contract had just recently been revised,¡± I replied factually. ¡°In other words, you¡¯re willing to sleep with him now...¡± Simon surmised, and it wasn¡¯t a question. ¡°Yes,¡± I replied bluntly to his blunt question. By contract we could but there is another use that says that he can¡¯t exactly force or **** me against my will. ¡°Interesting. I doubt EROS needs any training in that area, but he can learn in other areas...¡± Simon said with a nod of his head. ¡°Such as?¡± I asked before I could stop myself. Simon¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at my straightforward question before his lips curved into a teasing smile. ¡°Well, from what I¡¯ve heard, you were hired to teach him about love, right? Somehow that¡¯s supposed to help with his work in various fields. He can tap into romance and all that. I¡¯ve heard the first love song and I can tell that it¡¯ll be an instant hit,¡± Simon said with confidence. ¡°EROS is talented so even I¡¯m not surprised by his sess,¡± I replied. ¡°I wonder how much you influenced that song...¡± Simon said in wonder. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that but I doubt that I have a lot of influence on him and his work,¡± I replied humbly. I didn¡¯t want to take any credit that I didn¡¯t deserve and, most importantly, I didn¡¯t want to tell the CEO about what happened between EROS and me that led to the birth of that song. ¡°What happened to your ex-husband was very unfortunate...¡± Simon said sympathetically. What happened was truly unfortunate, but our rtionship was as good as dead anyways. However, I did wish that George and I would have parted on good terms and not like that. I didn¡¯t need anyone¡¯s sympathies, though. ¡°Thank you for your kind words,¡± I replied politely. ¡°I heard that your parents disowned you after that. Is that true?¡± Simon asked although I felt like he already knew the answer. I see. This man probably looked into my past because I was close to EROS who is also his only son and the heir to this huge and flourishing empire. I hated what Simon did, but I could understand the need for him to do so. ¡°Yes. I haven¡¯t told anyone this, but it is true. Because of the massive debt that George left behind, we decided that it would be better if my parents didn¡¯t get involved in the mess...¡± I replied quit truthfully. ¡°You mean your adoptive parents, right?¡± Simon asked as his eyes narrowed at me. I wanted tough at myself and my old habits. Since being adopted by them, I was ordered and frequently reminded never to disclose the fact that I was adopted, and I guess that habit sort of stuck. There was nothing for me hide now, though. My adoptive parents already cut all ties with me anyways. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. They were my adoptive parents. We have decided to sever all ties between us since then,¡± I stated bluntly while I wondered why he was asking into this. Simon nodded his head slowly as if he was thinking about how to progress with our conversation. I watched him as I tried to hide my nervousness. Honestly, I couldn¡¯t predict where this conversation was going at all and that made me more than slightly ufortable. ¡°Do you remember anything about your birth parents? You were not too young when you were ced in the orphanage, right?¡± Simon asked and this time I could sense that he was truly curious. Why does he care about that? Something told me that his interest was too much for someone who is just looking into the past of his son¡¯s fake girlfriend. It wasn¡¯t like I was going to marry EROS and bear his child, so I didn¡¯t see the need for this in-depth investigation at all. Something else nagged at the back of my mind but I couldn¡¯t quite seem to identify what exactly it was about what Simon had just said that bothered me. ¡°I do remember my parents. Of course, they both passed away a long time ago when I was young,¡± I replied concisely. I hoped that he would just take the clue that I didn¡¯t want to discuss the circumstances surrounding my parent¡¯s death at all. Even after all these years, thinking about it and talking about it was still difficult for me. To the best of my ability, I tried my best not to recall the events of that disastrous day that changed my life forever. ¡°I see. I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯m being too straight forward but...would you mind telling me who your birth parents are?¡± Simon asked straightforwardly. Why...does it matter? ¡°Is that necessary? I would have thought after all the investigations that you¡¯ve done, you would have found that out already,¡± I said with a smallugh, although I didn¡¯t find anything about this funny. ¡°It¡¯s strange, you see. I admit that I paid a huge sum of money to look into your past, but it seems like I can¡¯t find out the identity of your parents no matter how hard I¡¯ve tried,¡± Simon said as his eyes narrowed suspiciously at me. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 134 134 Lecherous Predator He couldn¡¯t find out. Why was that? ¡°Really? That¡¯s a little surprising. Maybe the records from the orphanage were all destroyed by the fire. If you looked into it then you would know that there was a fire there, right?¡± I asked while trying to avoid his question. I didn¡¯t want to get my dead parents involved in this. The circumstances surrounding their death was devastatingly sad for me and I didn¡¯t want anyone looking into that incident or anything else rted to my birth parents. It would just be...disrespectful. That was part of the reason why I never minded not talking about my birth parents or hiding the fact that I was indeed adopted. Simon stood up from his seat as he slowly walked around therge table toe to my side. I looked up at him as I tried not to be intimidated by his presence. Instead, I offered him a polite smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to look into you at first but when I saw you...you really reminded me of someone that I knew very very well...¡± Simon said as he bent down and brought his face very close to mine. His eyes searched my face as my body stiffened in panic. What the hell is he even talking about? The way he said the words ¡®very very well¡¯ sounded so...suggestive... I have never met him before and even if I did, we did not know each other ¡®very very well¡¯. Trust me, I always remember the men that I spend the night with, and I have never spent the night or anytime at all with this man. He¡¯s too old for my tastes like he could be my father or even older and I didn¡¯t have that kind of preference. Wait! That is not the main point here! He¡¯s probably mistaking me for someone else. That has got to be it. ¡°I¡¯ve been told that many times before. I guess my face isn¡¯t all that unique,¡± I said while trying tough it off. ..... Simon continued staring at my face and I started to lean backwards to put some distance between us. He¡¯s getting too close forfort, and I didn¡¯t like the way that he was staring at my face. Things got even worst when his gaze traveled down to my chest below travelling down the curves of my body. I never thought that I would be stuck to deal with a situation like this. He¡¯s the CEO and all that but I have to find a way to get out of this situation somehow. ¡°You really resemble her. It¡¯s even too good to be true. I thought that as well when I firstid eyes on you...Elena...¡± Simon said as his hand snaked out and touched my cheek. Ok! This has to stop! I flinched and quickly swatted his hand away from my face. How dare he touch me? The loud pping sound rang awkwardly loud in the silent room. Simon looked shocked and offended by the fact that I had pped his hand away while I couldn¡¯t quite wrap my mind around what was happening. Is this really happening? The CEO of GH Entertainment is trying to sexually harass me right here in his office? What the hell is he even going on about me resembling someone that he knew? This is just sick... I need to get out of here, I can¡¯t stay here with this man any longer. At that moment, I was only worried about getting away and everything else didn¡¯t matter. The job contract and my debt didn¡¯t matter to me anymore. I just knew that I had to get out of that room before he did something even more uneptable to me. ¡°Don¡¯t run away,¡± Simon hissed. I cried out when I felt my arm being yanked backwards as he pulled me back. His eyes were scary as he stared at me. I struggled against him, but he only gripped my arm tighter, and it began to hurt. I cringed at the clear desire and lust swimming in his eyes as he stared at my face. ¡°Let go! Let go of me now!¡± I screamed loudly. Someone please help! Isn¡¯t there someone out there that can help me?! Suddenly, the door to his office flew open with a loud bang. ¡°Sorry! You can¡¯t go in there without permission...¡± a woman said in a shaky voice. Simon froze in shock at the sudden development as we both turned towards the door. ¡°EROS...help me...please...¡± I called for his help as my voice cracked. That was when I realized just how close I was to tears. EROS walked in through the door with a clear scowl on his angelic features. His hair was damp, and he was quite sweaty. Did he turn up here from his dance practice? ¡°Seriously, old man. This habit of yours has got to stop...¡± EROS said darkly as he stared at his father. ¡°Why do you care so much? She¡¯s not even your girlfriend...¡± Simon said like what he did was nothing. EROS approached us and Simon pulled roughly on my arm to get me away from EROS. I cried out loudly at the pain that ripped through my arm. This is going to leave a bruise for sure, I just knew it. EROS¡¯s eyes widened when I screamed out in pain. There was a dangerous look of pure anger in his eyes, and I was sure that EROS hadpletely neglected his persona and had reverted to simply being Sean. Without a word, Sean raised his fist and punched his father squarely in the face. It all happened so fast that I wasn¡¯t sure what really happened. There was a loud sound when his punchnded and then Simon¡¯s grip was gone from my arm. There was another loud crashing sound and then Simon was on the floor while Sean pulled me into his arms and held me against him as if he wanted to keep me safe. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch her again. Come with me, Elena,¡± Sean warned before turning to guide me out of the room. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 135 135 Intoxicating Kiss ¡°Sean...¡± I whispered his name as relief flooded my body. His hand that held mine felt warm and his arm around my body feltforting. Being close to Sean made me feel safe and I was beyond thankful that he turned up to protect and stand up for me. ¡°I see. It all makes sense now...¡± Simon said as if he had finally figured out thest missing piece of aplex puzzle that he had been trying to solve. What makes sense now? What is he talking about? I looked down at the floor to see him wiping some blood at the corner of his mouth with the sleeve of his suit. It was a disgusting sight that made me quicky look away. No, I did not feel an ounce of sympathy for the man. ¡°Sean...you really are my son...¡± Simon said before he startedughing to himself. What does that even mean? He¡¯s so freaky... ¡°Sir! Are you ok? Maybe I should call the ambnce...¡± the woman, who seemed to be his secretary rushed to Simon¡¯s side. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Elena,¡± Sean said to me before he lead me out of the room. ..... I could feel Simon¡¯s eye ring at my back until I disappeared from his sight. ... ¡°Sean...¡± I whimpered his name as I struggled to keep up with his long strides. Sean did not look back at me. He just kept on walking, and it seemed like he wasn¡¯t willing to slow down. His hand gripped mine so tightly that it started to hurt. Relief flooded my body when the elevator arrived because it meant that I would be far away from the CEO¡¯s floor in no time at all. The elevator door slid open, and Sean pulled me after him into the elevator before pressing the button to his private floor. ¡°Thank you...for saving me...¡± I thanked him in a whisper. ¡°Why did you go near him when I told you not to?¡± Sean asked bluntly. ¡°I...he asked to...¡± I began exining in a small voice. ¡°You promised me that you would stay away from him! Why did you go near him? I told you to stay away from him!¡± Sean shouted at me loudly, his voice ricocheting in the elevator as he turned to grab my shoulders in hisrge hands. I knew well why he was so angry. He was right, he warned me about this so many times, but I still went close to the CEO. I didn¡¯t know that something like that was bound to happen, and it wasn¡¯t like I could turn down a meeting with the CEO when he requested for it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± I managed to say regretfully. That was all that I could say. Anything else would just sound like a bunch of worthless excuses because that was what they were. Thankfully, the elevator arrived at EROS¡¯s private floor before he would explode in the elevator from his anger. Once the door opened, Sean dragged me after him along the hallway before turning in the direction that I knew would lead us to his room. ¡°It hurts...Sean...¡± I whimpered weakly as pain dug into my wrist. Sean rxed his hold on my wrist a little and the pain quickly subsided. I let out a breath of relief once the pain was gone; however, my relief was extremely short lived. Sean¡¯s arms were around my back and under my legs before he lifted me into his arms and carried me princess-style along the hallway towards his room. ¡°Sean...¡± I called his name in a breathless whisper. His golden eyes looked down at me and I froze in his arms. His eyes were so frighteningly as he red down at me. My lower lip trembled, and I didn¡¯t dare meet his eyes any longer. I looked away from him, but I could still feel his intense gaze on my face. When we arrived in front of the Sean¡¯s room, he yanked opened the door and carried me inside before kicking the door closed. The door closed behind us with a loud m while Sean strode towards the sofa. ¡°Ahh!¡± I let out a cry when he dumped me non ceremoniously onto the sofa. I felt the softness of the sofa against my back. Shocked, I struggled to get up immediately, but my efforts were in vain when Sean got on top of me and captured my wrists before pinning them easily above my head. ¡°Where did he touch you?¡± Sean asked as his eyes rove over my face and then my body. ¡°He...¡± I murmured softly. I didn¡¯t even want to voice it because I didn¡¯t want to recall what had just happened with Simon. It disgusted me and I didn¡¯t want Sean to know anything about it. Seeing that I was hesitant to tell him about it, Sean leaned in closer before he started kissing my cheek softly and tenderly. He trailed small and loving kisses on my cheeks before proceeding downwards to my chin and then the side of my neck. A soft whimper escaped my lips as I started to rx beneath him. When his lips captured mine in a sweet kiss, I found myself moaning into his kiss. His lips kissed mine softly from various angles and my resistance slowly melted. When the tip of his wet tongue softly probed my mouth, requesting for entry, I parted my lips invitingly. Sean thrusted his wet tongue into the depths of my mouth without hesitation and I relished in the feel of his tongue dancing against mine. I moaned louder into our kiss as my body began responding to his seductive kisses and caresses. His hands freed my wrists and began caressing the curves of my waist and then my hips as our kisses got wetter and wilder than before. ¡°Sean...¡± I whimpered his name in between the small breaks between our kisses. His kisses felt so amazingly good, and the pleasure quickly took over my mind. The addictive pleasure of his teasing yet dominating kisses felt so blissful that it was making me forget everything else but him. Sean crushed his lips to mine again and his hot tongue immediately invaded my mouth. He grinded his tongue against mine as he sucked and tasted me. I kissed him back with renewed desire as my body began writhing beneath his. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 136 136 Skin on Skin ¡°Elena...you¡¯re so sexy...¡± Sean murmured close to my lips when he broke our kiss before he thrusted his tongue boldly back into my mouth. I moaned louder as my hands reached out to touch him. I felt the hard muscles of his arm beneath the palms of my hands as I began stroking his arms and kissing him back in wild abandon. ¡°Stick out your tongue...quickly...¡± Sean instructed as his golden eyes stared deeply into mine. The fire of passion dancing in the depth of his eye captivated me and I found myself doing exactly what he wanted me to do. Sean stuck out his tongue and licked mine softly before he started sucking gently on my tongue. I moaned at the sensation of his tongue teasing mine so boldly before he began sucking harder and faster. My body felt like it was on fire and my breath came in short pants. I was so turned on by him and I couldn¡¯t hide it. Hisrge hands cupped my breasts over my clothes before his fingers began undoing the buttons of my shirt while his tongue continued to tease and y around with mine. ¡°Did he touch you here?¡± Sean asked when he parted my shirt to the side. I felt his golden eyes on my breasts before his hands gently peeled away the cups of my bra so that he could get a good look at my naked breasts. A soft moan erupted from my lips when hisrge manly hands groped my naked breasts directly. The heat from his hand felt so warm andforting on my womanly mounds as he began massaging my breasts. ¡°Ahhh...Sean...¡± I moaned from the pleasure of his touch. My nipples immediately hardened at the seductive stimtions of his hands. My mind grew hazier by the second as hisrge hands pumped my breasts a little rougher than before, making me cry out in bliss. My back arched off the sofa to thrust my breasts upwards against his yful hands as I invited him to touch me more. ..... ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll clean every trace of him from you,¡± Sean whispered seductively before he buried his face in between my naked breasts. His fingers started rolling my hardened nipple between them and I cried out in ecstasy. My nipples were so taunt and hard that they started to hurt. Sean was so good at this and everything that he was doing to me gave me immense pleasure. He ced a kiss on the sensitive skin between my breasts before his tongue began licking a line between my breasts. I ran my fingers through his blond hair as I thrusted my breasts into his face invitingly. EROS¡¯s mouth engulfed my nipple before he began sucking on it softly. His tongue snaking out top and tease at the swollen little bud while I cried out at the intense pleasure. My other hand stroked his back as I enjoyed the feel of his muscles beneath my hand. I could feel the muscles of his back moving even through his shirt and I wanted nothing more than to run my hand along his ripped naked flesh. Sean...EROS...he¡¯s so sexy... Not able to withstand my desires any longer, I slipped my hands under his shirt to feel the naked muscles of his back against my bare hands. He feels so warm to the touch and I moaned in pleasure as I stroked my hands gently along his back as he continued pleasuring my breast and my nipples with his hand and wet mouth. His back was damp with sweat, and I remembered how he must have rushed to find me even though he must have been in the middle of his dance practice. As if he could sense my desire to touch him directly, EROS paused his attention on my breasts for a short moment when he sat up and pulled his shirt off in one swift motion. My eyes widened in awe and amazement at the sight of his naked body. Tan golden skin matched with his shiny amber eyes as he stared down at me from above. His hair slightly messy hair made him look even more attractive and sexy. He¡¯s so beautiful... I¡¯ve seen photos of him naked before but that doesn¡¯t do any justice to the real thing. No matter what, I couldn¡¯t tear my eyes away from him. Sean grinned at me when he saw my awestruck face before he threw his shirt down onto the floor next to the sofa. ¡°I¡¯m quite dirty...¡± Sean murmured ¡°I don¡¯t mind...¡± I replied without hesitation. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Sean asked and he seemed slightly surprised. ¡°Yeah...you look a bit wild...but that¡¯s ok...¡± I whispered a little shyly. He was sweaty but I enjoyed holding him. He looked so wild and sexy, and I couldn¡¯t wait to experience more of his wild ways. Sean smiled at me before he was on top and all over me again as we quickly picked off from where we were. This time, I got to fully enjoy the feel of his ripped muscles moving underneath my hands as I stroked his entire back while he sucked harder and nibbles on my nipple. I cried out his name as my hips began moving beneath him. Gosh...I wanted him so badly... ¡°I really can¡¯t get enough of you, Elena...¡± Sean groaned with dark desire as his hands began stripping me of my clothes. He reached behind me and unsped my bra before pulling it off along with my shirt. His motions were rushed and rough, but I didn¡¯t mind. I could understand his desperation and need, and I also wanted to get rid of all my clothes so that I could feel his naked skin on mine directly. I helped him undress me. After removing my skirt and then my panties, I waspletely naked underneath him. Sean¡¯s eyes roved over my naked body as his heated gaze took in every inch of my naked skin. Suddenly, I felt overly exposed and slightly ufortable that he was staring so intensely at my naked body. Heat rose to my cheeks as I blushed and tried to cover my sensitive areas with my hands. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 137 137 Surrendering to Pleasure ¡°Don¡¯t cover yourself...I want to see all of you...¡± Seanined slightly as he pried my hands away from my body. ¡°Sean...I...I want to see you too...¡± I admitted shyly without meeting his intense gaze. ¡°Just so you know, I¡¯m very expensive in the nude...¡± Sean said teasingly before he got off me. His hands swiftly removed his pants and his boxers, and those unnecessary pieces of clothing fell to the floor. Sean sat up and straddled me as he proudly showed me his naked body. He¡¯s so beautiful, I thought to myself as my eyes travelled all the way down from his face to the beautiful muscles of his chest and his shoulders. Down further to the well-formed six pack muscles of his stomach and then further down to rest at his enormous and very erect cock. I gasped when my eyesnded on his gigantic cock. He¡¯s so big and his member stood up hard and proud in between his legs. My pussy quivered in a mix of excitement and anticipation of taking in that massive pole inside of me. My core throbbed with desire as my pussy clenched and spasmed uncontrobly. I tore my eyes away in slight shame when I realized that I had begun desiring to have his cock inserted into my love hole. ¡°Wait! Sean...¡± I cried out in panic when he suddenly grabbed my legs and lifted them up as he moved his body closer to mine. Sean spread my legs wide open, and I felt my pussy lips being stretched opened as well. I could feel his eyes on my pussy and my face burned in embarrassment. Sean stared at my wet opening as my pussy trembled underneath his lustful gaze. ¡°Spread your legs wider for me, Elena,¡± Sean instructed passionately. I had no idea how I was going to spread my legs even further apart; my legs were already so widely spread. Sean traced a hand from my knees down my inner thighs and I gasped before I bit on my lower lip and moaned from the pleasure. His hand moved closer and closer to my core until his fingers finally reached the wet mess in between my thighs. His fingers dipped into my wetness as I cried out at the sensation of my pussy being stroked lovingly. ..... ¡°You¡¯re super wet, Elena...your pussy is flooded...¡± Sean whispered seductively as he watched his own fingers stroking up and down my wet slit. I already knew that I was sopping wet down there and the more that he stroked and petted my sensitive area, the more juices leaked out of my love hole. When his fingertips brushed against my swollen clit, I cried out his name as my hips bucked upwards, thrusting my pussy shamelessly against his fingers. ¡°Does this feel good? You¡¯re so sensitive here...¡± Sean said knowingly as his fingers pressed harder against my hardened clit. ¡°Yes! Ahhh...Sean...it¡¯s so good...¡± I cried out as my hips began moving wildly against his hand. ¡°What about this?¡± Sean asked. My pussy made a lewd wet sound when he thrusted his thick and long fingers sharply into my eagerly awaiting hole. I cried out his name as my pussy clenched hard around his intruding fingers. He stretched and filled me up inside and the pleasure robbed me of all ability to think. I just wanted to feel more of him. ¡°Ahh! Sean...¡± I cried out and called his name pleadingly. Sean looked down at me adoringly before he began thrusting his fingers in and out of my hole. He didn¡¯t spare any room for me to get use to his thrusts. His fingers moved fast and hard in and out of my wet cunt as my pussy made embarrassing squelching sounds. My hips thrusted up and down to meet his thrusts halfway as he continued to ram in his fingers faster and faster into my greedy hole. The feel of his fingers stimting the walls of my pussy felt unbelievably amazing. ¡°Ahh! Please...please...¡± I moaned and begged him for more pleasure when his fingers started thrusting against my pleasure spot. My legs felt so weak as the fire in my core burnt brighter and hotter. With each thrust, Sean was bringing me closer and closer to the edge. If he keeps on finger my pussy fast and hard like this, I knew that I would climax in no time at all. I wanted to cum...I wanted him to make me cum...so badly... ¡°Sean...I...it¡¯s too good! Ahh!¡± I screamed so loudly that I prayed that no one would hear me. I¡¯m about to cum...hard... ¡°Cum in my mouth, Elena...¡± Seanmanded lustily before he buried his beautiful face in between my widely spread legs. The tip of his hot tongue licked and flicked on my sensitive clit as his fingers moved faster and harder against my g-spot. My hips thrusted up and down faster as I raced towards my mind-shattering climax. I¡¯m going to cum...I¡¯m going to... ¡°Sean...I¡¯m cumming. I¡¯m cumming!¡± I screamed loudly as I surrendered all control to the orgasm that swallowed me whole. My pussy squirted my love juices out from my wet hole as I panted harshly. Sean¡¯s warm tongue licked my wet opening as hepped up the release from my climax. It felt so good, his tongue felts so gentle as it caressed my pussy folds expertly. ¡°I¡¯m at my limit now. I can¡¯t take it anymore, I need to fuck you now, Elena,¡± Sean growl seductively as his hands moved to spread my legs again. My pussy was still very sensitive from just having climaxed and I was already very wet from my own release. Sean spread my legs before positioning himself in between them. I moaned softly when I felt the heat of the thick head of his cock lodging itself in between my pussy lips. He¡¯s so hot and he¡¯s so big, I can tell just by having him at my entrance. I moaned in excitement and anticipation of taking in his impressive and massive size. It will probably hurt a little... ¡°Ready? Let me know if it hurts too much for you to take...then maybe I¡¯ll stop...maybe...¡± Sean said with a small chuckle. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 138 138 Bing One with a Superstar Then his cock thrusted forcefully into my pussy hole, making me scream at his sudden entrance as his cock prated deeply into me. He was in so deep with just one thrust. It hurts a little as my pussy struggled to adapt to his thickness and his length. I could tell when I saw his cock that he was outrageouslyrge, and I had been mentally preparing myself for his entry but the sensation of his cock stretching and filling me up felt so crazy. It hurts but it felt so fulfilling and satisfying at the same time. ¡°You¡¯re very tight. Your pussy is clenching hard around my cock...¡± Sean murmured in his sexy voice as he began moving his hips around. His cock moved around teasingly inside of me as his length hit against the walls of my pussy and gave me pleasure. The heat of his cock filled me with warmth, and I couldn¡¯t wait to feel this aggressive beast move in and out of me. ¡°Ahh...Sean...¡± I moaned softly as I began stroking his arms. His eyes stared down at me with intense desire before he smirked devilishly at me. At the same time, he reared his hips back, pulling his cock almost entirely out of my pussy hole before he thrusted his hips forward and pounded his cock back into my hole. My hips jerked at the impact of his cock diving deep and fast into my wetness. It felt even better than the first time and much deeper. ¡°Ahh! Ahh! Ahhhh!¡± I cried out in ecstasy in time with his rapid thrusts ramming his thick dick in and out of my wet cunt. My pants and moans of passion filled the room along with Sean¡¯s groans of pleasure as our bodies moved desperately in time with each other as we tried to get even closer to each other. His cock pounded fast and deep into my wet cunt as I clenched my pussy around the girth of his love stick. My hips thrusted up and down to meet his thrust halfway as my pussy tried its hardest to suck his cock even deeper inside of me. His cock felt hotter, longer and thicker inside of my love tunnel and I knew that he had expanded muchrger. Sean held my legs wide open as his hips moved faster, beating his cock faster into my wetness. My pussy got wetter as it spurted out more love juices onto Sean¡¯s thick rod. His cock hit the pleasure spot deep inside of me as he proceeded to fuck me from various angles. He made sure that I felt his cock everywhere inside of me and the pleasure of his thrusts hitting deep inside of me seemed endless. I marveled at how good he was at sex as he gave it to me fast and hard like he would never stop. The thick head of his cock rammed against my womb with each and every thrust until my legs felt like it had turned into jelly. My core throbbed with desire and the pleasurable ache in my lower abdomen quickly became unbearable. His cock hitting hard and deep against my womb gave me the relief that I needed. I could feel his cock running along my pussy walls and my entire body trembled from the exquisite pleasure that he was making me feel. ..... ¡°Ahh! I¡¯m gonna...cum...¡± I confessed shamelessly as I felt my climax creeping up on me. My orgasm soon took over me and I was left as a weak whimpering mess underneath him. Sean bent down and kissed my lips sweetly before his hands slid underneath my hips to cup my ass cheeks. He lifted my butt off the sofa and after positioning my love opening where he wanted it, Sean screwed his thick cock back into my hole at apletely new angle. Hisrge hands held my ass to control the angle of his pration. He thrusts were deeper and more precise. Each thrust hitting my pleasure spot from various angles until I felt like I was on the verge of climaxing at each thrust. It was a pleasurable yet scary feeling that threatened to destroy my mind and sanity. ¡°Sean...oh...Sean!¡± I cried out his name in my frenzy because that was all that I could do. Although I just came, I was about to cum again. The way his hot rod twitched inside of me told me that Sean was also close to his limit. I wanted us to cum together. His body moved more desperately, and his thrusts became animalistic as he growled my name at his release. ¡°Ahhh...¡± I moaned as my eyes slid closed. I wrapped my arms around his backfortingly as he stilled on top of me. His cock twitched and shot his hot seed deeply into my womb. Sean spurted his cum into my wet hole in streams. He filled me up with so much of his seed that flooded my hole. My pussy clenched around his cock hard as if it wanted to milk him of everyst drop of his cum. I moaned his name softly while I let my greedy pussy do its job of sucking on his cock. ¡°We should have done this since the first time that we met...Elena...¡± Sean whispered lovingly into my ear before he took my ear lobe between his teeth and nibbled on it. ... Despite the love that we just made, I could still sense that Sean was extremely mad at me still. After emptying his seed into me, Sean eased his cock out of my hole. I gasped as the mixture of our love juices erupted from my unplugged hole. I watched in shock as the wetness dirtied the sofa in between my legs. ¡°It¡¯s fine...¡± Sean said without a care when his eyes dropped to the mess on the sofa. Sean stretched his arms above his head while I watched his beautiful muscles move beneath his skin. He really was a very beautiful person. ¡°You¡¯re not mad at me...anymore...right?