《Unlawful Affair With Asher Williams》


 Chapter 1

    Adelie


    POV


    After having a long day at thepany today, I can finally go home.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "Are you going home already, Adelie?" My boss, Mr. Raymond asks me as he walks in on me packing up the files on my desk, and getting ready to go home.


    Turning to nce at him, I pull a puzzled look, wondering what kind of question he just asked. Of course, where does it look like I''m about to go? Besides, I''ve closed for the day, so what''s next if it''s not to go home? "Yes, Sir," I still reply to him, regardless, and he slowly nods his head. The look on his face tells me that he has something to say, but there''s no way I would know what he wants to say if he doesn''t spill it out, yeah? "Uhm... Adelie..." He pauses and I turn to face him fully, giving him the look that literally asks him to go ahead and speak up. I don''t have all day, and I really need to get back home and get something to eat. I''m so famished. "Hmm?" I still reply to him when he doesn''t acknowledge my expression.


    "Are you free tonight? There''s a new movie ying at the cinema today, was thinking we could watch it together if you''re free," He says, looking extremely nervous like one talking to his crush. What am I saying? I''m his crush.


    Mr. Raymond is the son of the CEO of Walmart group ofpany, but thepany was willed to him recently by his dad who is now aged and can''t do office work anymore. I can''t deny the fact that he''s handsome, and also the way he has been looking at me since past few months I have been working with him. He has a crush on me, and same with me, but I can''t possibly show it to him, right? That''s how much ego I have.


    "Yes, but it depends on my body when I get home. For now, I''m exhausted and need some rest, but who knows, I may be fer tonight," I shrug, and he nods his head.


    "Alright. I''ll get the ticket for us. I''ll pick you upter by 8pm," He says to me, and I nod my head. As much as I''m excited that I''m going out with Mr. Raymond, I try not to show it to him. Because why should I?


    "Alright. See youter," I say to him, and with that, I pick my back and stride out of the office, closing the door behind me.


    Arriving at the parking lotter, I hop inside my car and finally drive out of thepany, heading home.


    My name is Adelie Williams, twenty-five years old daughter of one of the wealthiest businessmen in New York. After I finished college four years ago, I got a job in Walmart group ofpany, declining an offer to work in my father''spany. Well, my brother is handling thepany, and for some reason, I do not want to be stuck with him there.


    Talking about my brother, his name is Asher, twenty-eight years old manager of my dad''spany, and an annoying young man.


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    "Not again, please," I groan angrily and hit my hand on the steering wheel as I stop the car behind the several cars queued up on the road. There''s a traffic jam again, just like there was in the morning. I''m just sick and tired of this whole shit. I wish I don''t have toe out of the house daily because of this crazy traffic jam, but do I have a choice?


    The sound of my ringing phone pull my attention, and Izily reach out for my phone, but seeing the caller to be Asher, I roll my eyes and drop the phone angrily. What the hell does he want from me? Why''s he calling me for goodness sake? The traffic is finally sorted out, and I drive away afterward.


    My drive home was tiring and I almost felt like noting home, but where else do I have to go? You can imagine the nightmare of having my own brother taking advantage of me, right? Yes, you heard that. I have been single since high school, because my obsessed brother never allowed me have a man in my life, for some reason best known to him.


    Well, it all started when I just turned fifteen, Asher warned me not to get close to any man, and I have always obeyed him. I thought he was just protecting me at first, but it only grew worsen as time went by.


    I finally turned twenty, and that was when my nightmare started. Asher would sneak into my room every night to do some dirty things to me. He would kiss and flirt with me, and the strange thing is that all those times, I never had the courage to push him away. I always enjoyed it, I loved what he has been doing to me, you can say that to me, but I assure you that''s not the case. What was I supposed to do when it always felt it he casted a spell on me?


    Driving into thepound minutester, I park at the garage and take a deep breath before I step out of the car. My heart beats rapidly against my chest as I advance toward the entrance door, while I pray fervently that I don''t meet Asher at home, even though I can see his car parked at the garage.


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    My hand trembles nervously as I reach out for the doorknob and twists it before I push the door open. My heart feels like it''s going to explode the moment I step into the living room, but it finally explodes when I spot him sitting on one of the couches, having his attention on the TV.


    "Where have you been, Adelie?" His deep and sexy voice sounds through my ears as he stands up to his feet and turn to face me, his pair of cat eyes staring intently at me, and as always, I feel my voice lost again. This is what always happens. I don''t always be myself again whenever he stares at me with those eyes.


    "I... I went to the office. Where else would I being from?" I shrug nervously, and he hisses.


    "Come here," He extend his hand to me, but I step away nervously, and he sighs.


    "Come on, I''m not biting you," He rolls his eyes, but there''s no way I''m going close to him. I know what he''s up to, and I''m not in for that.