¡± I said hopefully. ¡°I¡¯m still mad,¡± Sean replied without hesitation. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 139 139 Clean Me Properly He¡¯s still mad, I knew it. Even though I let himfort me and I gave him so much pleasure. Even after we went all the way, he was still mad at me. For some reason that I didn¡¯t understand, I didn¡¯t want him to be angry at me. I knew that what I did was wrong, and I wanted his forgiveness more than anything. I could recall the look on Sean¡¯s face when he stormed into the room to rescue me from his father, and I could clearly see the hurtful look on his face as we rode the elevator together to his floor. Without knowing what had taken over me, I started sobbing and thenrge drops of tears flowed down my cheeks as I started crying for real. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Elena,¡± Seanforted me softly when he saw that I had started crying. ¡°But you¡¯re so mad at me right now...¡± I mumbled in between the sobs that shook my body. ¡°Stop crying. I¡¯m not mad anymore...but please don¡¯t go near him again...¡± Sean warned sternly. All I could do was nod my head at him slowly. I won¡¯t let something like that happen again. Not just for his sake but for my own sake as well. I will never go near Simon again and if next time he asked to see me, I would refuse or make sure that I didn¡¯t have to be alone with him. Sean wrapped his arms around my body and stroked my hair lovingly before he kissed my hair. His gentleness and how fast the mood around him seemed to shift confused me but I found myself leaning into his kisses and embraces so naturally. It was strange, he was the same man as before, but I could tell that he was Sean now and not EROS. He seemed colder and blunter than before but there was a warmth about him that told me that his concerns and his feelings were genuine and that this wasn¡¯t just a persona that he had built for the entertainment business. ¡°Sean?¡± I whispered his name questioningly. With his arms under my legs and back, Sean lifted me up easily into his arms again. I looked at his face curiously as I wondered where he was going to take me. Sean looked down at me face before he smiled a small smile. ..... ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± I asked softly when he began walking. ¡°I¡¯ll clean you...properly...¡± Sean replied. My eyes widened in surprise and soon we found ourselves in his bathroom. Sean carried me and ced me down into his bathtub. I sat up in surprise as I looked up at him only to feel warm water falling down from above onto my head and my body. True to his words, Sean really intended to wash me clean. He reached for the shower gel and afterthering it onto his hands, his hands reached out for one of my arms. ¡°Sean...¡± I murmured his name, but Sean didn¡¯t respond to me in words. Hisrge hands began stroking up and down my arm as hethered bubbly soap onto my skin in smooth motions. I watched his face as he concentrated on cleaning my arm. His touch felt soothing andforting and I began to rx as I sat in the tub. The warm water slowly filled up the tub as Sean moved to pay attention to my other arm and then my shoulders. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this...I can clean myself...¡± I muttered a weak protest. ¡°I want to do this,¡± Sean stated bluntly. ¡°Right...¡± I murmured, not knowing how else to respond. Sean seemed so determined and focused on what he was doing that it was hard for me to turn him down. I guess after what we¡¯ve done, it¡¯s not really a big deal for him to touch me here and there orther my body with soap. However, feeling him touch me all over like this made my body feel extra sensitive and it was hard for me to keep in my moans. ¡°Can you move that way a little?¡± Sean asked. I nodded my head slightly as I scooted a little to the side. To my surprise, Sean stepped into the bathtub with me. While I was still blinking my eyes rapidly in confusion at this sudden development, Sean¡¯s arms wrapped around my waist before he pulled me towards him. ¡°This feels good...holding you like this...¡± Sean murmured in delight. My body stiffened when I felt the heat of his body against my back as Sean pulled me in even closer against him. I sat awkwardly in between his legs with his arms wrapped around my waist. A soft whimper escaped my lips when I felt him burying his face into the crook of my neck. His warm lips kissed the sensitive skin of my neck softly. Those small kisses that he trailed down the side of my neck made my body tremble in his arms. ¡°Your neck is so sensitive...so are your ears...¡± Sean whispered as if he had discovered something new and exciting. His tongue licked a line up my neck before he began licking on my earlobe and nibbling on it. He made me moan from the stimtion as if he wanted to prove his point from earlier. I tried to squirm to get away from him, but his arms only tightened around my waist and pulled me tighter against his hard andrger frame. ¡°Your breasts are soft...and your nipples are ultra-sensitive...¡± Sean whispered knowingly into my ear. Hisrge hands moved up from my waist to grope my breasts and I whimpered as pleasure coursed through my body from where his hands were teasing my tits. I moaned his name as I leaned back against his chest, thrusting my tits boldly towards his hands. Sean¡¯s hands massaged and pumped my breasts together a little rougher than before and then he began pinching my hardened nipples. ¡°Ahh! Ahhh!¡± I cried out at the exquisite pleasure. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 140 140 Burning For Him My nipples felt so sensitive and the more he yed with it, the more turned on I became. My body felt hot, and my core started to throb and quiver with renewed desire. We just did it so why am I feeling so horny? The soap on his hands only made his seductive caresses more blissful. I bit on my lower lip and moaned as his hands moved faster and rougher on my breasts, squeezing them, and pumping them in his hands until it felt like my tits would melt in his hot hands. I whimpered his name before Sean captured my passionate moans into his fervent kisses. His tongue thrusted firmly into my mouth, and I weed his entry with my own. I grinded my tongue desperately against his as my body writhed in his arms as lust and desire started taking over my brain and my body. ¡°Sean...we should...¡± I managed to protest when he finally let go of my tongue. I was panting hard by that time and before I could finish off my sentence properly, Sean grinded his hips up against me. His hardness rubbed against my ass and my body froze. His cock was so thick and hard already. I could feel its heat against me, and I knew instinctively what Sean wanted. ¡°Sean...¡± I murmured his name. I turned to face him and that was such a crucial mistake. His golden amber eyes captured mine and the heated desire smoldering in the depths of his eyes captured me and drew me in like a helpless moth drawn to a me. At this rate, we¡¯re going to... ¡°Want to try touching it?¡± Sean suggested teasingly. ¡°No...I...¡± I murmured while I tried to snap out of the trance that I was in. The heat of the bath was getting to me, and my mind felt like it had slipped so deep under his spell. It wasn¡¯t like I had much of a choice when his hand captured mine and slowly led it towards his thick rod. I closed my eyes in anticipation and finally his thick hardness brushed against my fingertips. The touch of his cock against my fingertips felt so enticing. ..... Sean let out a soft moan next to my ear when I finally wrapped my hand around the thick girth of his gigantic cock. His heat filled my hands as I marveled at how thick he was. No wonder it hurt when he thrusted this massive pole inside of me. His cock was so thick and so hard that it amazed me endlessly that I could take something of this size inside of me. Oh, he¡¯s so hard and big...I want him... Unknowingly, my pussy had already began reacting to him as it clenched and spasmed wildly. As if Sean knew what I desired, his hand caressed my inner thigh teasingly before his fingers slowly inched towards my throbbing pussy. I moaned in anticipation of his touch as I leaned my head back against his broad shoulder. ¡°Ahh...¡± I moaned heatedly when his fingers finally found the heat in between my legs. I parted my legs willingly for him as my hips began thrusting my pussy against his exploring fingers. Sean stroked his fingertips along the quivering opening of my pussy while I moaned from the pleasure. ¡°So slippery and wet...this isn¡¯t just water, is it?¡± Sean teased me before he nibbled on my ear lobe. His fingers proceeded to stroke me faster and harder until I cried out from the pleasure. I couldn¡¯t bear to be the only one receiving pleasure from him, so I began moving my hand up and down the length of his upstanding cock faster and harder too. Sean groaned in pleasure into my ear and the lewd sound of his passion turned me on even more. His fingers found my swollen clit and massaged it roughly in fast circr motions. My hips jerked at the intense and raw pleasure. His cock grew hotter and harder in my hand as I pumped his cock even faster. ¡°Your pussy is so hot and wet...¡± Sean murmured seductively into my ear. His thick and long fingers thrusted firmly into my hole, and I gasped at the sensation of my cunt being pierced by his thick fingers along with the entry of the warm water into my hole. It felt so good that my legs started to go weak. ¡°Spread your legs wider for me,¡± Sean urged as he began pounding his fingers in and out of my hole. I cried out his name as I enjoyed the pleasure from his fingers. Sean¡¯s massive member twitched wildly in my hand, and I knew that we were both enjoying each other¡¯s lovingpany. Our lewd moans filled his bathroom and echoed loudly off the walls. ¡°Sean...it feels so amazing...¡± I moaned my passion boldly. Sean smiled charmingly at me, and I offered my lips to him wantonly. Our hands continued to pleasure each other¡¯s sex as Sean kissed me deeply, capture our moans of pleasure into a deep and wet kiss. I could feel his fingers thrusting against my pleasure spot and my pussy got wetter for him. His fingers pounded into me from various angles as my hips moved greedily against his hand. ¡°Sean...please...¡± I pleaded to him in small breaks between our fervent kisses. I couldn¡¯t wait anymore. I wanted to feel his cock inside of me again. When he took me earlier, it felt so good. The pleasure was unbelievable, and my body craved more of him. I wanted to feel even more pleasure from his thick and long cock. ¡°I love how you¡¯re begging for it...¡± Sean coaxed with clear satisfaction. Carefully, he withdrew his fingers from my love hole while I whimpered weakly at the sensation of his fingers sliding along my pussy walls until he removed his fingerspletely from me. I turned around to meet his golden gaze before I turned around and boldly straddled him. I draped an arm across his shoulder before wrapping it around his neck while I stared deeply into his beautiful amber eyes. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 141 141 Impressive Sex He¡¯s so handsome. I can¡¯t believe a man can look this beautiful and so hot at the same time. ¡°Put my cock inside you, Elena. I want to be inside you now...¡± Sean whispered, his voice dripping with raw desire. Hismand turned me on so much and I couldn¡¯t wait to be one with him again. My hand reached down to grasp his cock before positioning its thick head at my love opening. The engorged head of his hot rod pried my pussy lips apart as I lodged him there at my entrance. I sucked in a breath before letting it out a long and soft moan as I felt his tip piercing slowly into my wet cunt. ¡°Ahhh...your cock is amazing...it¡¯s so big...¡± I moaned inpliment. Sean chuckled as hisrge hands grabbed the side of my hips. Suddenly, Sean thrusted his hips upwards while his hands pulled my hips down sharply. I screamed loudly when his cock suddenly screwed itself into my hole. He was already in so deep with one single thrust. ¡°Sean...oh...it¡¯s so deep...¡± I managed to say in between my wild moans and panting. ¡°Ride my cock, Elena. Show me how wild you can be...¡± Sean demanded lustily. His hands tightened on the sides of my hips, his fingers digging slightly into my skin. Turned on by his dirty talk, I began moving on top of him. Just like he wanted, I began riding his cock in wild abandon as I bounced my hips up and down his love stick. His cock slid in and out of my hole as I grinded my pussy up and down this massive length. My body weight made sure that I could take him in deeply each time I sat down onto his upstanding cock. The thick head of his cock pounded deeply into me, hitting my womb with each solid stroke. My breasts bounced around as I moaned like a bitch in heat. My body moved faster as Sean watched me with his intense amber eyes. His hands reached out to massage my tits as I continued to ride on his erect cock. My pussy clenched around his cock in rhythm to my own movements and I felt his cock growing even bigger inside of me. ..... ¡°You¡¯re very good at this. Your pussy also feels amazing, Elena...¡± Seanplimented me as his hand squeezed my breasts sharply. ¡°Ahhh! Sean...Sean!¡± I moaned loudly before screaming his name. His fingers moved from my tits to pay extra special attention to my sensitive nipples. The almost unbearable pleasure that I felt from his skillful fingers pinching and teasing my nipples along with the pleasure of his cock beating deep into my wet hole almost made me climax on the spot. Everything that he was doing to me quickly drove me closer and closer to the edge. My mind felt light, and each thrust made me feel like I was about to climax. ¡°Seems like you can¡¯t get enough of my cock. Let me help you, Elena,¡± Sean offered with a yful smirk. Suddenly, Sean began moving his hips, thrusting his cock up hard and fast into my pussy hole. I cried out from the mind-numbing pleasure. It felt so good before when I was moving myself but the sensations taking over my body and mind right now felt so different. It felt so much better now that Sean was beating his cock rapidly in and out of my hole. His hand held my hips where he wanted me as he moved beneath me to pound his cock fast and hard in and out of me. Sean¡¯s movements were rough and so were his animalistic groans. His thrusts felt deeper and more forceful. My pussy spasmed around his cock as I felt my release nearing. He¡¯s going to make me cum again. I knew that he must be experienced with sex, but I never thought that he was this good. His massive cock also added to the pleasure from his skills. Sean thrusted his cock into me from various angles while his amber eyes watched my reactions closely. ¡°It feels good here, doesn¡¯t it? When I pound my cock here, your pussy clenches so hard...¡± Sean said with confidence after his cock seemed to have found the pleasure spot deep inside of my hole. He was so talented at this and so observant. His movements were calcted to make both of us feel good and he watched my reactions as he studied me. Now that he had found my pleasure spot, Sean rammed his cock fast and hard against it repeatedly and I found myself in heaven. As if he thought that that wasn¡¯t enough for me already, his hand reached down between our bodies before his fingertips began stimting my sensitive clit. I screamed and threw my head back as my body exploded from the hot pleasure building up inside of me. His cock continued pounding against my sensitive spot until I came crying his name at my intense release. ¡°Sean! I¡¯m cumming! Sean...Sean...¡± I screamed before I whimpered his name softly as my climax took over mepletely. It felt good the first time that we did it, but the second time was just... ¡°I¡¯m going to cum so much inside you, Elena...¡± Sean warned with clear amusement. His cock thrusted more powerfully into me and after a few hard thrust, his cock shot his hot seed deeply into my hole. As the heat of his release filled me up, I murmured his name as it urred to me that Sean didn¡¯t even bother to wear a condom. I also forgot all about that and I just let him do me raw. His cock felt so hot inside of me as it twitched around wildly inside of my sopping wet cunt. ¡°I love your face when you cum. It¡¯s so sexy...it makes me want to make you cum over and over again...¡± Sean whispered seductively into my ear before he chuckled softly. True to his words, that wasn¡¯t thest time that I got to enjoy the pleasure of his caresses or the joy of having his thick cock inside of me. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 142 142 Spending Night with Him ¡°Sleep here tonight,¡± Sean said as he tugged on my hand to keep me from leaving. I turned towards him before ncing down, afraid to meet his pleading gaze. If I looked at him, I felt like my resolve would melt into thin air. ¡°No, I should go back...¡± I told him softly. ¡°You will sleep here with me tonight,¡± Sean insisted firmly. As if he was scared that I would escape from him, Sean pulled me into his embrace and wrapped his arms around my body tightly. I could smell the smell of his soap along with his smell as I breathed him in. His hair was still damp from the shower that we shared, and he looked so homey and so different from the usual EROS that I was used to that it was hard for me to believe that this man was the same superstar that captured the hearts of millions in his hands. ¡°EROS...¡± I mumbled as I tried to push against his chest. ¡°Call me Sean...¡± Sean urged in a low whisper before he ced a soft and sweet kiss on my forehead. Unlike the passionate kisses that we shared, that soft tender kiss made me feel all funny inside and a blush crept up into my cheeks. ¡°Sleep here with me tonight. I promise that I won¡¯t do anything...more to you...¡± Sean promised although he didn¡¯t sound too convincing. ..... ¡°You¡¯re very...strange...¡± I mumbled before I gazed up at his mesmerizing amber eyes. ¡°I¡¯m happy with being strange if that¡¯ll make you stay over with me tonight,¡± Sean concluded before dragging me off to his bedroom. Lying in bed next to Sean felt extremely bizarre but not in a bad way. Although we¡¯ve done way more intimate things with each other just before this, it felt strange to be lying next to him on his bed while holding his hand in mine. I felt oddly nervous and out of ce while Sean seemed as at home and as rxed as ever. ¡°Do you...sleep with girls often?¡± I asked before I could stop myself. I bit my own tongue. Why am I asking him that? ¡°I have sex with them often. This is the first time that I¡¯m having one spend the night,¡± Sean replied so matter-of-factly that I was taken aback at first. At least, he didn¡¯t seem offended by my question at all. ¡°Am I supposed to feel special that I¡¯m the first one sleeping with you?¡± I asked with a smallugh. ¡°No. I just wanted to try it out...¡± Sean replied tly. Well, it wasn¡¯t like I had my hopes up for anything. I stared at Sean¡¯s beautiful face and his straight nose in the dim orange warm light, and it made me realize that perhaps Sean was really trying to learn about rtionships and about love. What is love? I wasn¡¯t entirely certain that I understood it that well. Maybe, I was just as clueless as Sean is about it, but I just had the ability to pretend and act like I understood it better. ¡°Can I ask you a random question?¡± I asked. Sean¡¯s eyes shifted to my face before he nodded. This might be a little unexpected and out of the blue but, I really wanted to know if he knew anything that might be useful in easing my curiosity. ¡°You see, when your father...umm...got aggressive with me. He mentioned that I resembled someone that he knew ¡®very very well¡¯, so I was wondering if you have any idea who he could be referring to?¡± I asked before biting down on my lower lip anxiously. Perhaps Simon was just going on about some nonsense. Perhaps it was just as I said, and my face was just amon one in the crowd. However, I didn¡¯t think that it would hurt to ask. Sean lifted his head and rested it on his hand as he stared down into my face as if trying to recall someone up from his memories. His eyes narrowed at me, and I felt my heart start to race at his intense gaze. After a while, Sean just shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what he was talking about. I don¡¯t know anyone who resembles you...¡± Sean replied with a regretful grin. ¡°I see. Well, it doesn¡¯t really matter...¡± I said as I decided to let the whole matter just slide by. ¡°Don¡¯t go near him again. My father has a bad habit of fucking women that work for him. It¡¯s always been that way since I was young, and I guess old habits die hard. When he said you resemble someone, he was probably referring to one of his lovers in the past. Since you look nothing like my mum...¡± Sean replied followed by a sarcasticugh. ¡°I see...¡± I mumbled. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. Let me cuddle you so that we can go to sleep,¡± Sean coaxed as he wrapped his arms around my body. ¡°Wait...¡± I murmured in protest as my entire body stiffened. ¡°Lovers are supposed to do this before they go to bed, right?¡± Sean mumbled as he buried his face against the side of my neck. I wondered where he read or heard about things like that. Since it was probably useless to resist him, I let him cuddle me and soon, I ended up falling asleep peacefully in his arms. ... ¡°How are things, girl?¡± Jason asked in his teasing drawl. For some reason, Jason gave me a call bright and early in the morning. This never happened unless he¡¯s got something to talk to me about. I gave him a vague reply while I waited for him to get to the main point of this phone call. ¡°The thing is...EROS¡¯s agency requested for more of your time...¡± Jason divulged before giggling gleefully. ¡°Why would they do that?¡± I asked, pretending not to know the cause of this. ¡°Obviously because EROS asked for it,¡± Jason replied but his tone told me that he wanted some juicy exnation for this turn of events from me. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 143 143 Noble Man for a Noble Cause That was something that he wouldn¡¯t be getting. I¡¯m keeping my little passionate tryst with EROS to myself. ¡°I don¡¯t think I have more time on my hands to offer to him, though,¡± I replied truthfully. I was already juggling three very demanding clients. These three ultra-rich men were also more than a handful to handle. I yawned before stretching my arms to the side of my body. ¡°He¡¯s requesting that you apany him on some of his uing tours,¡± Jason stated before he sighed loudly. ¡°He¡¯s going on tours? As in concert tours?¡± I asked, his words had caught my attention. ¡°Yes. I haven¡¯t made anymitments, though,¡± Jason replied. ¡°Won¡¯t that affect the other clients if I¡¯m gone for too long?¡± I asked with worry. ¡°Well, the thing is...¡± Jason said before he seemed to hesitate. Great, there¡¯s more and Jason hasn¡¯t told me everything yet. ..... ¡°What is it?¡± I asked impatiently. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not just EROS. The other two are asking to take you on trips of their own...so maybe it will somehow bnce out...¡± Jason exined thoughtfully. ¡°Huh? I¡¯ve never heard anything about this from them before...¡± I murmured in confusion. Why didn¡¯t they tell me before reaching out to Jason? ¡°Maybe they didn¡¯t want to invite you if it wasn¡¯t allowed? How am I supposed to know?¡± Jason replied in a snappy voice. ¡°So, what should I do?¡± I asked for his opinion. ¡°If the time roughly bnces out then it should be fine. You can hear the rest from the men themselves and you can decide whether or not you want to go along. It¡¯s not like they can force you...¡± Jason said casually. ¡°Alright. I get it. I¡¯ll let you know...¡± I mumbled. ¡°Thank you, Sweetie,¡± Jason thanked me gleefully. ¡°Sure. We should have dinner or some drinks soon,¡± I told him. ¡°Of course!¡± Jason shouted quite excitedly through the phone. I stared at my phone in slight confusion after the line had disconnected. After enjoying a day of rest after reuniting with EROS, I was ready to keep the promise that I made with Adrian. What should I cook for him? ... ¡°As you all know we are focusing more of our efforts this year on CSR as part of building a positive brand image for our hospital chain. Our past CSR efforts have been well received by the public and has greatly helped us form rtionships with the public sector as well as build trust with our patients,¡± a middle-aged man presented formally as he stood in front of the projection screen. He was one of the senior managers that worked for Adrian. I sat next to Adrian like I always did when I attended meetings with him. The other managers have gotten used to seeing me around now. After Adrian had so proudly announced that we are thinking of getting married, the managers have all treated me with respect and were helpful in providing me additional information about the hospital and its other associated businesses. It was fun for me to imagine what role I would y if I married Adrian for real. Needless to say, that wasn¡¯t going to happen in this lifetime...or the next... I nced over at Adrian as he watched the presentation with keen interest. I got the feeling that unlike other CEOs who worked on charitable work and CSR purely for creating a positive image for theirpanies, Adrian truly cared about bringing help to the people in need. ¡°As requested by our CEO, the target for our CSR projects this year will be orphanages and we have already shortlisted a handful of orphanages from every country that we operate in. We will work to support these orphanages to improve the lives and well-being of the children living there. Of course, that includes ensuring proper healthcare, food and nutrition along with educational opportunities,¡± the man continued with his presentation. Orphanages... ¡°What do you think?¡± Adrian brought his head closer to mine and whispered to me. ¡°I think it¡¯s wonderful...¡± I replied without hesitation. As a girl who grew up in an orphanage that was extremely underfunded, I could say that I truly understood what it meant to suffer and to go hungry. It would help the children in those orphanages so much if they had the support of such arge corporation as this one. I smiled sweetly at Adrian as I continued to admire his goodwill. He¡¯s such a noble and honest person. The meeting came to an end and the time had arrived for me to live up to the promise that I made with Adrian earlier to cook dinner at his house. Adrian took my hand in his after everyone else had left the meeting room before pulling me up to my feet. He beamed a smile at me, and I could tell that he couldn¡¯t wait for us to spend the evening together. ¡°Thankfully that was thest meeting. I can¡¯t wait to enjoy our date,¡± Adrian admitted brightly. ¡°I¡¯m just hoping that my cooking doesn¡¯t disappoint you...¡± I mumbled before returning his smile. Adrian led me out of the meeting room and after he got changed in his office, we were on our way to his house. I could tell that Adrian was in a very good mood and I found myself sharing his joy. ¡°This CSR project sounds like a big deal,¡± I said once we were alone in the car together. ¡°It is. We devote a lot of money on CSR as a way to really return something good to themunities where we run our businesses,¡± Adrian exined casually. ¡°Why did you choose the work with the orphanages?¡± I asked curiously. ¡°Hmm...I thought that it would be nice to help children. I feel like when you¡¯re that young, you really need all the help that you can get. Those children don¡¯t have parents to love them and take care of them, so the least that we can do is to provide them with good food, good shelter, good healthcare...you know...¡± Adrian replied before turning to smile warmly at me. ¡°You¡¯re a very kind person,¡± Iplimented him openly. Adrianughed a little before he started shaking his head from side to side. ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m just doing what I can to help...¡± Adrian replied softly. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 144 144 A Sweet Date I turned to stare at him as my heart seemed to have melted. His words, his attitude and what he was trying to do truly touched me. Despite everything that he¡¯s done and was trying to do, he remained a very humble person. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m visiting some orphanages that we¡¯re going to sponsor, so I was wondering if you would like toe along with me,¡± Adrian asked without much confidence. He turned to smile lightly at me, and I could feel his desire for me to join him on the trip. This was probably what Jason was alluding to when he spoke to me on the phone earlier. I had no idea why Adrian thought that I wouldn¡¯t be thrilled to go on the trip with him because I really was excited and so happy that he had chosen to invite me. ¡°Of course. I really want to go with you,¡± I replied, sounding a lot more enthusiastic than I had intended. ¡°Really? You¡¯lle with me, really?¡± Adrian asked with clear surprise. ¡°Well, is there a reason why you thought I wouldn¡¯t want toe along?¡± I asked jokingly. ¡°We¡¯ll be travelling for a few days and it¡¯s not going to be a smooth and luxurious trip so...I wasn¡¯t sure if you¡¯ll be interested...¡± Adrian replied while looking quite shy. ¡°Oh no. It¡¯s not like that...umm...I would really want to go. I want to help you out as much as I can on this CSR project. Honestly, I¡¯m very happy that you¡¯ve chosen to help the children at the orphanages...¡± I replied quickly. ¡°Really? Well, that¡¯s a relief. Also, there¡¯s a charity event tied to this CSR project. A little like a publicunch. If it¡¯s ok with you, I¡¯d like you to apany me to that event as well,¡± Adrian invited me with a smile. ..... ¡°I¡¯ll dly apany you,¡± I replied before smiling brightly at him. I couldn¡¯t stop smiling at him. Jason made it all sound like a horrible affair, but in the end, there was nothing for me to worry about after all. ... Adrian¡¯s mansion had such arge and very well-equipped kitchen. Although I was told that this wasn¡¯t the main kitchen of the house, I was still very impressed with it. ¡°The main kitchen is used by the cook and the other staff to prepare meals. This one is more for my personal use. I don¡¯t cook that often so it¡¯s more like a pantry of sorts rather than a real kitchen...¡± Adrian exined. Another prime example of Adrian being very humble. The kitchen might not be regrly in use for cooking, but it surely was equipped to be up for the task. From what I could tell there was virtually everything needed to cook excellent dishes in that kitchen of his. ¡°I haven¡¯t cooked for a while, honestly, I feel a little nervous about this...¡± I admitted quite shyly. It was true that I haven¡¯t really cooked for a while, and I was quite certain that the cooking skills that I¡¯ve picked up during my cooking sses at school have rusted. After marrying George, I never cooked for him or the guests because we always ate out at fancy ces. Eating home cooked food at home like a normal married couple wasn¡¯t something that George valued or desired. That meant less burden for me to cook so I didn¡¯t mind at all. ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to feel nervous. I¡¯m a doctor, not a professional cook. I actually might need your help,¡± Adrian replied with an encouraging smile. I smiled back at him easily. Adrian has got a way with words. Just being by his side is very calming and rxing to me. It was like basking in the warmth of the sun on a perfect day. ¡°What are you going to make today?¡± I asked curiously. ¡°Steak, my special recipe of gravy, and some sides to go along with it,¡± Adrian replied with a cheerful smile. ¡°Sounds heavenly. Now I feel like I¡¯m not going to contribute enough...¡± I mumbled. ¡°Please don¡¯t say that. Now I feel a little pressured to get it right,¡± Adrian said beforeughing a little shyly. I ended upughing along with Adrian while I tried to figure out how not to disappoint him with my cooking. It wasn¡¯t like I came here unprepared. I did review some old recipes that I should be able to pull off without much trouble. Carbonara was a safe choice although it was really a healthy one. Would Adrian mind? He¡¯s a doctor and all... ¡°What are you going to make?¡± Adrian asked in return. ¡°Oh, I was thinking of making some carbonara spaghetti but I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯ll be too heavy or unhealthy. You know, with all the cream...¡± I replied hesitantly. ¡°Millie will love it, though. Plus, I¡¯m not on a diet or anything,¡± Adrian saidfortingly. It just felt like he was trying to make me feel better and it worked. It¡¯s so easy to be around Adrian. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder why this man didn¡¯t have a real girlfriend. Someone has perfect as him shouldn¡¯t have a need to pay for a contract wife. ¡°It¡¯s settled then. I want to wish you luck, but I think I¡¯m the one who¡¯s going to need it,¡± I dered with a bright smile. After praying silently for all to go well, I started cooking. As expected, I felt quite ufortable in the kitchen with Adrian. It was one thing to simply be with him but quite another to be cooking with him. At first, we focused on our own dishes. I congratted myself silently inside my head for making the right choice of choosing a dish that wasn¡¯t superplicated. After boiling the spaghetti, I left it to the side and started working on the sauce. A little too much cheese won¡¯t kill anyone, I thought to myself as I tossed in more cheese into the mixture. There is no such thing as too much cheese, right? ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 145 145 mes I nced over at Adrian when I started smelling some very good beef being cooked. It seemed like he knew how to cook quite well. I wondered if he used to cook often. Maybe he did when his wife was still alive. It was just a thought that fleeted through my mind, and I never asked him about it. ¡°Wow. It¡¯sing along quite well,¡± Imented to make some conversation. ¡°Your carbonara smells great too,¡± Adrianplimented. ¡°Thank you. Do you need some help? I think I¡¯m pretty much done with my dish,¡± I announced proudly. ¡°You can help me a little over here with the red wine sauce,¡± Adrian said. I watched him cook the steak from a distance. The sound of the beef sizzling on the grill sounded appetizing but the fire that was emitted from the grill wasn¡¯t something that I wanted to get close to. ¡°Sure, I can do that. What should I do?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯ve got everything prepared so you can just help me put in the various ingredients while I stir...¡± Adrian instructed. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be easier if I stirred, and you put in the ingredients? You¡¯ll probably know when to putin what instead of telling me. How¡¯s that?¡± I suggested instead. ..... ¡°That works too. Let¡¯s do it your way,¡± Adrian replied before he smiled sweetly at me. With that, we started working on the red wine sauce for the steak together. My role was quite simple, I just stirred while Adrian popped in the ingredients when he saw that it was the right time. Soon, the sauce started to smell good, and he hadn¡¯t even put the wine in yet. The atmosphere around us finally rxed and I truly started to enjoy myself now that the stress of getting my dish right was behind me. ¡°Now for thest part...¡± Adrian said. I watched as he poured red wine from a freshly opened bottle into the pan. Just when the wine came into contact with the heat of the pan, mes burst all over the pan. My body froze as my eyes focused on the mes that started burning higher and higher. There was no way that a simple fire from Adrian adding alcohol could burn this brightly or this high. Even though, I knew that I couldn¡¯t stop myself from seeing what I was seeing. The mes continued to burn even higher and higher. Red and orange mes flickered all around the pan before it started creeping towards the pan¡¯s handle and soon the me had engulfed my fingers and then my hand. Then it started spreading up from my hand to my wrist and then my arm...and then... ¡°Elena!¡± I heard someone calling my name. It must have been Adrian. I stared at the me engulfing my arm in pure confusion rather than fear. The fire is burning my entire left arm up, but I didn¡¯t feel any pain. It¡¯s not real and this isn¡¯t really happening. I knew that but at the same time, I also knew that it was happening...again... ... It had been a very long while since Ist dreamt of that disastrous day at the orphanage. Just like in all the dreams that I had of that event before this, nothing was clear. Everything was shrouded in thick ck clouds and all I could see was silhouettes. There was fire and mes everywhere and it continued to burn like it would never stop. That was all I saw in my dream and that was because that was pretty much all that I remembered. I hated this dream so much. It always made me feel ufortable. It made my chest feel tight and I always struggled to breathe. Soon enough when my mind and body have suffered enough, I would wake up with a start. I¡¯m about to wake up, anytime now... My eyes snapped open, and I immediately sat right up and began coughing like a fish that hadnded onnd. I struggled to breathe as my chest heaved up and down. My breathing was harsh, and my eyes felt sore. ¡°Elena...¡± Where am I? ¡°Adrian...¡± I whispered his name softly when Adrian¡¯s very concerned face came into view. Am I...at his house? I looked around the bedroom that I was in after I had figured out that I had woken up in an unknown bed. Adrian¡¯s brows drew together in a frown as he stared into my face with a clear look of worry. I passed out, didn¡¯t I? How embarrassing... ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡± Adrian asked with a warm smile. I felt the warmth of his hand on my head as he began stroking my hairfortingly. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m very sorry...¡± I mumbled softly. I tried to smile bravely at him, but I didn¡¯t think that my effort was that sessful. ¡°There¡¯s no need to push yourself,¡± Adrian told me kindly. His hand reached out and cupped my cheek before he leaned in and ce a soft kiss on my cheek. It was such a tender and sweet kiss that left me feeling very confused inside. ¡°Oh...we should have dinner. I¡¯m sorry to keep you waiting like this...¡± I said quickly when I recalled that we haven¡¯t had dinner yet. Adrian smiled adoringly at me as he shook his head at me. My smile died on my lips at the slightly sad look on his face. ¡°It¡¯s almost past midnight now...but if you¡¯re hungry, I can get the maids to get you some food. You didn¡¯t have dinner before,¡± Adrian replied in a voice so gentle that I felt ufortable. I was out for that long? ¡°I¡¯m very sorry about this. We were supposed to have dinner together...¡± I apologized while I also felt surprised at how disappointed I was for missing dinner with him. ¡°There¡¯s nothing for you to apologize for. We can have another dinner together anytime. Are you feeling better? If you still feel unwell, I can take you to the hospital...¡± Adrian offered. I could hear the concern in his voice as his brows drew together in a worried frown. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 146 146 Comfort and More It felt strange for a doctor to offer to take me to the hospital. His eyes seemed to search my face looking for an answer to his question. His intense gaze only made me blush at his closeness. ¡°I¡¯m fine now. Thank you and I¡¯m so sorry for making you worry needlessly like this...¡± I apologized again. This was all my fault. I should have known that something like this might happen. I should have been more careful. I should have paid more attention... ¡°Maybe you were just tired...or maybe...¡± Adrian said before trailing off. ¡°Excuse me?¡± I spoke up in my confusion. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was just thinking of how scared you looked...¡± Adrian replied before he smiled a little my way. For a moment, he looked so concerned that I thought that it might be best if I just told him everything about my fear and the cause of it. Would that make him feel less concerned about me? ¡°I...¡± I began before pausing. Honesty, I wasn¡¯t sure how to bring it up or how to tell him. ..... ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin yourself. It¡¯s my fault for pushing you to do so much. It¡¯s been a long day and I guess you were tired. I¡¯m so sorry for not realizing that...¡± Adrian apologized with a sorrowful expression on his face. He probably didn¡¯t know just how much more attractive his face looked when he showed so much care and concern. Adrian ming himself just made me feel even more guilty about the whole situation. I better straighten out this misunderstanding before we both feel even worst about ourselves. ¡°That¡¯s not it. The thing is...I¡¯m scared of fire. It¡¯s like a phobia. It¡¯s quite embarrassing so I don¡¯t like talking about it, but I don¡¯t want you to misunderstand. When I saw the mes, I just got scared. That¡¯s all...¡± I quickly exined. ¡°Pyrophobia...I see...¡± Adrian murmured as he nodded his head slowly. I wasn¡¯t sure if he believed me or not, but he didn¡¯t look relieved or any less concerned than before. ¡°Umm...when I was younger, I got involved in a fire incident. I was very scared, and I guess...I¡¯m still very scared now whenever I see a fire up close...¡± I told him honestly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know about this. I should have been more careful,¡± Adrian apologized again. ¡°No, not at all. Please stop apologizing. You¡¯re starting to make me feel very bad about fainting out of the blue like that...¡± I said before I tried my best to smile at him again to reassure him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself. You¡¯re still scared, right?¡± Adrian asked tenderly. Adrian sat down on the bed and wrapped his arms around my body as he pulled me into his warm embrace. It was unexpected but I found myself rxing easily in his arms. He held me close, and I let him stroke my hair as I pressed the side of my face against his chest. I could hear his steady heartbeat and it worked to calm me down. ¡°Your body is trembling, Elena. So just let me hold you, ok?¡± Adrian whispered softly from above me. I didn¡¯t know how to respond to his caring words, so I just nodded my head against his chest. No one needed to tell me for me to figure out that Adrian had probably been by my side all the time while I was sleeping. He must have been so worried. His green eyes stared deeply into mine with concern and I started to feel even guiltier than before. Adrian is really so kind and gentle. When his face approached mine, I closed my eyes and offered up my lips willingly as I waited to feel his warm lips on mine. I sighed softly in pure bliss when his lips finally kissed mine gently. His kisses were soft and sweet. It made me feel all warm and safe inside but at the same time it started to make me want even more of him and his loving attention. I wrapped my arms around his back as I began kissing him back slowly. My heart skipped a beat at the joy of feeling his lips curve up into a smile as we continued to kiss. I was no longer scared, and I had Adrian and his reassuring presence to thank for that. ¡°Mhmmm...¡± I moaned softly. Adrian¡¯s wet tongue probed my lips, asking for entry into the depths of my mouth and I parted my lips willingly to allow him entry. He kissed me aggressively and hungrily, his tongue exploring everywhere inside my mouth before grinding against my tongue. I moaned wildly into our ardent kiss before I started kissing him back. His hand moved to cup and grope my breast and I moaned even louder into our kiss. Adrian continued kissing me from various angles until my body writhed with desire underneath his. I wanted even more of him. I wanted to feel him closer to me. Suddenly, Adrian broke our kiss and retreated from me. I stared at him with a mix of confusion and disappointment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for getting so carried away. We don¡¯t have to do this now, you should rest...¡± Adrian said before he smiled kindly at me. Adrian got up and sat on the bed. I quickly realized that he must have been trying to hold himself back for my sake. However, that wasn¡¯t necessary at all. ¡°Wait...¡± I called after him softly before he would leave. ¡°Elena?¡± Adrian called my name softly as he turned to face me. The worried look and conflicted emotions ying on his face told me to correct this misunderstanding between us. Adrian was overly worried about me and that really touched at my heart; however, I didn¡¯t want him to worry about me unnecessarily anymore. ¡°Adrian...can we...do it?¡± I inquired shyly. Adrian looked at me with clear surprise at my blunt demand for us to continue at what we were doing. Suddenly, I felt shy. My words must have made him think that I was such a loose woman. His magnificent green eyes stared at me for a moment as he seemed conflicted and at a loss of what to do. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 147 147 Unleashed Desire ¡°I¡¯m really ok...so...¡± I told him reassuringly. My words seemed to help Adrian rxed and eased his worry a little. Without saying a word to me, he just nodded his head in acknowledgement of my decision. To keep him from hesitating any further, I slowly sat up on the bed and wrapped my arms around him before pressing my lips firmly against his. I kissed him passionately so that he would understand and feel the need that was burning so brightly inside of me. Adrian seemed to understand because he kissed me back wildly as if all the desire that he had been holding back inside of him had been unleashed. He thrusted his tongue deftly into my mouth and began engaging my tongue in a wild dance that left my core throbbing with my desire for him. A pleasurable knot began forming in my abdomen as he made me even hornier than before. I kissed him back while I moaned wildly into our hot and wet kiss. His hands stroked my back and then the curves of my waist before dropping down to y with my hips and my buttocks. His seductive caresses drove me wild for him. When he broke our kiss, I was panting as I stared up into his beautiful green eyes. I could see the desire lurking in their depths and I smiled seductively at him. ¡°Are you sure...?¡± Adrian asked as if giving me onest chance to change my mind. Of course, I would never change my mind. ¡°Please...fuck me...¡± I pleaded shamelessly. ¡°If that is really what you want...¡± Adrian murmured as his tone darkened in pure desire. His gaze continued to hold mine as he slowlyid me down onto the bed. I gasped when his hands cupped my breasts through my dress and my bra. His touch started off gentle but then quickly turned rougher and more demanding. His hands squeezed and massaged my breast as I cried out and moaned from the pleasure. His touch turned me on, and my body felt so hot from my desire. I wanted to feel his manly hands directly on my bare womanly flesh. ..... I arched my back up, thrusting my breasts invitingly towards his hands. Desperate to feel his hands on my skin directly, I sat up and quickly unzipped the zipper at the back of my dress. Adrian watched me with a smile on his lips as I quickly pulled my dress off my arms and down my body to reveal my upper body to his hungry gaze. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful, Elena...show me more...¡± Adrian whispered seductively as his eyes rove around my exposed skin. His hands reached out to cup my breasts fondly through my bra as I bit on my lower lip and moaned seductively. Adrian slid his hands slowly from my breasts to my shoulders where he slowly pulled down the straps of my bra off my shoulders. He was surely taking his time in seducing me and I was sure that we were both enjoying every single second of it. Finally, his hand reached behind me to unsp my bra. I helped him remove my bra straps away from my arms and my breasts were finally freed as my bra fell away. I could feel Adrian¡¯s eyes on my naked breasts, and it made me feel slightly embarrassed at how much he was staring at it. I took in a sharp breath when his hands cupped my breasts firmly. The heat of his hands on my sensitive naked skin felt so pleasurable and my nipples hardened immediately at his touch. Adrian began ying with my breasts while I cried out his name. His skillful hands massaged my breasts and pumped them together as my soft fleshed changed shape in hisrge manly hands. ¡°Ahhh...Adrian...¡± I moaned in pure bliss. ¡°Your nipples are so pink...and so hard...¡± Adrianplimented me openly while I blushed a deeper shade of red at his words. His fingertips took my nipple between them and began twirling it around and squeezing it. The sharp surge of pleasure that ran through my body from his skillful and yful touch made me cry out as my body writhed beneath him. I felt a warm wetness on my other nipple and my eyes widened when I realized that Adrian had engulfed my nipple into his mouth. His tonguepped at the hardened perk before he proceeded to suck sharply on it. ¡°Ahhh! Oh...Adrian...¡± I moaned. It felt so good. His tongue wouldn¡¯t stop moving as he licked and sucked on my nipple. I dug my fingers into his red hair as I thrusted my breasts towards his face and exploring hands. My pussy clenched as he continued to pleasure my nipples with his mouth and fingers. My core throbbed so much that it hurts as a wave of wetness gushed out from the opening in between my legs. He¡¯s making me so wet...I¡¯m flooded down there... ¡°Did that feel good?¡± Adrian asked as he grinned at me from above. I was in a daze as I floated around in pleasure. It felt so good that I was speechless. If he hadn¡¯t stopped, I would have climaxed just from him ying with my nipples and breasts. The pleasure that he made me feel and how much he made me yearn for him was just in crazy. Unable to answer him in words, I just nodded my head slowly at him in response. It felt great and that only made me want more of him. Thankfully, it seemed like Adrian wanted more of me too. His hands reached for my dress and began pulling it down my legs while I lifted my hips off the bed a little to assist him. My dress slid smoothly off my legs, and I was naked except for mycey panties that did nothing much to cover my pussy. I could feel Adrian¡¯s intense gaze on the area between my legs before his hands began stroking my waist and then my thighs seductively. My body immediately began writhing from the pleasure and heat of his touch. Everywhere that he touched me ached and burned. I moaned my pleasure and lust as he continued caressing me until my entire body felt weak for him. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 148 148 Love Doctor ¡°Spread your legs for me, Elena...¡± Adrian urged. As if controlled by his spellbinding words, I parted my legs widely apart as I moaned softly in anticipation of his touch on my most feminine part. My pussy was flooded with my love juices by that point, and I couldn¡¯t want to feel him inside of me. ¡°Ahh...Adrian...please...¡± I moaned and begged for him to touch me more. Hisrge hand cupped my pussy over my panties, and I began thrusting my hips upwards to grind my pussy against his hand. Adrian chuckled teasingly at my lewd reactions, but I could tell that he was pleased. ¡°Your pussy is very wet. Hmm...you¡¯ve managed to drench your panties...¡± Adrian said with hint of mocking disapproval. His tone and his dirty words stirred up even more desire inside of me and I couldn¡¯t wait for him to touch my pussy directly. My need for him was driving me insane. ¡°Ahhh! Touch me...touch my pussy...Adrian...¡± I begged when his fingers began stroking along the wet slit in between my legs through the thin fabric of my panties. ¡°You¡¯re one naughty and demanding girl...¡± Adrian said teasingly. Despite his teasing, Adrian pulled the thin fabric covering my wet hole to the side and then his fingers were stroking the wet heat in between my legs directly. I cried out his name as my hips bucked at the extreme satisfaction of feeling his fingers stroking my pussy directly. It felt so good and so satisfying. How he touched me made me feel like I was melting inside. ..... When his fingers pushed against my throbbing clit, I cried out wildly. Adrian swirled his fingers around on my swollen clit as he pressed down on it. The jolts of pleasure that invaded my body from where he was ying with my clit made my legs feel weak. My mind was flooded with my lust for him, and I couldn¡¯t think of anything else anymore. My hips began moving wildly as it thrusted up and down, grinding my clit against his fingertips for more pleasure. ¡°Ahh! Ahhh! So good...¡± I cried out in abandon as his fingers began stroking me there faster and faster. ¡°You¡¯re getting wetter. You must be flooded inside...¡± Adrian said. As if to test if his predictions were right, he lodged his fingers at my entrance before thrusting them in all the way into my wet pussy hole. I screamed from the sensations of his thick and long fingers stretching my entrance before pounding all the way deeply inside of me. He continued teasing my clit with his other hand while his fingers began wriggling wildly inside of me. The pleasure from his double stimtion made me cry out even louder than before as my entire body trembled. ¡°So hot and wet inside...¡± Adrianmented before heughed softly. ¡°Ah! Ahh! Ahhh!¡± I cried out in rhythm to his fingers thrusting in and out of my wet cunt. His thick fingers thrusted fast and hard into my wet pussy as my hips moved to match the rhythm of his wild thrusts. My pussy clenched hard around his fingers as it tried to feel even more of him and suck his fingers in even deeper. His fingers knowingly pushed against my pleasure spot repeated, making me cry out from the heightened pleasure of his stimtions. All the while, his other hand continued to stroke and pinch my swollen clit. ¡°Adrian...I¡¯m cumming! I can¡¯t...anymore...I¡¯m cumming!¡± I screamed so loudly that my throat hurt, and my voice cracked. It didn¡¯t take long for the pleasure to be too much for me. Adrian pushed me over the edge, and I came crashing down in a mess of lewd pleasure that left me screaming his name at my release. My climax was so intense that my body wouldn¡¯t stop spasming and trembling. Adrian slowly withdrew his fingers from my wet hole and then I heard the sound of him unbuckling his belt. I closed my eyes in bliss as I listened to him stripping himself close to me on the bed. Then I heard the sound of his clothes falling to the floor close to us. Slowly, I opened my eyes to see Adrian¡¯s magnificent naked body in front of me. It felt like the best present that I had ever received at that moment. He¡¯s like an angel...a very hot and sexy one...really... ¡°Let me know if you can¡¯t handle this...¡± Adrian warned me softly. His hands flipped my body easily onto my stomach and then hisrge hands gripped my hips and began lifting it upwards. Quickly, he positioned himself behind me after parting my legs and lifting my ass up. I moaned softly as my pussy quivered in anticipation of receiving his massive and hard cock inside of me. It felt strangely exciting as I waited eagerly for him to enter me from behind. His warning told me that it was going to be a rough ride and I didn¡¯t want to have him in any other way. I felt the heat of his cock lodge itself between my pussy lips for a brief moment. It was a shame that I didn¡¯t even have enough time to marvel at how thick his cock felt at my entrance before I felt his monstrous cock ramming roughly into my wet pussy. It¡¯s so hard and so hot... ¡°Ahhh! Adrian...Adrian...Ahhh!¡± I cried out his name in between my lewd moans as his cock beat hard and fast into my wet love hole. ¡°Don¡¯t clench too hard around me, Elena...¡± Adrian warned teasingly. Hisrge hand gripped my ass tightly as his hips reared back before pounding his massive hot rod back into my hole harder and deeper than even before. Wet lewd sounds of his cock pumping in and out of my wetness echoed all around us along with our moans and groans of pleasure. Adrian¡¯s movements were wild as his cock plunge deeply into my wet heat. The thick head of his cock hitting against my womb with each thrust. ¡°Ahh! It¡¯s so good...so good...¡± I cried out in a strangled voice as my hands clenched tightly at the nket on the bed. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 149 149 Feeling like His Wife My hips began moving back against his cock as he continued to ram his thick shaft into my tight cunt. Over and over, he pounded against the pleasure spot deep inside of my love hole while I cried out his name and begged him for more pleasure. ¡°Scream louder for me, Elena...I love all your cries,¡± Adrian urged seductively. His hands stroked my buttocks teasingly and my pussy clenched around his cock. I could feel his heat buried so deep within me. Each thrust hit harder and deeper than the one before and I could swear that his cock had grown even thicker and longer inside of my cunt. His words and his cock beating inside of me turned me on even more than before. ¡°Ahh! Adrian...Ahhh! Ahhh!!¡± I screamed louder as I tried desperately to cling onto my sanity amidst all the while pleasure that he was making me experience. ¡°That¡¯s it. Scream louder, Elena...¡± Adrian said with satisfaction. His thrusts became near animalistic as his cock jerked in and out of my hole. It started to hurt but it felt so good that I never wanted him to stop ramming his thick love stick into me. I screamed louder and louder until my throat hurt. His fingers dug deeply into the skin of my buttocks while his hips continued thrusting his cock into me. ¡°I¡¯m cumming...Adrina...I¡¯m cumming!¡± I cried out in a strangled voice as my pussy convulsed uncontrobly around his hot rod. Adrian pushed his cock roughly inside of my wet hole as I climaxed intensively. My pussy clenched and spasm wildly around his cock while I cried out his name. My mind went nk as I tried to ride out the effects of my orgasm. ¡°I¡¯m at my limit too, Elena...¡± Adrian whispered close to my ear. ..... My entire body shivered as my pussy clenched hard around his cock. After a short while of fast and rough thrusting, Adrian reached his own release. His cock twitched wildly inside of me before he shot his hot load deep into my cunt. The heat of his release filled me up inside as his cock spurted waves and waves of his seed into me. ¡°Ahhh...Adrian...¡± I murmured in bliss as his warmth filled me up. He¡¯s filling me up with so much of his cum... ... **The next day** The next morning, I woke up alone in an unfamiliar bed. After looking around in confusion, I lifted the nket that was covering my body to find that I waspletely naked. When I moved my legs a little, pain shot through my core and I winched and whimpered from the pain. My pussy hurts like... Last night was tough and rough... After a moment of feeling extremely disorientated, memories ofst night came flooding back. I had sex with Adrian... Not just that, but I spent the entire night with him. I looked around the empty bedroom as I wondered where Adrian was. What day is it today? I¡¯m probably supposed to be at work somewhere with another ¡®husband¡¯ of mine. My body aches everywhere. Just how many times did he do mest night? I must be suffering from short-term memory loss or something simr. Either that or I have simply lost count. Where is my phone? I should give Justin a call. After turning my side, I reached out for my phone that was on the nightstand close to the bed. That was when my eyesnded on a piece of note. I knew immediately that it must have been from Adrian. My hands instinctively grabbed it first. ¡®Good morning, Elena. Give me a call once you see this note,¡¯ The note was simple and signed with Adrian¡¯s name. No wonder the note was conveniently ced next to my phone. If he wanted me to call him then I needed my phone. I grabbed my phone and began dialing his number while ignoring the miscalls from Justin. I¡¯ll call him back right after I get off the phone with Adrian. After all, the client is supposed toe first, right? ¡°Adrian...¡± I said his name softly when the line connected. ¡°Good morning, Elena,¡± Adrian said, and I could tell that he was smiling. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I just woke up. Are you at work?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m at work but I¡¯m all done for today. I¡¯ll see you back at home soon,¡± Adrian said casually. ¡°Right...¡± I murmured in a daze. ¡°See you, Elena,¡± Adrian said, and I could tell that he must be smiling although I couldn¡¯t see him. The line disconnected and I was immediately filled with a mix of strange feelings that I couldn¡¯t quite describe. I wondered if he realized how much his casual words had an impact on me. Telling me that he wasing home to me soon as if we were already living together. Before I knew it, I was smiling to myself. I guess this is what it feels like to be Adrian¡¯s wife. True to his words, Adrian was back home in less than an hour. By that time, I had showered and changed into a new set of clothes that the maids had prepared for me. The dress didn¡¯t make me look attractive but I would have to make do with it for now. ¡°Are you feeling better? You look better. You have more color in your cheeks,¡± Adrian said the moment that he saw my face. He came into the room and after greeting me shrugged off his suit. That told me that he must have headed straight for my room after making it back home. Adrian approached me before sitting down on the side of the bed next to me. I watched as if under a spell as he casually reached for my hand and brought it up to his lips. Although I knew that wasing, I was still pleasantly surprised when he ced a gentle kiss on the back of my hand. ¡°Please tell me that you¡¯re feeling better so that I don¡¯t have to worry. Honestly, I¡¯ve been worried about you all day...¡± Adrian said, and he sounded tired. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 150 150 Acting like Parents ¡°I¡¯m fine. There¡¯s nothing for you to worry about,¡± I replied before smiling bravely at him. ¡°I¡¯m going to keep you away from fires from now on,¡± he said with a disapproving shake of his head. ¡°Sorry. I should have told you before...¡± I murmured apologetically. Honestly, I just didn¡¯t know that my reactions would be this severe. I thought that I had gotten over my fear and it had been a while since something like this happened to me. In the end, I was probably just fooling myself that my condition had improved. ¡°Stop apologizing. You¡¯re making me feel guiltier than I already feel,¡± Adrian told me with a kind smile. He gave my hand aforting squeeze. His presence next to me always helped to calm me down. He didn¡¯t even have to say anything much at all. Just seeing and feeling him close to me made me feel strangely reassured. It felt like everything will somehow work itself out if he was by my side. ¡°Are you free today?¡± Adrian asked. Good question. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m free today, but I just haven¡¯t talked to Justin if there was something for me to do or not. The way Adrian¡¯s eyes stared hopefully into mine told me that he wished that I was free for the day. I also began feeling the same way. He¡¯s my client too so... Am I being unprofessional for favoring him over my other clients at this moment? ..... ¡°Yes...I¡¯m free...¡± I replied as I got lost in his beautiful eyes again. ¡°Great. I don¡¯t want to push you too much after...¡± Adrian said before clearing his throat. After fucking me countless timesst night? I finished his sentence for him in my head as my lips curved into a sweet smile. My pussy still ached, and I was sure that as a doctor he must know that as well. I had no idea what left a moresting impact on me, my fear of fire or the love we madest night. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine...¡± I replied. ¡°Umm...yeah. If you¡¯re free, do you want toe to pick Millie up from her school with me?¡± Adrian suggested brightly. This sudden turn of conversation was quite unexpected, but I did feel excited to go along with him. It felt like he was eagerly trying to make me part of his family and I really appreciated that. ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s go,¡± I replied enthusiastically. ¡°It¡¯s not as fun as it sounds. It¡¯s more like a chore but...yeah...¡± Adrian said with a smallugh. I was sure that any chore with Adrian could turn into a sweet and fun exercise. He stood up from the bed and offered me his hand. ... Adrian and I arrived at Millie¡¯s school after a while of driving. As expected, Millie went to a special school dedicated to privileged children of the rich, famous, and wealthy. The school resembled a castle with arge garden and yground. It was the end of the school day and many parents, and their kids were walking around. ¡°Do you pick Millie up from school often?¡± I asked as I walked at his side. As always, Adrian held my hand firmly in his. It really made me feel like we were a real couple and picking up Millie together with him made me feel like we really were a family. I wouldn¡¯t go as far as to say that I had developed any motherly instincts or feelings toward Millie, but I did like the girl. ¡°Unfortunately, no. I try my best to pick her when my work allows for it, though,¡± Adrian replied with a smile. Being the CEO and a single parent must be hard work for him. I¡¯ve heard that it was rough raising children even when both parents were around. Adrian led me into the school¡¯s building and soon we arrived at the room where the children were waiting for their parents or guardian to pick them up. ¡°Oh, Millie! Look your father is here to pick you up today!¡± a young woman eximed excitedly. I smiled as I thought that thedy looked more excited to see Adrian than Millie did. Millie turned to smile at her father before making her way quickly toward us. ¡°Are you happy that I¡¯m here to pick you up today?¡± Adrian asked as he smiled down at his daughter. ¡°Yes!¡± she replied happily. I couldn¡¯t help but smile along with the two of them. Millie truly looked happy. Seeing her so happy made it hard for me to believe that there were issues bothering this little girl. However, I also knew better than to assume that everything was all good and rosy just because it seemed that way. ¡°Thank you foring today,¡± thedy said to Adrian before she smiled sweetly at him. ¡°Thank you for taking care of Millie,¡± Adrian replied politely. ¡°Elena. How are you?¡± Millie asked as she looked up at me. The worried look on her face told me that she must have been worried about me fainting. I wondered how much Adrian or her nanny told her about my condition. There really wasn¡¯t anything worth for her to worry her little head other, though. Still, I was quite happy that she seemed to care about me. Maybe, she was just as kind-hearted as her father is. ¡°I¡¯m fine now. Completely fine. So, don¡¯t worry about me anymore, ok?¡± I replied as I reached out a hand to pat her shoulder softly. ¡°Good! Ok!¡± Millie replied with a bright smile. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Elena,¡± Adrian said softly to me as he wrapped his arm around my waist. ¡°Sure...¡± I mumbled. Something about the atmosphere made my body feel stiff. It was like we were being watched; however, it could have just been my imagination, so I tried my best to ignore it. When we got in the car, I felt rxed and normal once again. However, there was a nagging feeling at the back of my mind and when I nced back at the school building as Adrian drove off, I was convinced that there was more than met the eye at the exclusive school for privileged children. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 151 151 Kindly Holding Back Millie¡¯s caretaker was there to take her off our hands when we arrived back at the mansion. After a rough night, I felt quite tired already and was looking forward to some rest. After saying my farewells to Millie, Adrian quickly offered to drive me back to my ce. ¡°I¡¯m going to send Elena back to her ce now so be a good girl and stay with your nanny, ok?¡± Adrian asked as he patted the top of Millie¡¯s head. ¡°Ok...¡± she replied obediently. I watched as her nanny led her way in the direction of her room. Adrian led me to the car and we were on our way back to my ce. I was really looking forward to a night of good sleep. Traffic was light and we arrived in almost no time at all at the usual intersection where he would let me off. ¡°Are you sure that you don¡¯t want me to drive you all the way?¡± Adrian asked. I did end up spending the night with him, but I still preferred to keep my ce to myself...for now. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. You can let me off here,¡± I replied before smiling at him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I must have been too rough on youst night,¡± he murmured apologetically. I could feel the regret in his voice but I wasn¡¯t sure if he was regretful for what he didst night or the fact that we couldn¡¯t do it right now. I still had no idea if the rumors about him and the nurses were true or not, but I was sure now that this man¡¯s sexual needs were in a league of their own. ..... ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about it,¡± I replied while maintaining my smile. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know about the date for our trip to visit the orphanages, ok?¡± he told me. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll look forward to that,¡± I replied without hiding my excitement. ¡°Goodnight, Elena,¡± he whispered tenderly to me. ¡°Goodnight, Adrian,¡± His green eyes captured and held mine and I felt like time stopped again all around us. Suddenly, I felt like I was stuck in our very own little world where there was no one else except Adrian and myself. Time moved slowly, as his hand moved to cup the side of my face and I closed my eyes in anticipation of his kiss. Soon, I felt his lips on mine and the warmth that filled the pit of my stomach made me moan into our kiss. He kissed me gently before the tip of his wet tongue probed my lips open. ¡°Mhmm...¡± I moaned softly as his tongue slipped between my lips and entered my mouth. The warm wetness of his tongue against mine felt heavenly. His tongue seduced mine into a passionate dance as our kiss got deeper and wetter. I began kissing him back like I didn¡¯t want this kiss of ours to ever end. By the time he broke our kiss, I was panting. I stared at him in slight surprise at the fact that he had stopped kissing me first. It usually wasn¡¯t like this between us. Was he holding back? ¡°You better go before I can no longer stop myself...¡± Adrian murmured in a sexy drawl. ¡°I¡¯ll see youter,¡± I whispered before smiling at him. I didn¡¯t doubt his words even for a moment. If I had stayed just a moment longer, I would end up staying up all night with him again. ... **A few dayster** ¡°A charity concert?¡± I asked in pure surprise at this sudden development. ¡°Yes. Apparently, the CEO wants EROS to appear in some concerts for the sake of charity. I have no idea what¡¯s gotten into him because he usually never does any of these things. You know, charity concerts are nothing but unnecessary expenses to him and thepany doesn¡¯t make money. The CEO doesn¡¯t care much about public appearances because our artists sell awfully well already and all that...¡± Mark exined before he shook his head as if at a loss. ¡°So, EROS has to perform in some concerts, is that right?¡± I asked as I tried to understand. It sounded like a good thing to me so I wasn¡¯t sure why Mark seemed so disturbed by it. As for EROS, I doubted that things would be much different for him. It wasn¡¯t going to be his first time performing live on stage, that¡¯s for sure. ¡°Yes. EROS is going to hate it...¡± Mark mumbled. ¡°Why? Isn¡¯t it supposed to be nice to perform for the sake of a good cause?¡± I asked in confusion. ¡°It¡¯s nothing about that. EROS just hates fulfilling ad-hoc requests from the CEO especially if he feels that there¡¯s a hidden agenda to it,¡± Mark whispered to me as his eyes darted here and there as if he was really scared that someone would overhear us. ¡°Hidden agenda?¡± I repeated his words questioningly. What hidden agenda could the CEO have? It was the first day since I returned to working with EROS after Justin had informed me of his request for me to go on tour with him. After thinking about it, I epted the deal. However, this charity concert seemed to be different from the tour that EROS had in mind. ¡°I don¡¯t know what hidden agenda the CEO has, so please don¡¯t ask me. You can ask EROS what he thinks,¡± Mark said with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask him anything,¡± I replied without hesitation. Since suffering at that man¡¯s hand, I didn¡¯t want to know what he thought or what he was up to. The CEO can go hang himself for all that I cared. ¡°The thing is...¡± Mark began saying before he pressed his lips in a thin line and smiled at me. A sinking feeling flooded the pit of my stomach as I started to see where this was going. ¡°I am not talking EROS into doing anything that...the CEO wants...¡± I replied firmly. I almost called the CEO by unkind names right in front of Mark. Although I trusted him, he still worked for the CEO and thispany. I didn¡¯t want anyone to know about the thing that went down between the CEO, EROS, and myself. It wasn¡¯t because I was ashamed of it because I wasn¡¯t at fault, but I didn¡¯t want it to cause any trouble for EROS. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 152 152 Convincing the Devil ¡°This concert needs to go ahead. Can¡¯t you find it in your kind heart to convince EROS to do it? The people watching will be the poor children and other people in need who would normally never get a chance to attend any of EROS¡¯s normal concerts, you know...¡± Mark desperately pleaded his case. I cursed myself and my luck silently inside my head. Of all the people, I had no idea why Mark seemed to believe that I could convince EROS. ¡°You¡¯re his manager so why can¡¯t you do anything about it...¡± I muttered darkly. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m his manager but EROS isn¡¯t like any other artists contracted here under our agency. He just...does whatever he wants to and nothing else...¡± Markined as his eyes pleaded for me to have mercy on him. I rolled my eyes at him openly. This was such a mess. Even I didn¡¯t know if I could convince EROS or not, and even if I could, I knew that it wouldn¡¯te without any conditions or trades. EROS wasn¡¯t the type to concede anything for free. He¡¯s very calcting too... ¡°I don¡¯t know...¡± I murmured hesitantly. ¡°Oh, please. Please help us out. Think of the fans and think of everyone else on the team,¡± Mark continued to plead with me. At that fateful moment, as if on cue, the door opened with a bang and EROS strode into the room. My eyes immediately went to him while I wondered if he overheard my conversation with Mark just now. He probably did although he didn¡¯t show it as if it didn¡¯t have anything to do with him. Mark red at me to signal that I should talk to EROS about that concert. I gulped as I tried toe up with the right words to start the conversation with EROS. Talking to EROS wasn¡¯t exactly the easiest thing in the world especially if you wanted to convince him to do something against his will. ¡°Umm...EROS can we talk for a moment?¡± I asked in a small voice. ..... His golden eyes narrowed at me immediately and I began regretting my words. Instead of ignoring me or brushing me off as I had expected, EROS¡¯s lips curved into a smile before he wrapped his arm around my waist. My body tensed when I felt the pressure of his hand pressing against the small of my back although he was smiling so sweetly down at me. Mark probably wondered why EROS seemed so friendly when he was with me. The truth was probably a little way far from it. ¡°We¡¯ll be right back,¡± EROS told Mark as he semi-led me out of the room. ¡°Take your time...¡± Mark replied cheerfully. I wanted to smack the guy. He¡¯s definitely not doing his job as EROS¡¯s manager properly. Clearly, he didn¡¯t have EROS under his control and that was starting to impact thepany¡¯s work. I let EROS lead me out of the room although I had no idea where he was going to take me. ¡°Should we go to the meeting room over there?¡± EROS whispered softly very closer to my ear. I could feel his presence close behind me. He was so close that I could feel the light touch of his body against my back. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go...¡± I replied before walking towards the room that he mentioned. EROS chuckled from behind me, and I began to wonder why he seemed to be in such a good mood. I entered the meeting room with EROS following close after me. He closed the door and locked it just as I had expected. ¡°What did you want to talk to me about?¡± EROS asked as he plopped himself down onto the ck leather sofa. He waved me over to his side with his hand before opening up his arms as if to receive me. I shook my head and sighed before sitting down next to him next to the sofa. EROS had his arms around me at once before his face started nuzzling the side of my neck. It felt strange and for a moment, he reminded me of arge dog like a golden retriever or something of the like. ¡°EROS...¡± I murmured his name as I tried to push his head away from me. ¡°I really wanted to see you. Where did you go off to for so many days?¡± EROS asked as his arms tightened around my body and began pulling me closer to him. With the way things were going, I¡¯m not going to get to talk to him about the concert if I don¡¯t get my words out now. I didn¡¯t think that it would be a good idea to tell him that I had been busy dealing with my other clients either. ¡°Listen, about the charity concert. Can¡¯t you please just do it?¡± I asked bluntly. I felt EROS stiffen and then his arms loosened slightly from me as he lifted his face away from the side of my neck. He gave me a look that told me that he didn¡¯t like what he had just heard. Although he was displeased, he didn¡¯t seem at all surprised. He probably saw thising from miles away. ¡°I see. So, Mark ran out of options and sent you to convince me,¡± EROS said with clear understanding of the situation. ¡°Well, yes. Pretty much...¡± I admitted bluntly. ¡°Well, go ahead...¡± EROS muttered withplete disinterest. ¡°Go ahead...what?¡± I asked suspiciously. ¡°Convince me. That¡¯s what you¡¯re here to do, right?¡± he said with a mischievous smirk. ¡°EROS...¡± I said his name disapprovingly. Why does he always like to y games with me? Can¡¯t he just do what he¡¯s supposed to do? This is his job... ¡°Convince me,¡± he demanded. ¡°EROS, this is your job...¡± I pointed out as I tried to be logical with him. ¡°Sure, and this is your job,¡± he retorted. Hell, he was somehow right about that too. ¡°What is it that you want?¡± I asked without beating around the bush although I had a pretty good idea of what he had in mind. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 153 153 Advance Payment ¡°Sex,¡± he stated his demand as bluntly as could be. ¡°What about a date?¡± I suggested instead. I was starting to worry if all the progress that we have made so far had been lost. It seemed like after the days that I had been away, he had reverted to the sex monster that he was. ¡°Sure, we can go on a date first if you want as long as we can do it all nightter,¡± EROS said like he couldn¡¯t care less about the dating part. This isn¡¯t right. How is he supposed to date another girl properly after this? Not to talk about portraying some loving and romantic character on the silver screen. What have I gotten myself into this time? ¡°Let¡¯s do this another way,¡± I said after a moment of thought. ¡°What way?¡± he asked curiously. I had no idea if this was the right way to teach him things, but I couldn¡¯t think of another way. As long as the lesson seemed to capture his attention then I guess not everything was a failure. With the many things that were going on with my life, EROS¡¯s pending movie audition had slipped my mind. Mark and EROS didn¡¯t bring that up and I was starting to wonder if the project had been canceled; however, I knew that that wasn¡¯t likely. That can only mean one thing: that movie project woulde back to haunt us sooner orter. ..... ¡°You will perform at the charity concert and then we can go on a date,¡± I stated my proposal EROS¡¯s golden eyes narrowed at me before he looked away and sighed. I knew that he wouldn¡¯t like my proposal and that was probably because... ¡°So that means that I can¡¯t have you right now?¡± EROS asked with clear disbelief and disappointment. I knew it... I should have known that the concept of instant gratification was something the EROS seemed to worship and believe in wholeheartedly. However, he had to learn that there was a right timing for everything and that dragging a girl into a meeting room with him to bang her wasn¡¯t exactly the right standard that he should be aspiring towards. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right,¡± I said without backing down. ¡°Bullshit...¡± EROS muttered under his breath. ¡°The concert is part of your job. Why can¡¯t you be professional about it? Is it because you don¡¯t want to perform if you don¡¯t get any money from it?¡± I asked before I could stop myself. EROS seemed stunned and then he was silent for a moment. At that time, I thought that I had offended him, and I probably had to a certain degree. It wasn¡¯t unusual for people to work for money, though, and there wasn¡¯t anything wrong with it either. I am proudly working my ass off for money as well. ¡°It¡¯s not about the money. I just feel...ufortable around children that are...in need...¡± EROS murmured. I didn¡¯t quite understand what he meant but the sad look that entered EROS¡¯s eyes gave me pause. ¡°Right. Anyways, it would be better for you and for everyone if you performed at the charity concert. Can you do that?¡± I asked hopefully. ¡°Advance payment...¡± EROS said as he brought his face so close to mine that I had to move back away from him. ¡°What?¡± I asked in a whisper. ¡°I¡¯ll do the concert and I¡¯ll wait until it¡¯s done before we have sex. However, I want a part of my reward right now...¡± EROS said as he leaned closer to me again on the sofa. ¡°Wait...¡± I said as I tried to back away. ¡°I have around 15 minutes before my next rehearsal. Shall we?¡± EROS asked seductively. I could tell that he was serious about this. How far does he want to go in 15 minutes? That was still quite a lot of time... What am I even thinking? ¡°Do we have a deal, Elena? Concert or no concert?¡± EROS asked. By that time, I was already on my back on the sofa, and he was already looming over me from above. His head conveniently blocking out the light from the ceiling above. Things were moving fast just like it always did with EROS. The only good thing in all of this was that he was actively asking permission to do it. Was that a huge leap forward in the right direction? Maybe. ¡°You know, I don¡¯t know why I have to make this stupid deal with you. Performing at that concert is part of your job,¡± I said sternly. ¡°It¡¯s not. Performing at the concert is going to give the CEO a chance to do many things off of my name. If I don¡¯t get to fuck you, there¡¯s no way that I¡¯m going up on a stage lined with ulterior motives while using charity as a convenient excuse to get publicity like that,¡± EROS said through gritted teeth. ¡°How far do you want to go for today? Time is running out...¡± I asked before pointing out that we indeed had a time constraint. I also wondered if Mark or anyone else had already figured out what we were up to in this meeting room while we were all alone. Maybe they had a clue or maybe they didn¡¯t. I honestly had no idea, and I wasn¡¯t quite sure if I cared anymore. EROS, on the other hand, didn¡¯t seem to care at all. ¡°How far will you let me go?¡± EROS asked softly and seductively. A shiver ran through my body when he traced the back of his fingers along my cheek softly and tenderly. His golden eyes captured mine and I could clearly see the fire of desire dancing in their depths. Even if I knew that he was asking that for my own benefit, I had no idea how far I wanted him to go. ¡°If you don¡¯t know. What about you let me y with you until the rm rings? It¡¯ll feel like we¡¯re sneaking and doing it around in school during lunch break...¡± EROS suggested as his fingers moved from my cheek down to y softly with my lips. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 154 154 Until I Wanted Him ¡°That¡¯s crazy...¡± I murmured. ¡°I won¡¯t put it in. Is that, ok?¡± he asked softly. His face was now right in front of mine and his lips were almost touching mine. Still, he waited for me to agree to his proposal. Maybe, he¡¯s learning a little about self-restraint and patience. ¡°Ok...¡± I whispered. His lips crushed down on mine before I could say anything else. The heat of his lips on mine made me feel hot all over. His kiss wasn¡¯t rushed but it was still very demanding. EROS kissed me from various angles before his tongue slowly teased my lips open for him. I moaned softly as I parted my lips invitingly for his tongue to enter my mouth. EROS thrusted his tongue deftly into my mouth without hesitation before it began exploring its wet depths. His hands slipped between our bodies to y with my breasts as our kiss deepened. His tongue teased mine until I began kissing him back. I could feel his excitement as he eagerly teased and tasted me. ¡°EROS...¡± I murmured in between our kisses. ¡°Hmm?¡± he made a questioning sound before his tongue slipped into my mouth again. I wished he would let me speak but he was too busy kissing me and ying with my breasts. Hisrge hands on my breasts massaged them roughly. He was very good at this, and my body was already very turned by his seductive caresses. His caresses made me feel hot all over and the ces where he had touched throbbed as if it wanted to feel even more of his touches. ..... ¡°The...rm...¡± I managed to whisper in between our kisses. EROS slipped his tongue out of my mouth before he smiled a little down at me. His hands stopped ying with my breasts for a moment as he began unbuttoning the small buttons lining the front of my shirt. ¡°Already set...¡± he replied as he stared deeply into my eyes from above. I could feel his weight slightly on my hips as he straddled me. His hands quickly moved to expertly unbutton my buttons while he kept his eyes on me. ¡°Since when...?¡± I asked in surprise. ¡°Since I knew that you wereing in today. Finally...¡± he replied. His hands parted the fabric of my shirt to the side and before I could reply to him, EROS¡¯s face was already buried in between my breasts. ¡°Ahhh...¡± I moaned despite myself. ¡°Don¡¯t hold it in. Let me hear you moan...¡± EROS coaxed seductively against my breast. He lowered his face towards my breasts again, his tongue snaking out from between his lips to lick and flick around on the sensitive skin of my breasts. The sensation of his wet and hot tongue sliding along the curves of my breasts felt amazingly pleasurable. It made me feel like my body had gotten multiple times more sensitive than before as goosebumps formed on my skin. Hisrge hand moved relentlessly to grope and massage my other breast while I began moaning louder and louder. My nipples felt so taunt and hard that they began to hurt. ¡°No...¡± I murmured as I felt my control starting to slip away. EROS filled my mind with desire and need as he continued to y with my breasts with his teasing hands, fingers, lips and tongue. ¡°This room is soundproof...I guess...¡± he murmuredzily. Doesn¡¯t that mean that he doesn¡¯t know for sure? ¡°Ahhh! EROS...¡± I moaned louder before calling out his name. His lips moved to engulf my nipple while his other hand began tugging on my other erect perk. EROS began sniffing me before breathing in deeply. I could tell that he was enjoying himself immensely as he toyed around with my body. His tongue began moving against my nipple,pping at it before he proceeded to suckle on it once more. My hands moved to cradle his head against my chest before I began running my fingers through his blond hair. EROS made me feel so good and my body was reacting to him without reserve. My back arched up off the sofa to thrust my chest closer to his face. I wanted him to suck harder on my nipple, but I didn¡¯t want to beg him with words. EROS must have sensed my intensified need because his tongue began moving faster and harder against my nipple before he began swirling the tip of his tongue around my erect nipple. ¡°Ahh! Ahhh!¡± I cried out loudly when he sucked hard on my nipple. At the same time, his fingertips captured my other swollen perk and began twirling and then tugging on it. Jolts of pleasure entered my body and surged everywhere inside of me until they settled into a deliciously pleasurable ache in between my legs. My pussy twitched and then clenched with wanting. EROS nibbled yfully on my nipple, and I writhed beneath him on the sofa. My hips began moving as a hot rush of wetness gushed out from the opening in between my thighs to wet my panties. ¡°Does it feel that good? You can¡¯t stop moaning now...¡± EROS said teasingly as he smirked down at me. His lips quickly moved to capture my other hardened nipple and sucked on it hard. I cried out loudly at the mind-numbing pleasure that flooded my brain at this passionate attack. Instead of paying loving attention to my other breast, his hands began making their way down my body. Stroking softly and yfully along the in of my stomach as my breath quickened. I panted and moaned his name as EROS sucked and licked my swollen nipple. I felt his hand caressing around my knee for a moment before it slipped under my skirt and began stroking my thigh. His hand inched boldly upwards, and my pussy clenched in anticipation of his touch. I wanted him to touch me there so badly that I felt so ashamed of my lust. ¡°Spread your legs for me, Elena...¡± EROS ordered seductively. His hands grabbed my thighs and lifted them slightly before spreading them wildly apart. I moaned at the sensation of my pussy being stretched wide open and his hand moved immediately in between my legs. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 155 155 Won¡¯t Put It In ¡°Ahh...EROS...¡± I moaned before moving my hand up to cover my mouth. ¡°You got so wet, Elena. Your panties are drenched...¡± EROS said with clear satisfaction. I felt his fingers pressing up against my love opening through the thin fabric of my panties. He began stroking my pussy teasingly through the fabric as my hips started moving to grind my pussy against his fingers. It felt so amazing already and he wasn¡¯t even touching my pussy directly. I wanted to feel him touch me directly. Louder moans threatened to escape from my lips while I tried desperately to hold them in. ¡°So wet...so hot...¡± EROS murmured before he chuckled at my reactions. His fingers pulled the crotch of my panties swiftly to the side before his fingers delved into my wetness. I cried out his name before biting down hard on my lower lip. The pleasure from his fingers stroking up and down the wet slit in between my legs made my legs feel weak as I panted. Lust flooded my mind and my body as I yearned for him and the pleasure that I knew he could give me. ¡°Shall I make you cum?¡± EROS asked as if he wasn¡¯t sure what he wanted to do. He was clearly teasing me and having fun at my expense. His fingertips stroked my wetness and my pussy lips in a painfully slow manner that left me wanting more of him. ¡°Please...¡± I pleaded softly. My hips couldn¡¯t stop moving as they thrusted up and down. My body begged him for more pleasure in addition to my words. EROS smiled captivatingly at me before his fingers moved to pet my swollen clit. The pleasure of his touch on one of my most sensitive spots made me scream into my hand. EROS smirked at me as his fingers began stroking the swollen nub between my legs faster and harder than before. ..... ¡°You¡¯re getting wetter. It¡¯s all over my hand...¡± EROS said with a smallugh. My pussy clenched hard, and my insides throbbed with need. My core felt like it was burning with heat as my body began to melt at his touch. His skillful fingers continued stroking my clit moving and swirling it around in circr motions. ¡°Ahh! Ahhh!¡± I cried out as my head started thrashing around on the sofa. My legs loosened as I parted them even wider for him and lifted my hips upwards, thrusting my pussy against his hand for more pleasure. When his fingertips moved to pinch my clit, I cried out at the same time that I squirted more love juices out of my hole onto his fingers. He was making me so wet, and I couldn¡¯t wait to feel him inside of me. Although I knew that we promised not to go all the way today, the way he yed with me made me yearn to have all of him. ¡°Ahh! Yes...Ahhh...¡± I cried out again before I moaned. EROS¡¯s thick and long fingers had plunged deep into me in one smooth thrust. My pussy walls were well coated and lubricated by my love honey and that allowed his fingers to sink in smoothly into my wet hole. His thick fingers stretched my opening and then began filling me until my pussy had swallowed the entire length of his fingers. My pussy clenched greedily around his fingers as I prayed for him to move them inside of me. I wanted him to finger me until I came. ¡°Please...¡± I begged him again. ¡°What do you want, Elena?¡± EROS asked innocently. I hated how he loved to make me beg for it. Explicit sexy talk was something that EROS seemed to enjoy. I hated it even more that he could use it to turn me on so badly. ¡°Finger me...I want to cum...please...¡± I begged him sweetly. ¡°You should have told me right from the start...¡± EROS said teasingly. I didn¡¯t have time to dwell on his words, as his fingers began moving and thrusting in and out of my wet hole, I lost all my ability to think. All I could do was focus on the pleasure that his fingers were feeding me as they stroked along my pussy walls and hit hard against the pleasure spot deep inside of me. My hips jerked and pumped up and down to match the rhythm of his fingers. EROS rammed his fingers in and out of my love hole fast and hard as loud lewd wet sounds echoed all around us. It was so embarrassing. My pussy made loud wet sounds as his fingers stirred and messed around with my hot wetness. His fingers pushing repeatedly against my pleasure spot brought me closer and closer to the edge. I could feel my pussy getting even wetter than before as my juices started leaking out from my hole each time he withdrew his fingers out of my hole. ¡°Ahhh! EROS...¡± I moaned as I felt my orgasm fast approaching. ¡°Don¡¯t cum just yet. I want to cum together with you, Elena,¡± EROS murmured before he chuckled in amusement. ¡°Ahhh...¡± I moaned softly at the sensation of his fingers slowly sliding out of my wet cunt. EROS got off me just enough for his hands to drop to remove his pants. My eyes immediately dropped to his crotch before I had to gasp as my eyes widened in pure amazement. ying with me must have turned EROS on a lot too. His cock was already very thick and erect. He smirked mischievously at me when he caught me staring at his upstanding love stick. But I thought that we wouldn¡¯t go all the way today... ¡°EROS...¡± I murmured his name. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t put it in here...¡± EROS said with a sweet smile as his fingers reached down to stroke my lower abdomen softly. EROS sat down on the sofa, and I began wondering what he wanted me to do. His cock was already so big and I knew that he wouldn¡¯t be satisfied until he came. How can he possibly calm down otherwise? ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 156 156 Licking and Sucking ¡°Do you want to be on top? Or should I get on you?¡± EROS asked as he cocked his head a little to the side in wonder as he waited for me to make my decision. ¡°Umm...I¡¯ll let you decide,¡± I replied softly. This is supposed to be his advance payment so... ¡°Then stay where you are. I¡¯ll get on top...¡± EROS said without much thought. I didn¡¯t know what to say to that, so I just nodded. Patiently, I watched as EROS climbed on top of me. However, I didn¡¯t expect him to do it in the reverse direction. My eyes widened in shock when I realized that he wanted to do a 69 with me. Right now?! His cock was already right in front of my face, and I could smell the manly scent emanating from the tip of his cock. It looked so virile and so amazingly gigantic now that I could see it up close. My hands twitched with the desire to touch and feel his hot rod. My eyes wouldn¡¯t stop staring at the beautiful beast. ¡°Ahh...EROS...¡± I moaned when I felt his fingers tracing along the wet slit in between my legs. I was already so wet from his previous passionate y on my most feminine part. My pussy throbbed with desire once again as his skillful fingers began teasing the folds of my pussy before dipping in a little to stroke my opening. I knew that he was teasing me, and his fingers refused to thrust inside my quivering love hole no matter how much he knew that I wanted him. The throbbing ache in my lower abdomen got hotter again and I was moaning like an animal in heat for him. ..... ¡°Ahh...Ahhh!¡± I cried out louder than before as mind-numbing pleasure flooded my senses. I felt the heat and texture of his tongue as it beganpping at my love juices. EROS caressed the tip of his tongue along my wet slit, licking it up and down while I cried out in my desperate attempt to stay sane. I prayed that the room was either really soundproof or that there was no one outside to hear all the lewd sounds that I was making. ¡°Suck my cock, Elena...¡± EROS demanded with his face still buried in between my widely spread legs. My hand moved to stroke the impressive length of his massive cock. The beast twitched under the touch of my fingers before I slowly wrapped my hand around its girth. EROS moaned in pleasure before his lips continued sucking on my pussy folds. I moaned loudly and lost my focus again when his lips engulfed my swollen clit and began sucking on it hard. The pleasure felt too much as my hips bucked upwards. I panted while I tried my best to concentrate on pleasuring his hard cock. I moved my hand along his length, pumping his cock up and down. His cock immediately got even bigger in my hand as I rubbed it up and down. EROS sucked harder and faster on my sensitive clit and made me cry out from the insane amount of pleasure that I was feeling. My hand pumped his cock faster and faster as we both drowned in the heat of our passion. ¡°Put me in your mouth, Elena...¡± EROS demanded. I quicklyplied as EROS moved to lick my wet entrance. Carefully, I positioned the thick head of his cock between my parted lips before slowly taking it into my mouth. His virile taste and smell filled my senses immediately as I began sucking on the engorged tip of his cock. I ran my tongue around the head of his cock as I felt his body tense slightly above me. He must have enjoyed my loving attention, so I flicked my tongue faster and harder against the sensitive tip of his cock. I could taste his precum as I used the tip of my tongue top at the small hole at the head of his thick rod. ¡°Suck me harder...¡± EROS said encouragingly. I moaned with his cock in my mouth when I felt his tongue entering me. EROS thrusted his tongue deftly into my wet hole before he began wriggling it around. The texture of his tongue sliding in and out of my hole as he fucked me with it made me feel like I was about to lose my mind. I felt so horny, and I couldn¡¯t wait for him to give me even more pleasure. EROS lips and tongue made wet slurping sound as he thrusted his tongue in and out of my wet cunt before he sucked hard on my love juices. At the same time, I sucked harder on his thick and swollen love stick before taking even more of his length into my mouth. EROS¡¯s hips moved downwards, ramming his cock deeper into my hot wet mouth while I wrapped my tongue around his length to give him even more pleasure. His cock grew thicker and hotter in my mouth. It felt and smelled so erotic that just having him in my mouth turned me on. Raw desire and lust filled my mind and I started to regret not being able to go all the way with him. My pussy throbbed with need, and I felt a rush of wetness gushing out of my hole as I got even wetter for him. EROS¡¯s tonguepped at my wetness before his lips sucked up my juices as if he was having the time of his life eating me out and devouring me down there. To make sure that I kept my end of the bargain, I concentrated on pleasing his cock as well. I pumped my hand fast and hard along his shaft as I sucked and licked his cock. The fact that I wasn¡¯t exactly a big fan of giving blowjobs didn¡¯t mean that I was bad at it. I reached for his balls with my other hand and cupped them softly before gently ying around with them. The sensation of his cock twitching slightly in my mouth told me that he enjoyed it. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 157 157 Passionate Way to Seal a Deal EROS¡¯s tongue explored my wet insides and then his fingers returned to pay loving attention to my swollen clit. He skillfully massaged that tiny little nub of pleasure, sending waves of raw pleasure pulsating throughout my entire body. I sucked harder on his cock as his hips began moving, thrusting his cock in and out of my mouth. ¡°Hell, I want to fuck your mouth...¡± EROS groaned as he took a break from ramming his tongue into my pussy hole. Now I could fully understand why he wanted to be on top. EROS was very aggressive in most of his lovemaking sessions and this one wasn¡¯t any different. His hips really moved to thrust his cock in and out of my mouth. He fucked my mouth mercilessly as his cock pounded into my mouth from above as his tongue wriggled and then thrusted in and out of my wet hole. It felt so good to feel him inside of my wet cunt and my mouth. I moaned as his cock thrusted all the way into the depth of my mouth. His cock felt much hotter than before, and it was twitching wildly inside my wet mouth. I could taste more of his precum as his tongue continued to taste me down there. My pussy clenched and spasmed uncontrobly around his intruding tongue. EROS removed his tongue from my wet hole a momentter and then his thick and longer fingers screwed themselves into me in ce of his tongue. Their thickness stretched me before ramming all the way inside my love tunnel. He fingered me fast and hard immediately as his lips moved to suck on my swollen clit. It felt outstandingly amazing. At this rate, I would end up cumming in no time at all and I was sure that he knew that as well. His hips moved roughly as his cock continued pounding fast and hard into my mouth. I relinquished all control over my body and let himpletely take over me the way that he liked it. EROS fucked my mouth wildly just like he promised that he would. ¡°I want to cum in your mouth...suck me harder...¡± EROSmanded as he panted in between my legs. The way his taste filled my mouth told me that he was very close to his release. In the same way, I was very close to my orgasm. It was a miracle that I haven¡¯t climaxed yet from the pleasure of his fingers hitting fast and hard against my womb with each powerful thrust. Sex with EROS always felt so good and each time that we did it, it just seemed to get better and better. EROS thrusted his cock faster into my mouth and I sucked harder on his cock. I was very closer to my climax and my hips began moving in uncontrobly lewd ways, thrusting up and down to offer my pussy up to his hand and lips. I moaned loudly with his cock still buried deep all the way in my mouth when my climax finally arrived to im me. My pussy clenched and spasmed like mad as I squirted even more love honey into EROS¡¯s awaiting mouth. ¡°Good girl. Now I¡¯m going to cum so much in your mouth...¡± EROS groans seductively. ..... I found his aggressive lovemaking so sexy and such a turn-on. EROS concentrated on pounding his cock into my mouth now that he had already made me orgasm. He groaned like a mad animal as he continued fucking my mouth with his gigantic cock. I closed my eyes and wrapped my mouth lovingly around his cock. ¡°Ahh! Elena...I¡¯m cumming...¡± EROS groaned before he thrusted his cock deeply into my mouth one final time. My eyes snapped open in shock as his release flooded my mouth in endless waves. His cock twitched wildly inside my mouth as his cock shot his hot load into it. His taste and smell flooded me as I whimpered beneath him. He came so much into my mouth that I thought that he would never stop. His cum tasted so virile and strong. It was a while before his cock finally calmed down and was done shooting his release inside my mouth. I parted my lips and EROS slowly slid his cock out of my mouth. He got off me and turned around to face me. The way his golden eyes seemed to glow at me told me that he was extremely satisfied with the sex that we just had. I would say that he got more than he bargained for his advance payment. The satisfaction and slight throbbing in my pussy were enough proof that I also benefitted from this pleasurable exchange. EROS got up and fetched some tissue for me. ¡°Spit it out,¡± EROS said with a slightugh as he handed me a handful of tissue. With how much that I was holding in my mouth, I thought that spitting it out in the bin might have been easier. Sadly, there wasn¡¯t a toilet in the meeting room that we were in. I took the tissue from EROS and spit out his cum as he watched with a mischievous smirk on his lips. ¡°Thanks to your selfless sacrifice, those poor kids are going to get the concert of their lives...¡± EROS said as he adjusted his clothes. I didn¡¯t have anything else to say to that. It was good enough that he seemed willing to stick to his words and the agreement that he had made. Now that I thought about it, I didn¡¯t know much about the concert at all except that it was supposed to be for charity. ¡°When is the concert exactly?¡± I asked. ¡°Next weekend,¡± EROS replied. Oh, it¡¯s that soon already. No wonder Mark was really in a rush to get EROS¡¯s approval to perform at the concert. ¡°Of course, since you¡¯re the one who got me into this, you¡¯reing along,¡± EROS said before his lips curved into an evil and calcting smirk. ¡°I have to go too?¡± I asked in disbelief. ¨CTo be continued... Please check out my other books: The Alpha Prince¡¯s Purchased Maid, Love ve to My Devil CEO Boss, Love ve to the Mafia Boss¡¯s Passion, Forbidden heat, Conquering the Emperor. Thank you! Chapter 158 158 Special Right ¡°Obviously, this is your job. Plus, you have to fulfill the rest of your promise, right?¡± EROS said before he shed me a very attractive and seductive smile. That smile could have held its own on the front cover of any magazine and he was showing it to me in private. My heart skipped a beat before I giggled. My reaction drew a confused look from him and that made meugh a little harder. ¡°I look forward to working with you, EROS,¡± I said before shing him a smile of my own. His golden eyes widened at me in surprise before his beautiful lips curved into a smile and then he startedughing along with me. Suddenly, it felt like we were just young kids ying around and enjoying a carefree life where nothing really mattered. I had no idea how much effort went into preparing a concert even if it was just a charity one; however, I was thankful that EROS was willing to go along with it even if it cost me something. ¡°Stop bothering Elena. She¡¯s tired...¡± EROS told his manager passively but the re in his eyes as he stared at Mark definitely got his message across. ¡°Right. Please...rest for the day...¡± Mark mumbled when he turned to face me. ¡°I¡¯m feeling quite ok...actually...¡± I replied with a small smile. ¡°Come with me...¡± EROS muttered before gesturing with his hand for me to follow him. As EROS walked away, Mark stared at me with a questioning look on his face. Obviously, he wanted to know if I managed to convince EROS to perform at the uing charity concert. The grim look of dread on his face told me that he wasn¡¯t exactly expecting great news so this was going toe as a great surprise for him. ..... ¡°He¡¯ll do it...¡± I announced simply. ¡°Really?! He¡¯ll really do it?!¡± Mark eximed in clear shock. ¡°Yeah...he made me a promise so...¡± I replied softly. ¡°I¡¯ll start on the preparations right away. Elena, you just stay with EROS and make sure that he doesn¡¯t run away...¡± Mark said before grabbing my hands in his and shaking them up and down in his extreme joy. The look of relief that flooded his facial features made me want to giggle at him. Life would be much easier for him if he coulde up with some way for him to deal with EROS. Then again, EROS wasn¡¯t someone who was easy to deal with...and neither was Sean. ¡°Elena...¡± I heard a familiar voice calling my name and knew that I had to go now. ¡°Coming!¡± I quickly called out to him before quickly making my way to his side. I walked casually at his side as I wondered what the day had in instore for us. I¡¯ve never been to a proper rock concert apart from the event that EROS dragged me to when he was looking for some musical inspiration. Prior to that, I wasn¡¯t sure if an all-out rock concert was my kind of thing and an opportunity never presented itself, so I never went to one. Therefore, I had no idea what a concert would be like, and I definitely had no idea about what kinds of preparations were required to host a proper concert. ¡°Umm...what will you be doing today?¡± I asked as I stared up at his face curiously. ¡°Want to help me pick out some songs for the concert?¡± he asked. His sudden suggestion caught me off-guard, and for a moment, I didn¡¯t know how to respond. EROS must have misunderstood my suddenpse of silence. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you still don¡¯t know any of my songs...¡± EROS asked suspiciously as he narrowed his eyes at me. ¡°Of course, I know your songs. Actually, I know all of your songs. I did my homework, you know...¡± I quickly replied before he got the wrong idea. ¡°Then, can you help pick out some songs for the concert? I¡¯m not even sure how many they want, maybe you pick out around ten for now...¡± EROS continued on with his suggestion. Even if he said that I didn¡¯t know which songs I should pick and on what basis should I be choosing them. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m the right person for this role. I¡¯m not sure which songs the audience would like to hear...¡± I confessed honestly. ¡°Any would be fine. My audiences are always extremely easy to please. They¡¯ll listen to whatever as long as they¡¯re my songs,¡± EROS replied like it was nothing. ¡°If that¡¯s the case then, won¡¯t any song be just fine?¡± I asked. ¡°For the audience, probably, but not for me. I want to sing the songs that you want to hear, Elena,¡± EROS said as his eyes met mine. Perhaps there wasn¡¯t any hidden meaning or significance in his words, but I couldn¡¯t stop the strange way that my heart seemed to leap at his words. Although he was just asking me to pick out some songs for him to perform, suddenly it felt like he was trying to do something special for me. ¡°Ok...I¡¯ll do it...¡± I mumbled as I got lost in his beautiful golden eyes. ¡°Great. I¡¯ll look forward to it,¡± EROS said. Just then, we arrived at our destination. I found out when we walked in through the doorway that it was a veryrge dance studio. ¡°Dance practice?¡± I asked EROS. ¡°Want to dance with me?¡± he asked before he shed me a charming smile. ¡°Huh? N-No...I can¡¯t!¡± I quickly declined his offer. There was no way that I could dance the way that he could, and I didn¡¯t even want to bother trying. Suddenly, I was so flustered at his extremely random suggestion. The sound of the door to the dance studio opening was what saved me. I turned towards the door to see a very muscr and tan man walk in. Clearly, he was the dance instructor. ¡°You¡¯re here earlier than me...for once...¡± the man said as he threw his bag down onto the floor at his feet. ¨CTo be continued... Chapter 159 - 159 Impending Crisis 159 Impending Crisis ¡°Hello¡­¡± I mumbled a greeting. ¡°Hi. I¡¯m Jack, EROS¡¯s dance instructor and sometimes choreographer when he gets toozy toe up with his own moves,¡± Jack introduced himself. ¡°I¡¯m Elena¡­¡± I began introducing myself. ¡°EROS¡¯s favorite manager¡­¡± Jackpleted my sentence for me in his very own words. I¡¯m¡­EROS¡¯s favorite manager? I cocked my head slightly to the side curiously at his words. Jack justughed a little at my reaction but did not go on to exin why he said that. I didn¡¯t think that I was EROS¡¯s favorite manager in the least. If anything, he just likes to make life difficult for me and I hardly do much work to even be considered a proper manager. ¡°You¡¯re right. Elena is my favorite¡­¡± EROS said as he casually draped his arm around my shoulders. I turned to re at him as I wondered why he was just going along with this instead of denying it. Things would get even moreplicated if people knew that we were very involved with each other. ¡°Since your instructor is here, I should leave you two to get down to it,¡± I quickly said to excuse myself as I tried to shrug off EROS¡¯s arms from around my shoulders. ..... ¡°You can¡¯t leave,¡± EROS said as his arms tightened around me. ¡°What?¡± I asked. ¡°Watch me dance and sing for a bit. Maybe it¡¯ll help you choose the songs for the charity concert,¡± EROS said before winking at me. Oh¡­ ¡°So, you finally gave in and you¡¯re doing it? Well, that sounds like a good n for today. It¡¯ll help you recap your dance moves for some of the older songs as well,¡± Jack readily agreed with a few nods of his head. ¡°Yeah...¡± EROS replied vaguely and without much enthusiasm. Just like that, I found myself stuck in the dance studio for almost the rest of the day with EROS. Despite my initial feelings of uncertainty, as time went by, I quickly found myself enjoying my time with EROS and Jack in the dance studio. EROS seemed to be having a good time and his mood must have rubbed off on me. It was a rare sight to see EROS genuinely enjoying himself at work. When he was out on photoshoots or giving interviews, he always did a great job with a high sense of professionalism andmitment. However, I wasn¡¯t sure if he was enjoying himself but seeing him host a mini performance for me in the dance studio as he danced and sang to some of his most popr songs, made me feel like I was seeing the raw form of EROS and his talent. ¡°Have you chosen some songs?¡± EROS asked as he stood in front of me during one of his short breaks. He stared down into my upturned face as he stood in front of the bench where I was sitting. His hair was damp with sweat and so was the rest of his body. He looked extremely wild, and I couldn¡¯t stop myself from smiling and giggling a little. ¡°No. I was too busy watching you dance¡­¡± I replied honestly. ¡­ The day that I dreaded arrived much sooner than I would have liked. In the end, Brandon decided to turn up with me at the hospital for my fertility test. I was very tempted to tell him that a fertility test goes both ways. That precisely meant that he should get his sperm, and every rted thing checked too. What¡¯s the point if I have the healthiest eggs in the world if his sperm don¡¯t have a tail and can¡¯t swim? I nced over to Brandon as he whistled happily in the driver seat of his ridiculously eye-catching sportscar. This car didn¡¯t suit his persona at all so I couldn¡¯t help but wonder why he was driving it today. I couldn¡¯t even imagine Brandon buying a colorful car like this one. I stared out of the car¡¯s window at the scenery that was passing by before I rolled my eyes as my frustration started to take over. Back to the topic at hand, why am I the only one in our fake rtionship that has to go through a fertility check? Of course, I knew that this fertility test was just for show. It wasn¡¯t like we were really considering making a baby and that was probably why Brandon wasn¡¯t going to take any tests. I rolled my eyes again when I thought that he could at least go through it just to keep mepany. Brandon didn¡¯t tell me about any details at all and that was just so like him. I met him at an intersection close to my ce where he picked me up in his neon green limited edition sportscar and now we were on our way to the hospital. ¡°Why are you in such a good mood?¡± I asked after wondering about it for a while. ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I be in a good mood?¡± he asked in return. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± I muttered while making a boring face. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m not in an especially good mood but you¡¯re just in a bad mood?¡± he suggested before heughed a little at me. Maybe he was right. I was definitely not in the best of moods, and I wasn¡¯t looking forward to the fertility test. Going to see a gynecologist to have the insides of my pussy and my ovaries inspected wasn¡¯t my idea of fun at all. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± I muttered darkly. My response just made Brandon chuckle teasingly at me. If anything, the fact that I was in a sour mood probably only made his mood better. It didn¡¯t take long for us to arrive at our destination. My mood quickly turned from sour to extreme shock when I saw where we had arrived at. This ce was more than just familiar to me¡­ ¡°The Amsworth hospital?!¡± I gasped in shock. Brandon turned to me with a face that asked if I had any problems with the hospital that he had chosen. The quality of the hospital wasn¡¯t the issue here, but this was Adrian¡¯s hospital. ¨CTo be continued¡­ Chapter 160 - 160 Fertility Test 160 Fertility Test Of course, Brandon doesn¡¯t know about the other clients that I work with, and I just couldn¡¯te out to tell him that. Even if I did, I doubt that he would care about my difort. He¡¯ll justugh it off and thenpletely dismiss it as me being too sensitive. Of all the hospitals that we had toe to for my fertility test, it had to be Adrian¡¯s hospital and the main branch where he worked at. A knot formed in the pit of my stomach as a sense of dread filled me. Without even realizing it, I had started praying for me not to run into Adrian while at the hospital. ¡°Come on out. What are you waiting for?¡± Brandon said to me when he opened the car door for me. ¡°Umm¡­yeah¡­thanks¡­¡± I muttered vaguely while still in a state of denial and disbelief. Someone, please tell me that this isn¡¯t happening and that this isn¡¯t real. Brandon held my hand casually in his like we were truly a real couple before dragging me after him from the parking lot to the hospital building. I kept telling myself that the hospital wasrge, and Adrian doesn¡¯t take care of any clients unless they are VVIP. Plus, Adrian probably doesn¡¯t even know that I¡¯m here in the first ce. He¡¯s probably having meetings somewhere in the office building and may not even be in the same hospital building as me during the time that I have my check-up. On top of that, I¡¯ve never heard of him working in the gynecology department so the odds of me bumping into him there were quite close to zero. I took in a deep breath that made me feel only slightly better about the situation that I was in. After ncing at the side profile of Brandon¡¯s face as he walked close to my side, I realized that I wasn¡¯t just worried about Adrian running into Brandon, I was worried about Brandon running into Adrian too. At that moment, I had no idea who I was more worried about. However, before I worried about the two men, I thought that it might have made more sense for me to worry about myself. I broke out in cold sweat as my nervousness and anxiety started taking over me in full swing. We were immediately greeted by polite-looking nurses the moment we entered the lobby of the hospital. One look at me and the nurses¡¯ faces betrayed their surprise. I wanted to close my eyes and disappear. Of course, everyone in this ce would recognize me as Adrian¡¯s fianc¨¦e. I nced over at Brandon while I tried to tell myself that there might be some possibility that they would see him as simply my friend. However, the moment, my eyesid on him and then our entwined hands and fingers, Ipletely ditched the idea. No matter how anyone looked at it, we looked like a couple. ..... ¡°How may we assist you today, Sir?¡± the nurse inquired politely while she desperately tried to stop herself from staring straight at me. ¡°We have an appointment for my fian¡­¡± Brandon replied to my utmost fright. I had the vision of the walls of my world suddenly crumbling down all around me with a loud bang. ¡°Fertility test! I¡¯m here for my fertility test,¡± I cut in loudly before he could finish what he was going to say. He can¡¯t call me his fianc¨¦e here in this hospital because, in this ce, I am Adrian¡¯s fianc¨¦e. The nurse¡¯s eyes widened for a moment before she smiled politely at Brandon and me. ¡°I see. Let me check on the status of your appointment for a moment. Here it is. Please follow me this way,¡± the nurse said before leading the way. I wanted to snap at Brandon, but I was forced to admit that he didn¡¯t do anything wrong. I¡¯m on the clock right now working as his contract girlfriend. This is just going to get more and moreplicated. I started praying again that we don¡¯t run in Adrian and that no one would mention seeing me here for my fertility test to Adrian. My life was alreadyplicated as it is. Please just give me a break already! ¡°We¡¯ve arrived. Please wait here for your name to be called. The doctor will assist you shortly,¡± the nurse said before smiling politely at us again. She turned to leave, and I was left alone with Brandon in the waiting room along with the other patients and their families. As expected, the gynecology section was filled with couples, pregnant women, and families with very young children. Being the only fake couple there made me feel strangely out of ce and I began wondering if Brandon felt the same thing. ¡°Are you ok? You look so nervous and on edge¡­¡± Brandon turned to ask me. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± I replied as I tried my best not to snap at him. Whose fault do you think it is that I¡¯m stuck in this situation? ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. This hospital is famous for its great service in case you don¡¯t already know that. I¡¯ve chosen the best hospital for you,¡± Brandon informed me confidently. Brandon probably couldn¡¯t guess what I was so nervous about. I was sure that he wasn¡¯t lying, and this indeed was the leading hospital in the country; however, that wasn¡¯t the issue! ¡°Yeah¡­thanks¡­¡± I replied vaguely. While sitting there waiting for my name to be called, I couldn¡¯t stop my eyes from drifting to the door as if Adrian could walk in at any moment. It took all the strength and resolve in me to stop jumping each time the door opened and someone new walked into the room. It was driving me insane and although I wasn¡¯t looking forward to my check-up at all, I couldn¡¯t wait for it to be my turn so that I could at least hide in the private check-up room. The door to one of the check-up rooms opened and a nurse dressed in her pristine white uniform walked out. At the same time, the speaker above called my name. The nurse approached me with a weing smile before leading both Brandon and me to the check-up room. It was finally my turn. ¨CTo be continued¡­ Please check out my other books: The Alpha Prince¡¯s Purchased Maid, Forbidden Heat, Love ve to the Mafia Boss¡¯s Passion, Love ve to My Devil CEO Boss, and Conquering the Emperor Chapter 161 - 161 Nightmare Come True 161 Nightmare Come True I entered the check-up room where the doctor was waiting for us. When the middle-aged woman smiled brightly at us before bidding us a warm wee, I let out a silent sigh of relief. My thoughts were clearly haunting me unreasonably because for a moment I imagined what it would be like if the doctor waiting for us inside the check-up room turned out to be Adrian. The doctor started asking me some questions regarding my overall health before narrowing it down to questions rted to my feminine health such as did my period arrive on time at regr intervals. ¡°What about period pains? Anything worth noting?¡± the doctor asked patiently. ¡°Nothing, I guess. I think¡­I¡¯m normal. Sometimes when I¡¯m very stressed, my periods could skip for a few months¡­I know that that¡¯s not good¡­¡± I replied before trailing off with a nervousugh. ¡°I see. You¡¯re right. Stress is definitely no good¡­¡± the doctor readily agreed. After a few other questions along the same line, our conversation was interrupted when Brandon¡¯s phone began vibrating. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should take this. You two go ahead, I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± Brandon said to excuse himself. I nodded at him and then watched as he got up from his seat and left the room. After the door closed behind him, the doctor¡¯s attention turned back to me and she bombarded me with some more questions. ¡°I guess you¡¯re looking to have a baby sometime soon, right?¡± the doctor asked with a pleased smile. ..... Not really. I¡¯m just doing this to check off the box for being Brandon¡¯s fake fianc¨¦e. It was his parents¡¯ crazy idea because they want me to pump out an heir so badly. ¡°I guess¡­¡± I replied without exining any further. I cursed Brandon internally in my head that he left me here to handle these awkward questions alone. Then again, things may get even more awkward for me if he was still sitting by my side. I wondered how he would have answered the question about our ns to have a baby. The doctor went on to describe the procedure of the tests while reassuring me that there is nothing to be afraid of. ¡°Well then, if you¡¯re ready, I suggest that we proceed to the internal check-up. It won¡¯t take long, please follow me this way. The check-up room is directly connected to this room,¡± the doctor said with a smile. I hated these routine internal check-ups and couldn¡¯t seem to get used to having a doctor feeling up my insides or scrutinizing my pussy. Just thinking of being on the examination bed with my legs spread widely open made my body shiver. I hated feeling so exposed to a stranger like that even if that person was an experienced doctor who probably did not think anything about seeing my naked pussy. ¡°Ok¡­¡± I replied softly and obediently because I didn¡¯t have much of a choice. The doctor got up from her seat and just when I was about to do the same, the door to the doctor¡¯s office opened quite loudly. I turned around to face one of the biggest shocks of my life. ¡°You didn¡¯t have toe greet me in person. You must be busy and all¡­¡± Brandon said casually. ¡°You¡¯re one of our VVIP clients so it¡¯s natural that I at least greet you. On top of that, it¡¯s not like we¡¯re strangers¡­¡± the voice that I least wanted to hear at that moment replied. I bit on my lower lip to stop my mouth from hanging open as my eye bulged in shock. This can¡¯t be happening¡­ Why is Adrian here of all people? These two know each other?! My instincts immediately began connecting the dots. Don¡¯t tell me that the person who just gave Brandon a call just now was Adrian? To my surprise, Adrian turned and offered me a very kind smile which I thought was too radiant for the overall health of my heart as he stood right next to Brandon. For the life of me, I had no idea how I got stuck in this situation. Both men had their eyes on me and then Brandon approached my side and offered me his hand. Confused and not knowing what else to do, I ced my hand into his and let him help me up from my seat. I was amazed that my legs still had the strength to support my own weight and that I could still stand given how shocked I was. My entire body stiffened as I forced my lips to curve into what I hoped was a polite-looking smile. ¡°Sorry for thete introductions. Adrian, this is Elena. She¡¯s my fianc¨¦e. Elena, this is Adrian, he owns this hospital and is a friend of mine,¡± Brandon introduced me wlessly. Too wlessly¡­ ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you. I¡¯m Adrian and I hope that you enjoy your experience at this hospital. If there¡¯s anything that you want or need, please be sure to let me know,¡± he said before smiling at me. The look in his green eyes felt so unreadable and I felt like a prey that was being cornered by a lion and a tiger at the same time. I continued smiling at him as I willed myself to speak before the silence became awkward. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you¡­¡± I finally managed to say in a small voice. ¡°Are you feeling shy?¡± Brandon teased me before he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer to his side. I could feel him staring down at my face, but I couldn¡¯t meet his gaze. On top of that, I was more than aware of Adrian¡¯s gaze on me. It was clear that my luck had run out and that was probably why my worst nightmare came to life like it did. Brandon¡¯s actions and how he was treating me so lovingly in front of Adrian made it worse. Although I knew that he was probably just acting this way because he had to fool his friend along with the rest of the world, it didn¡¯t change the fact that it made matters worse for me. ¨CTo be continued¡­ Chapter 162 - 162 Two Worlds Collide 162 Two Worlds Collide Why didn¡¯t I ask Justin about how to deal with this kind of situation? It never urred to me that two of my contract boyfriends would bump into each other like this or that they knew each other. I hated myself for overlooking that possibility. I should have known better that in thework of the rich and famous, everyone somehow knew each other. The high society wasn¡¯t thatrge and it should have urred to me that my boyfriends may know each other in some shape or form. Then again, being acquaintances didn¡¯t necessarily mean that we had to run into each other like this and at my fertility check-up appointment at that. What am I supposed to do? If I treat this as a job, which it is, then right now I¡¯m working for Brandon and not for Adrian. Under that logic, all I had to do was keep on acting as his fianc¨¦e as always. Even if Adrian was also my client, I am not working for him right now. With my mind made up, I decided to act as professionally about this as possible. ¡°Umm¡­the doctor is waiting so¡­¡± I said in a small voice. The doctor was indeed patiently waiting on the side as our conversation unfolded. She probably had no idea what she had just witnessed. I nced over at her while I wondered if she realizes that I¡¯m also supposed to be Adrian¡¯s fianc¨¦e. If she did notice anything amiss, she did not show it and she definitely did not voice it and I was so thankful to her for that. ¡°Oh, right. You should go ahead, Elena. I¡¯ll wait out here for you,¡± Brandon said before smiling lovingly at me. His smile made my heart skip a beat despite the fact that I knew that he was just putting on a good show in front of his friend. I found myself smiling back before I let the doctor escort me to the adjoining examination room. ¡°Since you¡¯re wearing a dress, all you need to do is take off your panties. You can put on this long gown to cover up if you want. Please let me know when you are done and lie on the bed,¡± she instructed politely. ..... My body moved on its own as if on autopilot toply with the instructions of the doctor while my mind tried its best to recover from the shock of what had just happened. I removed my panties while wondering if those two men were still together right on the other side of this wall that separated the examination room from the doctor¡¯s office. The thought made my body tremble and my hands started to feel colder than before. ¡°Why am I so unlucky?¡± I muttered to myself. ¡°Are you done?¡± the doctor asked politely. ¡°Yes, I am¡­¡± I called back. Iid down on the examination bed and started to feel even more ufortable with the situation that I was in than before. The doctor came in and gave me some instructions on how to position my legs while describing what she was about to do to me so that I wouldn¡¯t panic. I was thankful for her professionalism and how caring she was being with me but my mind just couldn¡¯t focus on what she was saying or doing at all. Great, now Adrian thinks that I¡¯m trying to have a baby with Brandon. Am I supposed to exin to him that it¡¯s all an act just to please Brandon¡¯s parents? I mean, we¡¯re not even really dating so why would I ever want to have Brandon¡¯s child? ¡°Please rx¡­¡± she said reassuringly. That was easy for her to say but it was hard for me to do. I hated these examinations so much. I took in a deep breath to calm myself and tried my best to rx my insides. The doctor must have sensed that I was tense because she continued making small talk with me to distract me from what she was doing. I admired her willingness to help me because I felt like it worked. Soon enough, I had rxed somewhat, and the inspection progressed smoothly. ¡°All done,¡± she announced to my utter relief. I felt a little funny inside. Having something foreign inserted into me when I wasn¡¯t wet and ready never felt fun. The doctor smiled at me before turning away. I sat up and pulled down my dress to cover my legs. ¡°We¡¯re done here for today. Next is the blood test, a nurse will be here to guide you¡­¡± the doctor informed me. ¡°I¡¯ll take her there,¡± My body froze at the sound of his voice. When I nced up, I found Adrian standing there with a warm smile on his handsome face. The doctor seemed surprised at his sudden offer to help and I had to say that so was I. A knot formed in the pit of my stomach when I realized that Brandon was no longer with Adrian. Where did he go off to now of all times? ¡°I see. Thank you so much for your help. I¡¯ll take my leave then,¡± the doctor thanked Adrian with a smile. The way he smiled seemed overly kind made me suddenly feel cold. I could be wrong but I felt like his smile was hiding away so much more. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that you had to work beyond your hours. You should be on break now, right?¡± Adrian asked knowingly. ¡°It¡¯s no problem at all,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯ll take it from here so you can go off and enjoy your break,¡± Adrian said with a sweet smile. ¡°Oh, thank you so much,¡± she replied without concealing her happiness. I watched with widened eyes as the doctor left the roompletely. The sound of the door closing behind her told me that I was now left all alone with Adrian. I didn¡¯t have to be a genius to know that he had just literally chased the doctor away so that we could be alone. ¡°Why are you here? Where is Brandon?¡± I asked the first two questions that came to mind. ¨CTo be continued¡­ Chapter 163 - 163 No Time for Excuses 163 No Time for Excuses ¡°To take care of you, why else would I be here?¡± he replied as he took a few steps towards me. Suddenly, the air in the room felt much colder than before and I realized that I was still sitting on the examination bed. I gulped as my sudden realization made me feel more vulnerable than before. Adrian smiled warmly at me as he continued toe closer. The fact that he was wearing his white doctor gown made him feel very much like a doctor. My shook my head at my nonsensical thought. He didn¡¯t just look like a doctor, he is in fact a doctor. ¡°Umm¡­where is Brandon?¡± I asked in a small voice. ¡°Your fianc¨¦? Something turned up and he had to leave. Of course, I volunteered to take care of you,¡± he replied smoothly. His smile sent another chill down my spine and so did the fact that he just called Brandon my fianc¨¦. Although he had a smile on his face, I could tell that he wasn¡¯t at all pleased. ¡°I see. The doctor said that I¡¯m done here now so¡­¡± I said as I swung my legs down from the examination bed. It felt like the faster I got out of this small examination room and off the bed, the better it would be for me and my safety. My thoughts couldn¡¯t materialize into actions when Adrian blocked my escape with his body. My body froze in ce as he ced his arms on either side of my body on the bed, trapping me in the process. His eyes bore into mine and I was immediately drawn by the beauty of his impressive green eyes. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± he asked softly. The way my body trembled told me that I was scared of Adrian and how calm he seemed to be on the surface. I cursed Brandon for getting me into this sticky situation and then abandoning me. What kind of work was so important that he would leave me here in the middle of my fertility test?! ..... I made a silent promise to myself that I¡¯m going to yell at him for this the next time that I see him. Pushing that thought aside, I knew that I had to deal with the problem in front of me first. Why is Adrian acting like this and how do I get out of this ce? ¡°The blood test. I should go for my blood test next¡­¡± I quickly pointed out. ¡°I¡¯ll take you there, just like I promised,¡± Adrian replied tenderly. Regardless of what he had just said, his arms that trapped my body to the bed did not budge. If anything, he leaned ever closer to me. I felt even more trapped than before as I wondered what he was thinking and what he was going to do to me. Adrian looked over at me before his lips curved into a teasing smile. My entire body froze as my heart raced painfully fast in my chest. I wished the doctor would return or that someone would walk in to stop wherever this was leading but I knew that that was nothing more than just wistful thinking. No one is going to drop by to stop this. I didn¡¯t think that I would run into Adrian like this at the hospital. Not too long ago I was crying in his arms as he held andforted me. I stopped my thoughts before my mind would start recalling the other things that I did with him in bed. ¡°Lie down¡­¡± he instructed as his green eyes continued staring deeply into mine. ¡°What?¡± I whispered while feeling lost. My body froze in ce and refused to move as my mind still struggled to process what was really going on. Adrian¡¯s hands on my shoulder helped slowly push me back down onto the examination bed. His eyes continued watching my every reaction and his face had turned quite stern. I could feel his dissatisfaction and it probably bordered anger. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked in a shaky voice as my heart leapt in my chest. His hands moved from my shoulders down to my chest before he gently cupped my breasts before squeezing them softly and slowly. I gasped when I realized what he had in mind. His hands moved to massage my breasts over my clothes a little more roughly than before and I ended up moaning from the pleasure of his caress. ¡°You should have let me know that you wereing today. I could have examined you myself¡­¡± he said with some regret in his tone. ¡°Please¡­Adrian¡­¡± I whimpered weakly as his hands continued fondling my womanly flesh through my clothes. ¡°Are you nning to have his child?¡± Adrian asked coldly. I knew full well at that point that Adrian was beyond angry with me, but I wasn¡¯t sure why he had to be this mad. After all, it was just a misunderstanding because I didn¡¯t intend to have Brandon¡¯s child or anyone¡¯s child for that matter. Perhaps it was just jealousy on his part, although even that didn¡¯t quite make sense because I¡¯m just his hired wife after all. ¡°It¡¯s a misunderstanding. Let me exin to you¡­¡± I tried my best to exin this twisted misunderstanding to him. The rest of my words were swallowed up by his kiss when his lips suddenly captured mine and prevented me from speaking any further. His lips crushed boldly onto mine and he began kissing me roughly. The wet tip of his tongue thrusted out between his lips and sought entry into the depth of my mouth. I moaned in protest, but it just sounded like I was begging for more of his passionate loving attention. His hot wet tongue invaded my mouth in one firm thrust before he ground his tongue against mine as our kiss deepened. It was clear that Adrian wasn¡¯t at all interested in my exnation of the situation and even if I did manage to exin things to him, he would probably view all my words as nothing more than mere excuses. ¨CTo be continued¡­ Chapter 164 - 164 Pleasurable Examination 164 Pleasurable Examination I closed my eyes and let out a soft sigh as I let myself surrender to the overwhelming heat and pleasure of his possessive kiss. His hands dropped from my breasts to caress the in of my stomach and then the sides of my waist as I made small whimpering sounds of pleasure into his mouth. ¡°Ahh¡­Adrian¡­¡± I moaned and whimpered his name softly before I struggled to catch my breath. His kiss left me so breathless and my body feeling hot and yearning for more of the pleasure that I knew that he could give me. Adrian stared down into my eyes before he pressed the pad of his thumb against my swollen lower lip. His kiss felt like it had bruised my lips with its intensity and passion. I gasped as his hands began pulling up the fabric of my dress and soon, I felt the slightly cold air of the examination room against my bare legs. ¡°Shall I start on your examination?¡± he asked in a sexy drawl. His hand moved to remove my panties from me in one swift motion that left my entire lower body bare to his gaze. I could feel the heat of his hand on my thighs before he stood up and then grabbed my ankles. My eyes widened and my hand flew to cover my mouth to prevent myself from crying out as I watched him position my heels back onto the footrests of the examination bed. ¡°Let me help you spread your legs wide open, Elena¡­¡± Adrian informed me a little coldly. ¡°Ahh¡­¡± I let out a soft cry when I felt my legs being spread so wide open. I felt my pussy being stretched open and I felt so exposed and vulnerable as felt Adrian¡¯s heated gaze on the wetness in between my legs. My core throbbed with desire and heat although I knew that I shouldn¡¯t be wanting him in this situation. My pussy quivered and I knew that I was getting wetter and wetter down there for him. ¡°Shh¡­don¡¯t be too loud¡­¡± he warned yfully. ..... ¡°Adrian¡­Ahh¡­¡± I called his name before I had to moan in ecstasy. ¡°You¡¯re already very wet¡­were you this wet when the doctor examined you before?¡± he asked although he probably already knew the answer. I was wet because of him and how he kissed me and yed around with the pleasure spots on my body. Adrian thrusted his thick and long fingers inside of my wet pussy hole in one smooth motion that made me feel his fingers so deeply inside. His fingers prated and stretched my love hole while I whimpered from the pleasure of being filled by his exploring fingers. His fingers moved around inside of me as he felt up my insides and made me whimper as my body started surrenderingpletely to his conquest. His fingers felt like it reached even deeper inside of me than usual and that might be because of how the examination bed forced my legs so wide open for him. Adrian began moving his fingers inside of me, sliding it painfully slowly in and out of my hole. My hips began moving in rhythm to his slow and teasing thrusts. ¡°Are you feeling horny during your check-up, Miss Elena?¡± he asked mercilessly. I wanted to scream and moan loudly from the pleasure that flooded my pussy and seeped into the rest of my body as he continued to finger my pussy faster and harder. Wet lewd sounds erupted from between my legs where his fingers were messing up my wet insides and teasing the pleasure spots deep inside of my love tunnel. Another gush of wetness leaked out of my hole as he continued pumping his fingers in and out of me. My hips moved lewdly to ride his fingers and I couldn¡¯t believe how turned on I was by him. ¡°No¡­Ahhh¡­¡± I moaned loudly. I quickly covered my mouth with my hand as I continued moaning from the intense pleasure of his fingers stirring up my flooded honey pot. My nipples felt so painfully hard, and my clit felt so sensitive and swollen. I felt his fingers pressing up against my clit and I screamed into my hand as my hips jerked upwards. His fingers pounded faster and harder into me as he teased my clit in circr motions at the same time. My mind started to go nk and I knew that I would climax very soon at the rate that we were going. ¡°Just cum, Elena¡­I know that you can¡¯t take it anymore¡­¡± Adrian said knowingly. His fingers pressed up against my pleasure spot before he thrusted against it repeatedly. His fingertips captured and pinched my clit while I cried out his name. My hips thrusted up and down in wild abandon as I raced towards my orgasm. It felt like I lost my mindpletely when I finally came from his fingers. My entire body felt so weak as I panted to catch my breath. I felt his fingers slowly withdrawing from my pussy hole and then I heard the familiar sound of Adrian unbuckling his belt. It took a lot of effort, but I managed to lift my head a little to stare at him. I watched as his hands moved swiftly to unbuckle his belt and then his massive erect manhood was freed from his pants. My eyes widened at the size of his thick and long rod and what he was about to do to me. It was clear that ying around with me wasn¡¯t enough for him. ¡°It¡¯s quite convenient like this, isn¡¯t it? It just keeps your legs so widely spread¡­¡± Adrian said with a mocking smile as he stood in between my legs. ¡°Adrian¡­¡± I whimpered his name as my pussy clenched and quivered in anticipation of his entry. ¡°Shh¡­keep your voice down. You wouldn¡¯t want anyone to walk in to see us doing it, would you?¡± he asked teasingly. I could tell that he didn¡¯t care about anyone walking in on us as his hand boldly stroked my thighs. His touch made my entire body tremble and I felt so lost in my lust for him. ¨CTo be continued¡­ Chapter 165 - 165 My Passionate Doctor 165 My Passionate Doctor My core throbbed and heated up again before I felt another wave of wetness leaking out of my love hole. ¡°Ahh¡­¡± I moaned when I felt the heat of his fingers on my most sensitive part. He stroked my pussy lips and my wetness teasingly before positioning the thick head of his shaft there. The heat from the bulging head of his cock lodged itself at my opening and I could feel just how swollen and big he already was. Instead of thrusting his cock all the way into me in one rough thrust, Adrian continued teasing me. Slowly, he thrusted the thick head of his cock into me. I moaned as I felt my opening being stretched by his thickness. I moaned and lifted my hips as I desired to feel more of him filling me up. Adrian only thrusted into me with shallow thrusts that made me want even more of him. His cock felt so hot inside of me and my pussy clenched hard in anticipation of feeling his entire length buried all the way into me. ¡°Please¡­Adrian¡­¡± I pleaded for more as I lifted my hips wantonly off the bed and thrusted my pussy up against his cock. ¡°Do you want to be fucked by me that badly?¡± he demanded to know. He reared his hip back and pounded his cock deeper into me while I cried out from the mind-numbing pleasure. His cock wasn¡¯t all the way inside of me yet and he wasn¡¯t moving inside of me. I didn¡¯t know how much longer he was going to tease me like this. ¡°Ahh¡­Adrian¡­please¡­¡± I moaned pleadingly. Adrian reared back his hips before plunging his cock forcefully into me until his massive shaft was buried all the way inside of my love hole. His cock felt so hot inside of me, and I whimpered from the satisfaction of being filled. I could feel him so deep inside me in the position that I was in and it felt so amazing. Adrian let out a soft groan before he slowly withdrew his cock from me. I cried out when he rammed his hot rod back all the way into me. ..... ¡°Ahh¡­Ahhhh¡­¡± I moaned like I was about to lose my mind. Adrian¡¯s movements became rougher and faster as he pounded his cock in and out of my wet hole. His cock hit my womb with each thrust with ease as he messed up my insides. My pussy got so wet and the lewd wet sounds of our sex pping against each other as he prated me repeatedly echoed all around us along with our wild pants and moans of ecstasy. He groaned my name as I whimpered his while our bodies continued to mate wildly with each other. I cried out into my hand when he gave it to me even faster and harder than before. Each thrust felt like his cock was messing up my insides and pushing against my womb and pleasure spot. The pleasure building inside of me felt unbearable and uncontroble. My hips moved like it had a will of its own as it thrusted up and down to match his wild animalistic thrusts. His cock grew thicker and longer inside of me and he continued to fill me up with his heat. My pussy clenched hard and spasmed around the girth of his cock as I moaned his name over and over again. ¡°If you get off the pills, I¡¯m sure that I can get you pregnant in no time at all¡­¡± Adrian hissed before thrusting roughly into me. ¡°Adrian¡­please¡­¡± I whispered as if begging for my life. He continued pumping his thick cock in and out of my hole like he never wanted to stop. I was so thankful that I was on the pills because I didn¡¯t doubt that he could really impregnate me. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be the best fertility test that there is?¡± he asked mockingly. His thrusts became rougher than before and suddenly I could feel his cock even deeper inside of me. It felt like he was going to break me. Adrian was probably still angry, and he was punishing me for it. ¡°No¡­please¡­ahhh! No¡­not so deep!¡± I cried out because I couldn¡¯t help myself. ¡°Your pussy is really sucking in my cock. It¡¯s clenching so hard around my cock like it doesn¡¯t want to let go,¡± he murmured teasingly before his hand pressed down hard on my lower abdomen. My hips jerked upwards at the pleasure that burned wildly within the pit of my stomach. I could feel his cock everywhere inside of me and it made me feel so connected to him in every way possible. Adrian focused on thrusting his cock into me and I knew that I was very close to my climax again. His cock beat all the way into me as our hips pped against each other. I moaned his name as I felt my climax creeping up on me. Soon, it would consume me whole and I would wee it. ¡°Adrian¡­I¡¯m going to cum¡­¡± I confessed in a strangled whisper. ¡°I know. Let me see you cum¡­¡± Adrian whispered. After a few deep strokes of his cock hitting against my womb and caressing my pussy walls, I came hard while crying out his name. Adrian continued thrusting into me as he raced toward his own release. He groaned my name onest time before his cock twitched deeply inside of me and then I felt his heat flooding my love tunnel as he poured his seed into me. He moaned my name as his cock spurted endless stream of his semen inside of me. His warmth filled me up all the way inside until I felt so full of him. ¡°Adrian¡­¡± I whimpered his name as I felt like I was floating around in the clouds. It took me a while for me to catch my breath. The moment his cock started sliding out of me, I opened my eyes and realized what we had just done. The white ceiling of the examination room greeted me, and I sat up on the bed in shock. ¨CTo be continued¡­ Chapter 166 - 166 Just Clients 166 Just Clients ¡°Let me help you clean a little. It¡¯s really leaking out everywhere¡­¡± Adrian said with an amused chuckle. I felt something soft pressing up against my flooded opening and realized that he was helping me wipe away the mixture of our love juices. The entire room smelled of our sex and I wondered how this room could be used for the next patient. That thought crossed my mind for a moment and then I realized that there were other things that I had to worry about that didn¡¯t concern the welfare of the next patient. My legs still felt so weak, and my insides felt so melted from the force of his thrusts. Adrian turned away from me after he was satisfied with cleaning me up. My mind was still in a daze but when I gathered my panties and slipped them back up and adjusted my dress, I could feel my anger boiling up inside of me. I slowly got off the bed and adjusted my dress before letting out a sigh. While we were doing it, I really wanted him, and I truly enjoyed our passionate tryst. However, now that it was over, there was a burning feeling of difort and frustration inside of me and I couldn¡¯t help but direct my anger toward him. ¡°Do you seduce other women here like this?¡± I asked coldly as I turned to face Adrian. My sudden question must have caught him by surprise before he stilled for a moment as his green eyes stared back at me. His stern expression rxed into a charming smile as he took a step toward me. ¡°Oh¡­what kind of rumors have you been hearing about me?¡± he asked innocently. ¡°Adrian¡­¡± I muttered his name darkly. I should just get out of here before we get into an argument for real. My temple started throbbing and I could feel a real onset of a massive headache. I wondered if he realized that he shouldn¡¯t have done something like that to me and that he simply didn¡¯t have the right. ..... ¡°If you don¡¯t like doing it here, should we go for another round in my office?¡± he suggested, and I couldn¡¯t tell whether he was just toying with me or if he was being serious. ¡°No¡­I want to get out of here¡­¡± I replied as I turned away from him. ¡°Should I take you home? Millie probably misses you already¡­¡± he offered sweetly from behind me. ¡°I don¡¯t work for you right now,¡± I stated emotionlessly. To my surprise, he did not make any effort to stop me as I grabbed my handbag and made my way hastily out of the examination room. Thankfully, the doctor was not yet back and there was no one else around to witness my departure. When I finally made it out into the hallway, I let out a sigh and pressed my eyes closed. That was aplete disaster¡­ Nothing would have been worst than what had just happened and the way that it had just ended. Or so I thought¡­ ¡°I see. So that¡¯s how things are between you two,¡± Just when I thought that life couldn¡¯t get any moreplicated, another unexpected encounter is thrown my way. I didn¡¯t even want to open my eyes toe face-to-face with reality or the man that was probably standing right in front of me right now. If only time would stop, and I could be set free¡­ ¡°Brandon¡­¡± I whispered his name with my eyes still closed. I¡¯ve heard his voice often enough for me to recognize it even without seeing him there. After letting out another sigh, I slowly opened my eyes to confirm that I was right. Standing right in front of me was Brandon with an unreadable expression on his face. For some reason, I wasn¡¯t that surprised by the fact that he had not left me. ¡°Seriously, you two really took a while¡­¡± he saidzily. ¡°And you were just standing here the whole time waiting?¡± I snapped sarcastically. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to disturb while my fianc¨¦e while she was having her fun,¡± he replied as equally sarcastically. I had no idea what he was thinking, and I hated just now unreadable he was when it mattered the most. Maybe this was one of the reasons why things didn¡¯t work out between us back then too. Maybe I just thought that I understood him when I really didn¡¯t understand him at all. That thought only clouded my mood even further and it didn¡¯t help that now I was angry with two of my clients. ¡°He¡¯s just a client¡­¡± I stated to clear up any misunderstandings. That was what I kept telling myself as well. ¡°What about me? Am I just a client to you?¡± Brandon asked as he narrowed his eyes dangerously at me. Why is he asking me these things and why does he seem so angry all of a sudden? ¡°Of course. You and him, both of you, are my clients,¡± I replied truthfully. I¡¯m their contract wife and they are my contract husbands. That was all there was to it. At least, that was what I tried to tell myself. That reminder will always stay close to my heart to shield it from letting my personal feelings intervene with my work. I knew that the games that we were ying was extremely risky and dangerous. Whoever lets their guards down first and get their feelings involved, will be the one who ends up getting hurt in the end. It seemed like I had be so talent at running away from my clients all in the matter of a few hours. I managed to flee from Adrian and after running into Brandon, I ended up fleeing from him before things would get even more heated between us. By the time I made it back to my apartment, I felt so drained of energy and just wanted to sleep. I took a rushed shower and washed my hair. Drying my hair helped to take my mind off my current list of problems for a moment. ¨CTo be continued¡­ Chapter 167 - 167 Putting Myself First 167 Putting Myself First The anger that burned deep in my chest had transformed into a mix of emotions that I failed to understand. It just hurt deep inside of me. I have to call Justin¡­ ¡°Hi there!¡± Justin¡¯s cheerful voice answered the phone when the line connected. ¡°Hi¡­¡± I greeted him nkly. ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t sound so well. Did something happen perhaps?¡± he took a guess that was spot on. I must have sounded like the world was ending and I wasn¡¯t even bothered to hide my distress anymore. Justin waited silently on the other end of the line for me to tell him what was wrong. I took in a deep breath as I tried to find the right words. ¡°Adrian and Brandon ran into each other today. I mean, Brandon and I ran into Adrian together when he took me to take my fertility test. It was at Adrian¡¯s hospital, and he was there¡­and they knew each other¡­and it was¡­a mess¡­¡± I exined while realizing that a lot of the things I said didn¡¯t quite make sense. ¡°Aha¡­right¡­¡± Justin murmured. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure what I should have done. I was so confused, and I think in the end I ended up pissing off both of them¡­¡± I confessed softly. ..... ¡°Is that what¡¯s bothering you?¡± Justin asked with concern. It hadn¡¯t really urred to me that I was bothered by the fact that I had an argument with Adrian and then with Brandon. I kept telling myself up to that point that I had done the right thing, but I was so confused that I was no longer sure of that anymore. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± I admitted while feeling extremely confused inside. ¡°Do you want to tell me exactly what happened?¡± Justin asked. ¡°Adrian turned up to see us during my fertility test and then things happened, and I ended up having sex with Adrian. I think he was mad, and to make matters worse, Brandon found out about it. I ended up fighting with him too¡­¡± I said before heaving a loud sigh. ¡°Oh, what a spicy mess you got yourself into¡­¡± Justinmented with a chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s not funny, Justin. It¡¯s so messed up. I feel like I don¡¯t want to see them anymore and maybe they don¡¯t want to see me anymore either¡­¡± I muttered before letting out another depressing sigh. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll find out soon enough if that¡¯s really how they feel. If they want to terminate the contract, I¡¯ll hear about it soon enough. Until then, I guess you should not worry yourself over nothing,¡± Justin saidfortingly. I knew that he was trying his best to make me feel better; however, I was too lost in my own emotions to even figure out what it was that made me feel the way that I was feeling. Everything gotplicated too fast for me to handle. ¡°I think¡­I need a break¡­¡± I murmured. ¡°Sure. If you need a break, then take a break¡­¡± Justin readily agreed to my surprise. ¡°I can really do that?¡± I asked. ¡°Of course, you can. It¡¯s like any other job. You can take sick leave, vacation leave or even mental sick leave. Just take your time, Elena. If you feel like you need to rest, then just rest. How long do you want to take time off? A few days, a week¡­or more?¡± Justin asked. ¡°Thank you. To be honest, I¡¯m not so sure. Maybe I¡¯ll start by taking a couple of days off just to, you know, clear my mind¡­¡± I replied. ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s go with that. Should we meet up for dinner? We can go out together to somewhere nice and rxing. What do you say?¡± Justin suggested. ¡°That would be nice. Thank you, Justin¡­¡± I thanked him sincerely. ¡°Don¡¯t even mention it. I know this work is tough and having your clients run into each other like that must have been hard. Also, men are men, and they are jealous creatures, are they not?¡± Justin said with augh. ¡°I guess¡­¡± I murmured in reply. ¡°Get some rest and stop thinking too much. I¡¯ll get in touch for our dinner ns soon, ok?¡± Justin said brightly. ¡°Ok. Thanks again¡­¡± I thanked him again. ¡°Just take care of yourself and put yourself first,¡± Justin advised. ¡°I¡¯ll try...¡± I replied before my lips curved into a small smile for the first time in a while. Our conversation ended on a pretty high note and I ended up having a few days to myself as part of my leave. I guessed that things were not all entirely bad. Taking Justin¡¯s advice to take care of myself and putting myself first, I began looking up some affordable options for massages and spa. Getting my back scrubbed sounded like a very good self-care option. I nced briefly at my phone before reaching for it and switching it off without any hesitation. The phone was used mainly for me tomunicate with my clients anyways. Apart from my clients, no one ever called or contact me in anyway on the phone. Since I¡¯m supposed to be on leave now, I decided to go off the grid and shut off allmunication that was work-rted. It¡¯s just for a few days, I told myself. It would be a few days of rest that I needed to heal my mind and find the will to continue fighting on. That night I tried my best to get some good quality sleep. Admittingly, it was a difficult task and sleep did note easy to me no matter how exhausted mentally and physically that I felt. Iid in bed in the dark for a long while with my eyes opened. In my mind I could see Adrian¡¯s and Brandon¡¯s displeased faces. My chest felt tight and I soon realized that I had begun regretting the things that I said to both of them. Even though I tried to tell myself that I did the right thing in drawing a clear line between work, the contract that we had, and my personal life, it still hurt me and the doubt in my chest continued to grow. I have to stop caring and get some sleep¡­ ¨CTo be continued¡­ Chapter 168 - 168 He Knows Where I Live 168 He Knows Where I Live **A few dayster** Taking a few days break really did seem to help my state of mind. After spending time alone for two days, I had dinner with Justin just like we had agreed. Justin came as a friend, and it was like an unspoken agreement between us that we would not talk about work or any of my other life problems. The conversation we shared was light and full ofughter and cheer. Each time Iughed along with Justin¡¯s jokes, it made me realize that there were so many simple joys in life that I had been missing out on. Not having to worry about my problems, my work, or my clients for a while truly felt great. I wondered for a moment how Justin managed to tell my clients that I had suddenly decided to go on break and how they reacted; however, I decided not to ask while pushing that curious thought out of my mind. I admired Justin for how understanding and supportive he was of me. Justin simply told me to let him know when I wanted to start going back to work and left the decision up to me. After spending a few days away from work and the reality of my problems, I felt like I have had enough time to lick my own wounds. ¡°I think I¡¯ll go back to work starting Monday. Does that work?¡± I asked. ¡°Are you sure that you¡¯re ready toe back?¡± Justin asked as he stared at me from across the table. ¡°I guess so. I still have two more days during the weekend to rest before Mondayes along,¡± I replied while braving a smile. ¡°There¡¯s really no rush. I spoke to all your clients, and they are understanding,¡± Justin said reassuringly. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I think it¡¯s about time that I get back to work before I get toozy to do anything,¡± I replied with a smallugh. ¡°If you say so. I¡¯ll let your clients know. They¡¯re going to be so happy to have you back,¡± Justin said with augh. ..... ¡°You really think so?¡± I murmured, unconvinced. ¡°Why? You think they wouldn¡¯t want you back?¡± Justin asked teasingly. ¡°Who knows¡­¡± I murmured before trailing off. ¡°Elena, you clients need you more than you realize. Of course, they¡¯ll want you back,¡± Justin said and suddenly he sounded so serious. My eyes widened in surprise at the sudden change in his attitude. For a moment, I felt a little relieved because of his words. Perhaps without realizing it, I had been fearing that because of what happened, Adrian and Brandon wouldn¡¯t want me anymore. ¡°If you say so¡­¡± I replied softly without knowing what else to say. ¡°Just rest up and rx until then. Monday can be a soft start, you don¡¯t need to see any of your cute hubbies if you don¡¯t want to,¡± Justin told me with a smile before he winked at me. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll think about it¡­¡± I murmured. After parting ways with Justin, I headed back to my apartment. The sidewalk close to my ce was crowded with people and I had no idea why so many people were out and about. There was a time when I used to like the bustling vibe of the city where there seemed to be so many things happening at the same time. However, now I thought that I could live well enough without it. Some more peace, quiet, and personal space might be good. Maybe I¡¯m just getting older and perhaps a little bit more disillusioned with life. Various thoughts along the same line ran through my head until I reached the front door of my apartment building. I halted when I spotted a familiar figure seated on the steps right in front of the door. This wasn¡¯t the first time that I¡¯ve seen him here and in that rough disguise of his but it still never failed to shock me to see him. EROS¡­ ¡°Where did you go? Do you have any idea how long I¡¯ve been waiting for you?¡± he asked as he stood up. I wasn¡¯t sure if he even wanted answers to his questions, because to me, it just felt like he just wanted toin. How am I supposed to know that he¡¯ll be waiting for me here? ¡°Why are you here?¡± I asked the first thing that came to mind. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be here? Do you know how many days it¡¯s been since I can¡¯t contact you? Is your phone dead or something?¡± he spat as he came to stand right in front of me. I looked up to see his golden eyes glowering down at me in a disapproving re. EROS didn¡¯t seem to realize what was going on about the fact that I had been on break which didn¡¯t quite make sense because Justin should have already told him or his agency. ¡°I took a few days off from work. I¡¯m still on my holiday right now too by the way¡­¡± I replied. ¡°Why did you take days off? Are you sick?¡± he asked while sounding more grumpy than worried about my welfare. ¡°Didn¡¯t your manager tell you about this already? I¡¯m not sick, I just¡­needed a break¡­¡± I replied before letting out a sigh. Now that I thought about it, the issue that I had with Adrian and Brandon ended up affecting EROS as well although he wasn¡¯t at all involved. I guessed from that angle; it was sort of my fault for causing him to worry like this. I looked up at his eyes before letting out another sigh. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Some things happened so I felt like I needed a break. Anyways, there¡¯s nothing for you to be concerned about. I¡¯ll be back to work on Monday, and it won¡¯t impact our deal about the charity concert. I¡¯ll be there¡­so that you¡¯ll be there¡­¡± I told him with a regretful grin. ¡°Elena¡­¡± he called my name softly. ¡°You should head back now¡­¡± I advised. EROS took a small step toward me because that was all it took to close the distance between us. My body stiffened in ce when I felt his arms around my body and pulling me even closer to him. I had no idea why he was hugging me so suddenly. ¨CTo be continued¡­ Chapter 169 - 169 Not Allowed to Sleep Alone 169 Not Allowed to Sleep Alone His arms tightened around me as he pressed my body tightly against his. His body felt very warm and his embrace veryforting. Automatically, I closed my eyes and allowed myself to rx in his reassuring embrace. His hand moved to stroke my back as his other hand began stroking my hair. ¡°Has life been too tough on you?¡± EROS whispered as he continued stroking my hair gently. It has. His tender words and beautiful voice somehow brought tears to my eyes. I felt the distinctive sting behind my eyes at his words and knew that I was about to burst out crying. It hadn¡¯t urred to me up until that point that I needed to cry or just how upset and tired I was of everything that was happening to me. His arms around me and his fingers running through my long hair made me feel strangely warm inside. ¡°Everything will be fine, Elena¡­¡± EROS whispered close to my ear. I had no idea if everything would be fine or not and I knew well enough that just because he was telling me that it would be so, didn¡¯t mean that things will simply turn out fine like magic. I also knew that letting my tears flow wouldn¡¯t solve any of my problems. Despite all that I knew, I felt the warmth of my own tears as they leaked out of my eyes and trickled down my cheeks. I took in a deep breath and swung my arms around his body and held him tightly to me as if holding on to him would prevent me from drowning or getting swept away by the harsh tides of life. I clutched at his clothes so hard that my fingers hurt as my body shook from the force of my own sobbing. EROS didn¡¯t say anything anymore, but he did keep on stroking my back and my hair. It was very unlike him, but I had to admit that he was very good atforting me. I had no idea how long we just stood there in each other¡¯s arms. It took a while for me to calm down again. Quickly, I wiped my tears away before loosening my arms from around his body. EROS slowly let go of me and I started to feel embarrassed all over again although it wasn¡¯t my first time crying in his arms. I had no idea why I always seemed to be having emotional breakdowns in front of EROS of all people. I looked away from him while praying that he couldn¡¯t see my face clearly because of how dimly lit the street was. ¡°I¡¯m fine now. You should head back¡­¡± I said while trying my best to stop my voice from shaking. ..... ¡°Let¡¯s go inside¡­¡± EROS replied without hesitation. ¡°Wait¡­¡± I protested but it seemed toote. His hand held mine tightly as he pulled me after him towards the entrance of the building. EROS paused as he stared down at me while he waited for me to unlock the door to the building. Unlike the other day that he was here, he didn¡¯t seem content to just go back silently without making a fuss and I wondered why that was the case. While feeling confused with my own emotions, I unlocked the door to the building. EROS¡¯srge hand was on the door and pushing it open before I could even reach for it. After seeing my hesitation, he took my hand into his again and pulled me firmly through the doorway into the building with him. It felt like he was the one living there instead of me and I was his visitor. EROS looked around the lobby of my apartment building although there wasn¡¯t anything much for him to see at all. ¡°I¡¯m fine now, so you can leave¡­¡± I said firmly. ¡°Take me to your room¡­¡± he replied while ignoring what I had just said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. You should head back and¡­I¡¯ll see you at work¡­¡± I said while gesturing to the door with my hand. ¡°You don¡¯t really understand anything, do you?¡± he asked with a disapproving stare my way. My body stiffened under his intense stare as I got more confused than before. His golden eyes captured mine and I felt sucked into their unreadable depths. For the countless time, I wondered why he had to be made so attractive, alluring, and beautiful. ¡°EROS¡­¡± I whispered his name as I tried to take a step away from him. My effort to put some distance between us didn¡¯t quite seed because he still held onto one of my hands. With a tug of his hand, he pulled me closer to him as his golden eyes continued staring down into my face. ¡°Take me to your room, Elena. I¡¯m not letting you sleep alone tonight¡­¡± he said determinedly. I wished that I could win against EROS in a staringpetition; however, I was the first of us to look away from his intense golden gaze. I had no idea why EROS was being so stubborn about this all of a sudden. He came to see me at my apartment before but he had never been so stubborn abouting inside or going to my room. My heart raced in my chest so hard that I felt ufortable. I had no idea if I was scared or if I was just excited. I let out a loud sigh without bothering to hold back my frustration. His hold on my wrist tightened as if signaling to me that he wasn¡¯t at all willing to back down from his decision. It felt like we would be standing there for the remainder of the night if I didn¡¯t take him to my room. Of course, what he was doing was infringing on my personal space which was why I started to hate myself a little for not quite minding him for doing so. Something must be wrong with me¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s go¡­¡± I mumbled softly. ¡°Thank you, Elena¡­¡± EROS whispered tenderly to me as he pulled me into his embrace again. ¨CTo be continued¡­ Chapter 170 - 170 In My Bed 170 In My Bed My eyes widened when I felt the warmth of his body enveloping around mine once more. His hands pressed against the small of my back and drew my body close to him until the length of our bodies were touching. I closed my eyes and breathed in his familiar scent that seemed to drive me crazy. In the end, I ended up leading EROS all of the way to my room. Never in my wildest dreams did I even dream of bringing one of my clients to my room like this. The biggest issue was that this was my safe zone where I was supposed to be able to be myself without the fa?ade that I had to put on for my job. The second biggest problem was that the room was small and didn¡¯t have much to entertain guests. My eyes nced over to EROS as he stood in my room after I had switched on the lights. I closed the door behind us and locked it before my attention returned to my guest. EROS stood still in my room as he looked around as if he didn¡¯t quite know what to do. ¡°Sorry for the fact that there¡¯s almost nothing here, I guess¡­¡± I mumbled a little sarcastically. ¡°This room is pretty small¡­¡± EROS said as if in disbelief. ¡°I live here alone, and I usually don¡¯t bring guests over so there¡¯s no need for me to have a big room¡­¡± I replied emotionlessly. EROS looked around as he seemed to take in every single detail of my room. Thankfully, my room was decently clean and organized. Not having too much in the room helped in making the room look somewhat presentable in its in state. I sighed while telling myself inside my head that I didn¡¯t have the responsibility to impress him or anyone with the state of my room. He was the one who asked toe here. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to offend you. I just¡­assumed that you would have a bigger room¡­¡± he said as he turned to face me. ¡°It¡¯s fine. This reality of mine and the one that you¡¯re used to are just quite different. That¡¯s all¡­¡± I said with a careless shrug. ..... ¡°Well, this is a nice room. It feels very homey¡­¡± EROS said with a smile that told me that he meant what he had just said. ¡°If you¡¯re a little less curious now, can you just head back?¡± I asked while still harboring some hope that I could chase him out. ¡°Nope. I¡¯m staying here with you, at least for tonight¡­¡± he said firmly. ¡°I can sleep well enough by myself, you know¡­¡± I pointed out. ¡°Then, let¡¯s just say that I want to spend the night with you. Let¡¯s just say that I can¡¯t sleep well at night if you¡¯re not with me¡­¡± he replied so casually that I was surprised. How can he say something like that so carelessly? ¡°Right. Do you want to take a shower? I can get you a towel¡­¡± I suggested. EROS eyes widened a little in surprise and then he was beaming a beautiful smile my way. Suddenly, he seemed like a young child or a puppy. ¡°I take that as a yes¡­¡± I mumbled as I turned to fetch a towel for him. Shoving EROS into my bathroom for his shower gave me some private time to truly wrap my head around what was going on. It was still very hard for me to believe that EROS would be spending the night at my ce of all ces. I wondered how I should face him once he steps out of the shower. Before I knew it, I was pacing around my small room restlessly. I had to make sure that he would leave when tomorrowes. I can¡¯t have him just hanging around here like this is also his house. Breathe, Elena¡­ I tried my best to take deep and calming breaths that was supposed to help mepose myself. Unfortunately, EROS didn¡¯t take that long in the shower. The bathroom door opened and as almost-naked EROS stepped out of the shower with his hair damp and nothing on his body safe for the white towel that I had given him wrapped loosely around his hips. ¡°Your turn to shower now, Elena¡­¡± he saidzily as he took a few steps my way. My heart raced fast and hard in my chest at the sight of his beautiful and muscr body. EROS stepping out of the shower was a very wild and exciting sight to behold indeed. I hated myself for it, but I found myself staring at his beautifully crafted figure. I knew that he knew that I was staring but I just couldn¡¯t tear my gaze away from the muscles of his chest and then his abdominal. ¡°Hmm¡­should I help you shower?¡± EROS asked teasingly when he caught me staring at him. ¡°N-No. There¡¯s no need¡­¡± I quickly said as I tried my best to snap out of my daze. I quickly walked past him into my bathroom before he would tease me endlessly for staring at his body like that. EROSughed joyfully when I made my way past him and I could still hear his amusedughter even when I was on the other side of the door inside my bathroom. Dealing with EROS for the night was going to be a challenging task. Even now, I had no idea what he was thinking and why exactly he was doing this to me. It might have been abination of guilt and loneliness that made me allow him into my bedroom the way that I did. My mind was a mess all throughout my time in the shower and by the time that I stepped out of the shower in my short nightgown, nothing in my mind had been made up. EROS was waiting for me leisurely on the bed. He seemed so rxed like it was only natural and normal for him to be waiting for me in my bed. I shook my head at the thought while telling myself that he did not belong in my bed. ¨CTo be continued¡­ Chapter 171 - 171 In His Arms 171 In His Arms ¡°Come to bed, Elena. Should I help you dry your hair?¡± he offered with a teasing smile. ¡°No, you don¡¯t need to. You should just go to sleep¡­¡± I muttered. ¡°How can I possibly go to bed before my princess?¡± EROS asked teasingly. His beautiful hand patted the empty spot on my bed as he smiled charmingly. I rolled my eyes at him before making my way to the bed and sitting down on it. I had no idea why I was suddenly in a bad mood as I reached for my hair dryer and began drying my hair. EROS leaned his head on one of his hands as he watched me with intense interest as if he had never seen a woman drying her hair before. I should have known that because he turned up without anything packed that he would be sleeping pretty much naked with me for the night. Of course, I didn¡¯t have any men¡¯s clothes or pajamas that would fit EROS on hand that I could offer to him. ¡°Your hair is quite long¡­¡± he murmured as his hand reached toward my hair. I felt his fingers capture a strand of my hair before he began twirling it around his finger absentmindedly. The more time I spent with him, the more I felt like it was very difficult for me to understand him. Even now that we were both on the bed together, I still wasn¡¯t quite sure why exactly EROS was adamant about spending the night with me. ¡°I¡¯m not having sex with you until you get that concert out of the way¡­¡± I muttered as I turned to narrow my eyes at him suspiciously. ¡°I never said anything about us having sex tonight, did I?¡± he countered with a smallugh. ..... He let go of my hair andid on his back on the bed and it truly felt like he belonged right there on my bed. EROS looked veryfortable and ready to call it a night. I might have been overthinking things but I didn¡¯t feel like I was the one that was to me. ¡°So, you¡¯re really just going to sleep?¡± I asked before I could stop myself. I couldn¡¯t help but ask because what he was doing truly wasn¡¯t at all like him. Despite my repeated questions, EROS did not make a move to get any closer to me. ¡°I¡¯m giving it a try¡­¡± EROS said before his lips curved into a very beautiful and peaceful smile. ¡°Right. Good night, then¡­¡± I mumbled. After switching off the lights, the room was quite dark and all that I could make out were vague outlines. I could feel EROS¡¯s presence very close to me on the bed and that only worked to make my heart race in my chest. I should have known that I would be ufortable sharing the same bed as EROS for the night even if it wasn¡¯t the first time that we were sleeping together. Suddenly, it felt extremely strange for us to just sleep side by side without doing anything that was sexual. It wasn¡¯t like I was expecting or yearning for his passionate embrace but no matter what my wild heartbeat refused to calm down. I wondered what EROS was thinking and what he was feeling. It didn¡¯t help that I couldn¡¯t see his face in the dark. The room was suddenly gued in silence, and I wondered if he had already fallen asleep by my side. The only sound that I could hear so clearly was the sound of my own heartbeat ringing in my ears. How am I supposed to fall asleep like this? If EROS had thought thating here would help me sleep well at night, he was so mistaken. Although he didn¡¯t seem to have any ulterior motives or bad intentions, his presence close to me on the bed made me feel so on edge. I wasn¡¯t sure how long I suffered with my own thoughts in the dark before I felt the bed shifting under me. ¡°Can¡¯t go to sleep?¡± EROS asked knowingly. I couldn¡¯t see him clearly, but I could tell that he had turned to sleep on his side, and he was now facing me. His face must have been very close to mine because I started to make out the outlines of his face. His body smelled of my soap from his shower earlier. The bed shifted under us again and I felt his body so close to mine that we were touching. ¡°EROS¡­¡± I murmured his name. ¡°I just want to hold you. It¡¯ll help you go to sleep if I hug you, right?¡± he suggested. EROS didn¡¯t wait for my agreement before he pulled me into his arms and held me. It felt natural for me to rest my head on his shoulders as he held my body against his. His body felt so warm against mine and I could feel his calm heartbeat. ¡°You¡¯re so close¡­¡± I mumbled my slightint. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the whole point?¡± he replied with a chuckle. My body stiffened a little in his arms when I felt the slight pressure of his hand pressing up against the back of my head and then his fingers were running through my hair. Hisrge hand stroking my hair helped me to rx and soon I started to feel extremelyfortable in his arms. ¡°I think you¡¯re quite cute like this. It feels like I¡¯m petting arge cat¡­¡± he whispered close to me. ¡°I¡¯m not a cat¡­¡± I muttered as I felt myself blushing. Thankfully, it was dark, and I didn¡¯t have to worry about EROS seeing my reactions to his words or what he was doing to me. ¡°I know that¡­¡± he said with an amused chuckle. His hand did not stop stroking my hair and it didn¡¯t take long before his hand moved downwards to stroke my back. I let out a soft moan at the sensation of his touch along my back. It felt so rxing to be caressed leisurely like this. ¨CTo be continued¡­ Chapter 172 - 172 Lazy Love 172 Lazy Love ¡°Are you starting to feel sleepy?¡± he asked softly. ¡°Yes¡­¡± I admitted honestly. My eyelids had started to feel heavy, and it felt like I could drift off into sleep at any moment. I guessed I never knew how much I liked before held and embraced tenderly like this before going to bed. ¡°Good night, Elena. I hope you sleep well without any dreams¡­¡± he whispered gently into my ear. ¡°Good night¡­¡± I murmured. ¡­ The following morning, I woke up in a very shocked and disorientated state. My eyelids felt heavy from sleep but what felt unusually heavy was the sensation of something pressing on top of my chest. My body felt heavy and felt extremelyzy and without a doubt, I wasn¡¯t looking forward to the new day. That was the reason why it took that much more extra effort for me to slowly open my eyes. The empty familiar ceiling of my bedroom greeted me. Everything seemed normal until I lifted my head a little off the pillow and nced down at the source of difort on my chest. At first, I wasn¡¯t sure if I was just seeing things or not and my brain did not immediately register the fact that there apparently seemed to be an arm draped over my chest. I blinked a few times to clear my mind and to see if that unfamiliar sight would slowly dissolve into nothing more than an illusion. No such correction of the reality that I saw in front of me happened. I turned toe face to face with the sleeping face of a very attractive angel. EROS¡­ ..... Memories ofst night came flooding back to me likerge unstoppable tsunami waves. Starting from my memory of running into him in front of my building when I got home. Then how he hugged andforted me. His stubborn words as he refused to go back home and how he finally convinced me to let him stay the night. EROS was still sleeping silently and peacefully. His breathing was regr which told me that he was still enjoying his slumber. My heart clenched strangely in my chest at the sight of him sleeping so peacefully close to me on my bed. I took in a deep breath before letting it out in a relieved sigh when I realized that it seemed like EROS had kept his word and all we did was sleep together on the same bedst night. His beautiful and peaceful sleeping face never failed to amaze me. I spent a moment in silence just admiring his handsome features from his nose, and his cheekbones, to his long blond eyshes. For a fleeting moment, I thought to myself how nice it would be if he would never wake up. His character really was somethingplex and I felt like he was so much easier for me to deal with when he was sleeping in bed like an innocent and harmless baby. My wish was no to be and soon enough EROS¡¯s eyshes started to flutter. I watched as he stirred in bed next to me until his mesmerizing golden eyes flickered open. He seemed disorientated for a very brief moment before his eyes focused on my face. His lips slowly curved into azy smile as his arms moved to gather my body into his embrace and pull me closer to him. ¡°Good morning¡­Elena¡­¡± he whispered while still sounding sleepy. ¡°Good morning¡­¡± I whispered back without knowing what else to say. A slight tremor ran through my body at the strangeness of waking up in bed with EROS and greeting each other with azy ¡®good morning¡¯. It just felt so out of ce and so unreal that I had a hard time believing that something like this was happening between us. EROS seemed rxed as his hand instinctively began stroking my hair as he held me close. Getting out of bed didn¡¯t seem to be something that was on his mind at that moment. ¡°Don¡¯t you have to go to work today?¡± I asked softly after spending a while in his arms. ¡°Nope. Actually, I don¡¯t know¡­whatever¡­¡± he mumbledzily. Does that mean that he just doesn¡¯t care? ¡°No, you can¡¯t do that. You have to go to work if you have work scheduled. If you don¡¯t, you¡¯re going to cause so much trouble to like¡­hundreds of people¡­¡± I quickly countered as I struggled to disengage his arms from around my body. ¡°I have the day off today¡­don¡¯t worry¡­¡± he repliedzily. ¡°Really? Are you sure?¡± I asked while finding it hard to believe him. ¡°Yes¡­I¡¯m sure¡­¡± he replied followed by a small chuckle. He should have just told that to me right away. Why did he have to make me worry? The way he held me told me that he wanted to stay in bed at least for a while longer. Surprisingly, I did not mind spending time locked up in his gentle embrace either; however, it was clear that we couldn¡¯t spend the whole day together in bed this way. EROS was awake and didn¡¯t show any signs of going back to sleep although he was still hesitant to get out of bed. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± I asked softly. ¡°No¡­¡± he replied immediately. ¡°Well, you can¡¯t spend the whole day in my bed so¡­¡± I said before trying to pull his arms away from my body again. EROS only held me tighter in his embrace before he buried his face in the side of my neck and started kissing the sensitive skin there. I heard myself letting out a soft moan which only prompted EROS to kiss and suck on my skin a little rougher than before. I heard his rapid intake of breath as he began inhaling my scent. ¡°EROS¡­¡± I murmured his name with a hint of warning in my tone. ¡°I know¡­no sex¡­¡± he murmured. Despite what he seemed to understand, he did not stop kissing my neck right away. By the time he lifted his head from my neck, my heart was racing wildly in my chest, and I knew that my face was flushed. ¨CTo be continued¡­ Chapter 173 - 173 A Morning with Him 173 A Morning with Him EROS slowly sat up before he looked down and grinned at me knowingly. He must have realized that his little teasing had started to turn me on. Regardless, he didn¡¯t decide to pursue or push on the matter. To my surprise, it seemed like EROS was doing a super good job of holding himself back. Unfortunately, it was high time that we got out of bed. I got up and headed for the small kitchte in my room and poured myself a ss of water. When I turned around to take a look at him, EROS was sitting on the side of my bed while he ran his fingers through his tousled blond hair. Needless to say, it was an extremely sexy and rxing sight. I didn¡¯t look away as I admired how his muscles moved as he moved his arm and then arched his neck to the side. His body is indeed beautiful and I didn¡¯t feel shameful for staring at and admiring it. Taking that as a reward for hosting him for the night didn¡¯t seem like such a bad idea. ¡°Do you eat breakfast?¡± I asked. ¡°No¡­¡± he replied immediately. ¡°Thought so¡­¡± I replied without any surprise. ¡°Do you?¡± he asked. ¡°Not really,¡± I said with a shrug. EROS finally stood up from the bed. He approached me while I tried my best to ignore the fact that he was naked. I wondered where he put his clothesst night. He really should get dressed. ¡°Elena¡­¡± he murmured my name. ..... ¡°Hmm?¡± I made a questioning sound in response. Wordlessly, EROS wrapped his arms around me before turning me around in his arms until I had my back to him. The warmth of his embrace feltforting as he held me close to his body. I knew that all he was doing was holding me but probably because it was EROS, it felt strange that there wasn¡¯t something more. ¡°You should go back¡­¡± I said as I tried to pull his arms away from my body. ¡°Am I not weed here anymore?¡± he asked as his hold on me only tightened. ¡°Right. You shouldn¡¯t be here and I¡¯m just going to ignore the fact that you spentst night here with me¡­¡± I replied without any hesitation. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a little too mean of you? I did go out of my way to keep youpany¡­¡± he murmured before he turned his face to the side and kissed my hair softly. ¡°I don¡¯t remember asking you to¡­¡± I muttered. ¡°But you do feel better, right?¡± he asked cheerfully. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± I mumbled as I started to feel stubborn. EROS loosened his hold on me just enough so that I could turn around in his arms to face him. As our eyes met, I felt an ufortable mix of feeling flood my chest. It wasn¡¯t unpleasant to have him around. Although I didn¡¯t want to admit it, it didn¡¯t feel bad to have EROS stay over with me the night before. However, that didn¡¯t change the fact that he was still a client, and we were not supposed to be mixing our private life with our professional one. Just the thought started to make my temple throb in pain. ¡°Where are your clothes? You should get dressed and you should leave,¡± I demanded. ¡°Ok¡­¡± he replied before grinning at me. To my surprise, it wasn¡¯t too challenging to get rid of EROS. ¡°What are you going to do today?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m going to spend some time alone¡­¡± I replied truthfully. Justin¡¯s advice about self-care truly struck a chord within me and I was determined to make the most out of my leave days. I promised myself that I would be a better version of myself when I got back to work. I turned towards EROS and showed him one of my best smiles in the hope that it would reassure him that I would be fine. ¡°You can always give me a call¡­¡± he said. ¡°Thank you,¡± I thanked him with another smile. I leaned against the kitchen counter as I watched EROS head into the bathroom. It didn¡¯t take long for him to emerge fully dressed in his disguise. I was reminded again of his ultra-famous status and that made me worry a little about him turning up and leaving my ce. If someone found out or if news of this got out, things could turn very ugly for us. ¡°Walk me down?¡± he asked but it sounded more like a request. ¡°Sure¡­¡± I replied as I slipped on a sweater to cover some skin. We were lucky not to run into anyone on our way down and there was no one in the lonely lobby of the building. The odds of us running into someone and that person recognizing EROS with his disguise and mask on were quite low; however, I still thought that it was better if we didn¡¯t take too many risks. One slip and we would cause so much trouble for countless people at thepany and EROS¡¯s manager and team. ¡°EROS¡­¡± I called his name softly. ¡°You can call me Sean, you know¡­¡± he pointed outzily. ¡°Sean¡­¡± I tried again. He turned to face me with a questioning face and that made me hesitate a little. After telling myself that this was honestly for the best. I took in a deep breath before telling him what was on my mind. ¡°I think that you shouldn¡¯te here anymore,¡± I told him firmly. EROS seemed surprised at my sudden suggestion and then his face turned cold. I could tell that he was displeased but before I could exin anything to him, EROS just nodded before he opened the door and slipped through it. I quickly reached my hand for the door handle as my body seemed to move on its own to chase after him. What am I doing? My hand stilled on the door handle without opening the door as my body froze in ce from the conflicting emotions inside of me. ¨CTo be continued¡­ Please support my other works: Love ve to the Mafia Boss¡¯s Passion, Love ve to My Devil CEO Boss, Forbidden Heat, The Alpha Prince¡¯s Purchased Maid, Conquering the Emperor. Chapter 174 - 174 Lingering Emotions 174 Lingering Emotions Logic and emotions struggled for dominance over my actions and my body. I had just told him to leave and that he shouldn¡¯te here again, so why was I about to chase after him. Why would I do that? Nothing seemed to make sense to me for a while. Instead of opening the door, I let go of the door handle before forcing my arm back down to rest at the side of my body. My mind told myself that I was doing the right thing. I had told EROS the right thing that was best for all of us and I was doing the right thing for not stopping him from leaving. Even if my words had hurt him or offended him, it was still the right thing to do and that he would get over it soon enough. He might not even feel hurt in the first ce, and it could have just been my own imagination running wild. I heaved a sigh and turned on my heels to head back to my room before I would have the chance to change my mind again. ¡­ The day that I had to return to work arrived unavoidably. To my surprise, I felt bored enough at that point that I did not dread going back to work. I woke up feeling quite refreshed just to realize that I had nothing nned for my first day back to work. Justin had advised me to take it slow for my first day going back to work and that basically meant that I just had to drop by his office to see him. My best guess was that he would ask me about which client I would be mostfortable to start with. Honestly, it was hard to pick given theplex situation that I seemed to have ced myself in based on myst interactions with the three of them. I sat up in bed and reached for my phone to see that I had a text message from Adrian. It was as if he knew that today was the day that I resumed my work. Perhaps Justin was the one who told him. For some reason, I wasn¡¯t that surprised that he had sent me a text. ¡®Are you free today?¡¯ The text was simply, very to the point, and it was signed with his name as usual. I was free to see him today, but I still felt awkward about meeting him. Ourst encounter didn¡¯t end so well and he probably knew that as well. I sighed to myself softly when I realized that this was probably why Justin told me to take it easy on my first day back to work. Seeing the text from Adrian truly gave me mixed feelings and suddenly my body felt heavy andzy. I had to drag myself out of my bed to prepare for the day. ..... It was almost lunch time by the time that I arrived at Justin¡¯s office. As expected, he was there to greet me with a gorgeously wide smile. There were few people in the office, and I was d for the peaceful atmosphere. ¡°Wee back to work. Should we have lunch?¡± he said before shing me another beaming smile. ¡°Sounds good. Something healthy¡­¡± I readily agreed. ¡°Oh, I was thinking of pizza¡­¡± Justin said with clear disappointment in his tone. ¡°I don¡¯t want to gain weight. It¡¯s bad for my health¡­and also the job¡­¡± I replied without relinquishing on my idea of having a healthy meal. I knew very well that there would be tough times ahead where I would need to binge on icecreamte into the night when I was all alone and so saving the calories for that would be essential. ¡°Fine. Fine, we¡¯ll go with whatever you choose,¡± Justin said as he threw up both hands in apparent defeat. ¡°Thank you. I appreciate it¡­¡± I thanked him before winking at him. ¡°You look better. The break must have been good for you,¡± he said while sounding relief. ¡°You can tell?¡± I asked while I found myself smiling easily. ¡°Yes. It was the right choice for you to take time off. Let me know if you need time off again,¡± he said encouragingly. ¡°Thanks. Shall we head out for lunch? Let¡¯s find something healthy around here,¡± I suggested. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go!¡± Justin eximed excitedly. Although he wasn¡¯t getting his wish of having pizza for lunch, I was d enough that he was looking forward to having lunch with me. It didn¡¯t slip my mind that I haven¡¯t sent a reply to Adrian yet. Normally, I would reply to his message as soon as possible, so by now, he probably knew that something wasn¡¯t right. Even though I knew that I must be worrying him needlessly, I still didn¡¯t feel like sending him a reply. Deep down, I was probably still quite mad at him. We arrived at a restaurant that fitted what I had in mind after a short walk from Justin¡¯s office. Justin looked a lot less excited when he saw the menu, but he did make the effort not toin. ¡°This will be better for your health as well,¡± I told him. ¡°Yeah¡­I know that¡­¡± he mumbled without any enthusiasm. I called the waitress over and we quickly ced our orders. The ce was quite popr and most of the tables around us were upied by other customers. When we were alone, Justin turned his full attention to me, and I could tell that he had many questions that he wanted and probably needed to ask me. ¡°Just take it easy, you don¡¯t have to meet any clients today¡­¡± Justin said before showing me a look of concern. ¡°Thanks¡­¡± I thanked him again. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to rush you but do let me know when you¡¯re ready to meet your clients again. Also, I can adjust your schedule for you as well. So, you can tell me whom you want to meet with first or whom you¡¯re not ready to meet up with yet. I¡¯ll try my best to talk to them or their representative so that it won¡¯t be a problem,¡± Justin exined patiently. ¨CTo be continued¡­ Chapter 175 - 175 Emotional Involvement 175 Emotional Involvement ¡°Thank you. The thing is¡­I got a text message from Adrian this morning asking if I¡¯m free today,¡± I confessed as felt myself frowning. ¡°Have you replied to him? Are you going to meet him?¡± Justin asked with widened eyes. I just shook my head sadly in response. The truth was, I just chickened out and didn¡¯t end up sending him any kind of reply. Justin nodded his head in understanding. ¡°You should at least send him a reply, I think. I know that it¡¯s hard for you. Even if you decide not to meet him, you should at least let him know that,¡± Justin suggested with a worried look on his face. ¡°I know that you¡¯re right and I know that that is what I should do but¡­it¡¯s harder than I thought. Everything just feels soplicated¡­¡± I confessed before letting out a depressed sigh. Justin stared at me from across the table and it looked like he was about to say something to me but then the waitress turned up with our order. The sd that I ordered looked so colorful that it made me feel slightly guilty that I didn¡¯t have much of an appetite given all the stress and worry running through my brain. ¡°I don¡¯t remember thest time I ate something like this¡­¡± Justin muttered as he stared at his sd. ¡°You should eat healthy food more often. There¡¯s so many restaurants selling clean food and whole food these days. It shouldn¡¯t be hard even if you don¡¯t cook,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°Hmm¡­I don¡¯t know about that¡­¡± Justin said as he hesitantly moved a leaf of lettuce in his sd with his fork. ..... It was clear that I wasn¡¯t the only one without much of an appetite for this meal. Justin had a discouraged look on his face as he yed around with his sd with his fork. After eating a few bites, he ced his fork down and stared across the table at me. ¡°Listen, I think you already know what I¡¯m about to say already but I¡¯m going to say it anyways because I worry about you and it¡¯s also my job¡­¡± he said sternly before he paused. I just nodded at him encouragingly to let him know that I was all ears. He was probably right in me knowing what he was about to say. Justin¡¯s lips pressed in a thin line as he seemed to search for the right words. ¡°It¡¯s not a good idea to get emotionally involved with the clients. Regardless of how real the job may seem to you and to them as well, these rtionships that you are having are not real. They¡¯re fake. Everything is not real. Even if everything really happened and your interactions with your clients are real, you should consider it as something that happened in another world. A parallel universe of sorts, if you will¡­¡± Justin exined convincingly. ¡°I understand¡­¡± I replied with a slight nod of my head. I had to say that I did see this lectureing and I probably deserved this harsh yet much-needed reminder and warning. Although I hated to admit it, somewhere along the lines while I was working with my clients, my emotions probably got involved and that meant that I wasn¡¯t purely professional anymore. ¡°I¡¯m just worried for you, Elena. Honestly, I¡¯m so worried. You probably already know this but the more your emotions get involved, the more you will end up getting hurt in the end. There are cases of a few of my girls falling in love and getting married to their clients but those are rare indeed,¡± Justin said while sounding very desperate and worried. ¡°I know that. You don¡¯t have to worry so much about me. I know what you¡¯re trying to say and I truly understand. I¡¯m not going to lie and say that it¡¯s easy to manage and control my feelings at all times but I¡¯m trying my best. I¡¯ll try not to let it affect my work, so you don¡¯t have to worry,¡± I replied while trying to sound as reassuring as possible. ¡°That¡¯s not it. I¡¯m not really worried about the work. As your agency, we get a lot of money and it¡¯s great and all that but I¡¯m very worried about you. As a friend, I¡¯m worried about you¡­¡± he exined passionately. For a moment, Justin looked so upset that I thought that he might start to cry. I could see where he wasing from and that made me me myself for causing him so much distress. ¡°Calm down. Honestly, it¡¯s not as bad as you think. Sometimes, I feel some kind of emotions like I care for my clients, but I don¡¯t think that that is a bad thing. Of course, I¡¯m trying my best to separate work from my personal life and I¡¯m trying not to get my feelings involved more than necessary,¡± I said as I tried to convince him. Partly, I was trying to convince myself as well although I knew that it was risky and that it wasn¡¯t easy. It felt like skating on thin ice. One wrong move and the ice would crack and break, and I would end up falling through the cracks. There were many uncertainties involved when people and their emotions were involved as well. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t fall in love¡­¡± Justin said with a clear warning in his tone. His eyes stared intensely into mine from across the table before his eyes narrowed as if assessing me. I had no idea why he thought that I could still fall in love at this point. ¡°If that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about, then you can stop worrying right now. Falling in love is just¡­impossible¡­¡± I stated firmly. ¡°All I¡¯m saying is that you should be careful. Oh, there¡¯s also the possibility of changing your clients. I mention that as if it¡¯s easy, but sadly, it is not. You can¡¯t really abandon your clients without paying a fee which isn¡¯t cheap. The best way to change your clients is for both parties to mutually agree to cancel the contract. It¡¯s not easy but it¡¯s possible and has been done before,¡± Justin informed me. ¨CTo be continued¡­ Chapter 176 - 176 Sudden Decision 176 Sudden Decision ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll keep that in mind that there is always a way out, but as of now, I don¡¯t want to change my clients¡­¡± I replied much faster than I thought. I had not realized up until that point that despite all that had happened, I had never truly thought of terminating the contact with any of my three clients. It was challenging and things would be awkward, but I had always assumed at the back of my mind that I would go back to meet them and work for them. ¡°Has any of my clients asked to terminate their contract?¡± I asked. ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m not sure what happened exactly, and you don¡¯t have to go tell me if you don¡¯t want to talk about it, but it¡¯s probably not bad enough for them to want to terminate the contract,¡± Justin said before showing me aforting smile. ¡°I guess¡­¡± I mumbled. Maybe it wasn¡¯t all that bad¡­ ¡­ After spending the whole day just hanging around with Justin in his office and helping him out here and there where I could with some documents, I started to feel very bored. Although it was a good and restful day that wasn¡¯t at all stressful, it also made me feel restless. Spending time in the office didn¡¯t seem to suit my style of working and it didn¡¯t take long for me to miss going out and about. Sitting behind the desk made me feel restricted and I quickly realized that I couldn¡¯t do this forever. Neither could I keep on shrinking from my work and responsibilities. I took out my phone and stared at the message that Adrian had sent. We were about to go on our trip to the orphanage for a visit. I wondered if that was still even happening after what happened between us. It did ur to me that Adrian might have been quite mad at me. Thinking of it that way, I should have appreciated that he sent me a message in an attempt to reconnect. Justin was right that I should send him a reply. Despite knowing that, I had been putting it off the whole day and that was partly because I didn¡¯t quite know how to respond. ..... ¡®Are you free today?¡¯ Obviously, he wanted to meet with me today and I was in fact free as a bird. He sent that message in the morning so maybe he¡¯s no longer free any more today even if I were to reply to him right now that I was free. I had never felt that replying to a simple message could be so challenging that I could practically feel my braincells frying up from the effort. Suddenly, my phone vibrated in my hand and then a text message notification popped up on the screen. That truly surprised me, and I was thankful that I didn¡¯t drop my phone in my slight panic. The message the appeared on my screen was concise and simple. It was a date, a location, and a time. The part that caught my attention was the part that came after that. ¡®I¡¯ll be waiting until you turn up. Adrian.¡¯ ¡°Elena, what is it?¡± Justin called out to me. I turned around to see him staring at me with a worried look on his face and then realized that everybody¡¯s eyes were on me as well. That was when I realized that I had practically just jumped up from my chair and caused a small ruckus that drew everyone¡¯s attention to me. ¡°I¡­I need to go¡­right now¡­¡± I said as my hands moved to gather the few things that I hadid out on the table before stuffing it into my handbag. ¡°Wait¡­where are you going? Elena!¡± I heard Justin calling after me, but I didn¡¯t have the time to exin. ¡°I¡¯m going to see Adrian¡­¡± I turned to reply in brief. ¡°Looking like that?¡± Justin asked as he pointed to my outfit. ¡°Of course, not¡­¡± I replied before winking at him. Why else would I be rushing? ¡°Good luck, Elena! You can do this, girl!¡± Justin yelled after me. I could hear his words of encouragement in his booming voice trail after me even after I had closed the door of the office behind me. If I rushed back to my ce now, I could shower and get dressed up to meet Adrian at the designated ce and time in his message. He probably didn¡¯t think that I would turn up, so he was going to be in for a surprise. It wasn¡¯t a good habit to keep my client waiting and I was just as surprised that I didn¡¯t seem to hesitate about meeting him anymore although I knew that the evening ahead wasn¡¯t going to be an easy one. ¡­ The ce where Adrian was waiting for me turned out to be a members-only private Jazz bar that I have heard of before but had never had the opportunity to visit. Located on a very high floor of one of the most luxurious hotels in the city that is well known for its owner¡¯s passion for music and the arts, the private jazz bar became even more famous ever since itsunch a few years ago. I had no idea if Adrian had a passion for jazz music or for the arts like the owner of the hotel or not but apparently, he was a member. I checked out my reflection as I walked past a wall in the hotel that was conveniently decorated with champagne-colored mirrors. The short red sleeveless dress that I had on fitted and showed off the curves of my body very well. I had thought that the dress might be a little on the too revealing and daring side when I first put it on but then I realized that I didn¡¯t have anything to lose and didn¡¯t want to have any regrets. Wearing a revenge dress when it wasn¡¯t exactly a day for revenge felt quite fun and helped to uplift my spirits. The truth was that I needed a boost of confidence to meet Adrian again. ¨CTo be continued¡­ Chapter 177 - 177 Made Easy 177 Made Easy Just like the other private clubs and bars that I¡¯ve been to, there were many staff and guards at the entrance to check for entry requirements. I presumed that Adrian must have given me their name as his guest. After giving them my name and telling them that I was here to see Adrian, one of the staffs quickly led me inside. It wouldn¡¯t be called a jazz bar without jazz music. The inside was much darker than I had imagined, and it was a little hard to see at first. The stage where the live jazz band was ying was quiterge and very eye-catching with all the spotlights. I wasn¡¯t a big fan of jazz music, but I didn¡¯t particrly hate it either. I reminded myself that I wasn¡¯t here for the music as my insides started churning from nervousness. ¡°He¡¯s waiting for you over there,¡± the staff told me. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± I thanked the young woman with an appreciative nod of my head. Although the ce was quite dark, each table seemed to be adequately lit up with orange candlelight. I stood a little distance away from where Adrian was waiting for me as I hesitated. After taking in a few deep breaths and letting it out slowly, I made up my mind that I had to be ready. With the words that I had prepared to greet him in advance in mind, I approached the table where he was seated. A round table sat in front of arge burgundy velvet sofa shaped in a semi-circle. My lips pursed together in a thin line when I realized that the only ce that I could sit would be next to him right on the same sofa. There wasn¡¯t a chair in sight and that just had to be fine by me. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to bete, but I guess I ended up turning up a littlete¡­¡± I said as I sat down next to him on the seat. Adrian was seated alone, and he seemed lost in his own thoughts. Dressed in a white suit, I had to say that he looked as charming as always. The color also reminded me of when he worked as a doctor with his white gown on as well. The vibe surrounding him made me recall the first time that we had dinner together when he convinced me to work for him. It all felt like so much time had passed by since then. He turned to me immediately when I lowered myself down and sat next to him but not too close. The jazz music from the band that yed seemed to fade off into the background when his eyes met mine. He stared at me like he wasn¡¯t sure if I was real. I found myself staring back at him and maybe we were thinking the same thing. He was probably surprised that I turned up and I am also surprised at myself for turning up. ..... ¡°I honestly didn¡¯t think that you would turn up¡­¡± he murmured with his eyes still on my face. ¡°So, you were expecting to wait here for me all night without me turning up?¡± I teased him. I watched as Adrian¡¯s lips slowly turned into a smile and then he let out a soft chuckle. It felt like it had been too long since I¡¯ve heard hisugh or seen his smile although it had only been a few days. ¡°I guess¡­¡± he replied in short. His response only made my smile widen. I didn¡¯t doubt that he would probably wait for me until I turned up just like he had written in that short message that he sent to me. That was probably why, I didn¡¯t quite hesitate toe here to meet him. I was really anxious, nervous, and scared about meeting him again. In the end, all my fears were all for naught because that was pretty much all it took the break whatever walls of ice that stood between us. ¡°Well, I¡¯m here now so¡­¡± I said before I smiled at him. ¡°Thank you foring. I really thought I might have to sleep here tonight,¡± he said half-jokingly. ¡°There are many rooms in this hotel,¡± I pointed out quite correctly. He justughed softly at my little attempt at a joke. Just like all the times that I was with him, Adrian¡¯s presence seemed to have a calming effect on me. It didn¡¯t take long for me to feelfortable being in hispany. Although things were not perfectly the same between us as before, it was a much better start than I could have ever wished for. ¡°Should I get you a drink?¡± he offered. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll leave it to you,¡± I replied without needing to think. Adrian waved over a waiter who was readily avable to serve us and ordered a drink for me before turning his attention back to me. He was the one who called me here, so I assumed that he had something to say to me. ¡°I want to apologize¡­¡± he said as he turned to face me. ¡°¡­What?¡± I murmured nkly. ¡°Let me try that again. Someone once told me that saying that you want to apologize and going ahead and apologizing isn¡¯t exactly the same thing. I¡¯m very sorry for what I did to you that day in the hospital, Elena,¡± he apologized very straightforwardly. I had always known that he was a mature and very straightforward person, but his sudden apology really did catch me off guard. The way his green eyes stared intensely at me made me feel like he was begging desperately for my forgiveness. I wondered if anyone could ever stay angry at him because that wasn¡¯t something that I could do. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I was¡­quite angry at first but I guess I¡¯m also at fault so¡­it¡¯s ok¡­¡± I replied softly. ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong. It was simply an unfortunate coincidence that we met at the hospital along with¡­your other client. You weren¡¯t working for me that day either¡­¡± he said before trailing off. ¨CTo be continued¡­ Chapter 178 - 178 Possessiveness and Jealousy 178 Possessiveness and Jealousy I just nodded a little while thinking that it would be great if we could settle this without going into any deeper details. Of all the things, I didn¡¯t want to discuss Brandon and the rtionship that I had with him whether it was now or in the past. ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­¡± I murmured. ¡°I heard that you had to take a break for a few days. Honestly, I¡¯ve been very worried about you but I didn¡¯t want to disturb your rest so I didn¡¯t try to contact you before today,¡± he confessed honestly. It didn¡¯t surprise me that Adrian was worried about me. From my experience of being with him, I could feel that he was a genuinely caring and honest person. However, that didn¡¯t mean that he was a simple and kind man with nothing else hidden in his package. Justin was right about everything that he had told me before. If any of these men were simple, they probably wouldn¡¯t have ended up as my client. ¡°Thank you for worrying about me but I¡¯m fine now. I just needed a little time to rest and clear my mind,¡± I said with a smile. Adrian just nodded in understanding and a moment of silence settled between us. I wasn¡¯t sure what else I wanted to say to him. He had apologized and that felt like it was enough for me. Just as I had told him, I was partly at fault. I should have been more responsible in checking that I wouldn¡¯t end up getting my fertility test at his hospital. ¡°I¡¯m honestly very relieved that you came to see me,¡± he said before letting out a sigh. ¡°I just didn¡¯t want you to spend the whole night waiting for me,¡± I replied a little yfully. My attempt at a small joke was rewarded with his charming smile. The way his green eyes stared directly at me so earnestly made my heart skip a dangerous beat in my chest. The red dress that I had on clearly wasn¡¯t the wrong choice at all. I found myself smiling easily as I started to rx at this side. ..... ¡°At first, when you went on break, I was sure that your agency would let me know that you¡¯ve decided to terminate the contract,¡± he said with regretful smile. ¡°Did you really think that?¡± I asked with some surprise. He must have felt really guilty, and I guess that served him right in a way. Adrian probably spent the past few days reflecting on his actions and that was probably why he was worried about my desire to terminate our contract. ¡°I did,¡± he replied without pause. I had to say that I loved how honest and open he was with me. It saved a lot of time and painful effort in ying mind games and it also added to his maturity and calm which I really appreciated. Not everyone is perfect and the same applied to me and also to Adrian. ¡°Why did you think that?¡± I asked. I wanted to know what he thought. From his point of view, I wondered what he believed would make me want to break the contract that we had. I might have been confused and swept up by his seduction and the pleasure of having sex with him at the time; however, it didn¡¯t take a lot of effort for me to realize that the feelings behind his actions that day was probably nothing more than possessiveness and jealously. The oldest and most ssic emotions in the book. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have seduced you like that. It was my fault and I¡¯m not going to make any excuses for myself. I am sorry and I¡¯ll try my best not to do it again,¡± he replied straightforwardly. I knew that he wasn¡¯t lying and that he had carefully selected his words to not misrepresent his intentions. In the end, I couldn¡¯t hold myughter in and started to giggle. The fact that he promised to try his best not to do it again rather than promising to never do it again really got to me. ¡°I guess possessive and jealous guys aren¡¯t too bad¡­¡± I said before shing him a smile. I meant that quite honestly as well. There were much worst guys out there. The lying andpletely deceptive type¡­ ¡°I guess I felt that way even though I know that I wasn¡¯t supposed to,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Emotions are usually hard to control¡­or so I¡¯m told¡­¡± I said beforeughing a little to lighten the mood. ¡°During your break, did you ever consider terminating the contract?¡± he asked after a moment of thought. ¡°Nope. It¡¯s strange but I didn¡¯t think that far, I guess¡­¡± I replied quite honestly. ¡°Well, not thinking that far usually isn¡¯t a good thing, but in this case, I¡¯m thankful that you didn¡¯t think that far, and I should thank you for it,¡± Adrian replied. ¡°Well, terminating the contract is going to cost me a hefty sum that I don¡¯t have. Plus, I¡¯ve still got a mountain of debt to pay off if you remember¡­¡± I said without any sense of shame or guilt. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right about that,¡± he said with a nod of his head. Another moment of silence settled in between us; however, this time it wasn¡¯t the awkward kind that we had to struggle to fill with worthless conversation. The silence between us seemed peaceful like we were both just content with enjoying each other¡¯spany and closeness even if we didn¡¯t exchange words. ¡°Elena, about your debt¡­¡± Adrian said before he seemed to hesitate. ¡°You can just ignore what I just said. Pretend that you don¡¯t know because you¡¯re not supposed to know about it,¡± I said beforeughing it off. I wasn¡¯t sure what Adrian was about to say but I was d that he didn¡¯t say it. No matter what he had in mind, it would be nothing but trouble for me and my life was already moreplicated than I would have liked it to be. I turned to smiled at him and he seemed willing to just drop the topic. ¨CTo be continued¡­ Chapter 179 - 179 Second Hurdle 179 Second Hurdle ¡°About that trip to the orphanage that we were talking about¡­¡± he began before looking at me as if to gauge my reaction. ¡°I¡¯d still love to go if you still want me to,¡± I replied almost immediately. ¡°Really?¡± Adrian asked with such an excited look on his face. Suddenly, he appeared much younger and a lot more innocent. Just like an excited little boy who had sessfully invited his friend on a trip, he beamed a smile at me. With what had happened between us, maybe he thought that I would have changed my mind about going on a trip with him. If he was someone else, that might have turned out to be the case. However, if I was being honest, I really looked forward to going on that trip with him. It wasn¡¯t just because it was a chance to spend more time with Adrian, but the idea of visiting orphanages felt like the right thing to do for me. Getting in contact with my past life might do me some good and help me figure out something about my sense of self and who I was. After being adopted by my ex-adoptive parents who have already chosen to abandon me, I was forced to distance myself from my past especially my association to the orphanage. ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go!¡± I replied just as excitedly. ¡­ Adrian drove me back as close to my ce as I would allow it. Our little reunion turned out much better than I could have ever hoped for. Adrian was respectful of my personal space as always and he was as worried about the fact that I had to walk the remaining of the way although it was dark out as he was before. I found myself rooted to the spot in front of my building entrance as my eyes fell on the spot where EROS was waiting for me that night when he suddenly dropped by. While shaking my head and letting out a sigh, I wondered if I would always think of him whenever I walked into my building from now on. That wasn¡¯t going to y out well. ..... This is exactly why I should have been stricter about maintaining my personal space and keeping this ce a secret. Now that I thought about it, running in EROS that first time made keeping this ce a secret from him impossible. ¡°How did it go?¡± Justin¡¯s cheerful voice as he answered my call told me that he already knew that things must have gone well. Whether that was because of his trust in me or his absolutely urate sense of foresight, I had no idea. ¡°It went well enough,¡± I replied vaguely. ¡°I knew it. There¡¯s no way anyone could stay mad at you. So, I take it that now you don¡¯t have issues meeting Adrian anymore, right?¡± Justin asked cheerfully. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I can continue working for him as per normal,¡± I replied. ¡°Good, good. So, when are you going to meet your hot and cold CEO?¡± Justin inquired with a smallugh. ¡°You mean Brandon?¡± I asked. ¡°Who else is there? Your other client is a superstar,¡± Justin pointed out rightfully. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± I murmured. Things with Brandon seemed moreplicated and I had to admit that I¡¯ve always thought that dealing with Brandon was challenging. He wasn¡¯t someone that was easy to understand and crack. His maniptive nature didn¡¯t help at all and just added to the burden. On top of that, his mood could change 180 degrees like he had bi-pr or something simr. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that he¡¯s always been hard to deal with¡­¡± he murmured. Justin probably heard that from me and that was indeed correct. What Justin probably didn¡¯t know was that as time went by and he grew up, he got even harder to deal with. ¡°He¡¯s not easy to handle, that¡¯s for sure. Even now, I can¡¯t even begin to predict what would happen if I were to meet him now,¡± I replied honestly. ¡°I see. What should we do? Should we keep holding it off until you¡¯re ready?¡± Justin asked patiently. Running from this wasn¡¯t my style of dealing with things because I knew that I would have to face him one day anyways. The problem was how I¡¯m supposed to deal with him. I didn¡¯t think that he would simply apologize and I would do the same and we could easily move on with our lives the way that things unfolded with Adrian. Brandon just didn¡¯t operate like that. He was mad for sure, and he probably still is. ¡°What do you mean by you¡¯re holding it off?¡± I asked curiously. ¡°Well, the truth is, he¡¯s been asking to see you,¡± he disclosed before chuckling. Brandon asked to see me? ¡°But he didn¡¯t contact me. He contacted you instead of contacting me directly?¡± I asked in disbelief. ¡°He got his representative to contact me. I guess things are a little more thanplicated between you two right now, right?¡± Justin guessed knowingly. ¡°Definitely¡­¡± I muttered darkly. ¡°So, what do you want to do? I can turn his request down but are you sure about this?¡± he asked. I took in a deep breath as my brain raced to figure out my best next move. In the end, I had to rely on my instincts instead of my brain to choose my next course of action. If I just listen to my intuition, then I should meet Brandon and the sooner the better. After all, what was the worst that could happen if I were to meet him? ¡°When does he want to meet me?¡± I asked. ¡°Tomorrow evening,¡± Justin replied. ¡°Where?¡± I asked for more details. ¡°I wasn¡¯t told anything. I was instructed to tell you that he wants to see you and if you want to meet him, you can reach out to him directly for the details,¡± Justin replied. ¡°He¡¯s the same as always¡­¡± I muttered underneath my breath. Brandon was as maniptive and calction as always. No matter what, he would be the one to set the rules and he would always be in control. ¨CTo be continued¡­ The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!