    "What''s going on here? Why do you look so scared, Adelie?" Dad asks as he climbs down the stairs, and I gulp down nothing. How am I supposed to tell him that his son, my brother is trying to do something dirty with me?


    "No... Nothing, dad. I just came back from office, and I was about going to my room. See youter," I nce at Asher for thest time before I make my way to my room...

 Chapter 2

    Adelie POV


    I stare at my reflection in the mirror and my lips curve into a smirk. I''m almost ready for the date with Mr. Raymond tonight. I know he didn''t ask me out on a date directly, but what do you call watching a movie with your crush? "Perfect," I mumble after I apply lipgloss to my lips.


    The sound of my ringing phone pulls my attention, and I reach out for it from the dressing table. It''s Mr. Raymond calling.


    "Hey, Mr. Raymond," I say on the phone as soon as I answer the call.


    "I''m waiting for you outside, Adelie," His voice sounds through the phone, forcing me to look at the wall clock. It''s already 8:30pm. Gosh! I never knew I''m sote. "Alright. I''ll be with you in five minutes," I say to him and quickly end the call.


    I quickly reach out for my bag that''s on the bed, and advance toward the door. Since it''s just movie we''re going to watch together, I see no reason why I should dress so much, so I''m just wearing a white long sleeve shirt, and a long pink trouser with a pair of white sneakers on my feet. My hair packed in a ponytail, with just a light make-up on my face.


    Pulling the door open, I almost jump out of my skin as Asher wees me. He''s standing at my doorstep while leaning on the door frame with his hands crossed on his chest. What''s he doing here? For how long has he been standing here? "As... Asher?" I stutter as I run my eyes through his body confusingly.


    "Where are you going thiste? You look gorgeous," He bites his bottom lip as he stares at me from my head to my toe with a lustful look on.


    "Stop looking at me like that... I''m going to the movies with my boss," I shrug, and he scoffs.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    "Get back in there, Adelie. You''re going nowhere," He says in a domineering voice, and I pull a puzzled look. What the hell is he talking about right now?


    "Why?" I ask him.


    "Because I don''t want you to go," He shrugs like what he said meant nothing to him. What the hell am I even saying? It is not a big deal to him.


    "I''m runningte, Asher... Can you leave the way? He''s waiting for me outside," I plead with him. This is not happening again, please.


    "I told you to go back inside your room because I won''t let you out of this house to go out with any man..."


    "Why? What fucking right do you have to tell me that? Why the hell are you doing this, Asher? For fuck''s sake, I am an adult. Why are you doing this?" I yell at him angrily, because this is getting me frustrated. I have always been silent all these while, but there''s no way I''ll ever be like that again. It''s high time I speak up and stop all these bullshits he''s doing.


    "Come here," He says in muffled breath as he grabs my hand and pull me into my room, mming the door behind us afterward. He ms me hard against the wall, trapping me in between his arms as he stares at me with those sexy eyes, melting my heart. I hate to feel like this around him, I hate that his eyes has the strong spell I can''t seem to break lose from.


    "For how long will it take you to ept this, Adelie?" He nuzzle his face in my neck and fan me with his warm breath, and my breath hitches momentarily as my heart beats rapidly against my chest. My legs wobble on the floor, and I feel my knees getting weaker.


    "You''re mine, Adelie... You''re mine forever," He hushes against my neck as he bites my nape, and I gulp down nothing.


    "Th... This is wrong, Asher... This is..." My resistance foolishlye out in a moan and I gasp sharply when I feel his hand crawling beneath my short, until his warm big palm cups one of my boobs, and I shudder as I bite my bottom lip. "You can''t see another man... You can''t have a boyfriend, Adelie... I won''t allow that," He further hushes, trailing kisses down my neck, and suddenly im my lips, kissing me slowly but I can feel the intense invisible fire burning around us. The way he touches me makes me feel so abominably good.


    "No man is allowed to touch you except me, Adelie," He hushes against my lips, and bites it afterward as his hand squeezes my boob, and I gulp down the sudden lump that formed in my dry throat.


    "This is wrong, Adelie. What the hell are you doing? Do you realize he''s your brother? You''re birthed by the same mother and father. How can you be so cheap?" My subconscious mind yells at me, bringing me back to my sense. "Get away from me, Asher!" I finally summon up courage and push him away from me, and he staggers back.


    "You''re my brother, Asher. My blood brother... Why are you trying to ruin my life?" I yell at him as a drop of tears slid down the corner of my cheek, and he only clean the lipgloss stain on his lips. "That was so intense, and I must confess that you have improved. I hope no man has tried to kiss you before? If anyone dares to, I won''t spare them," He says like my pain means nothing to him.


    As you reach the final pages, remember that 000005s.org is your destination for theplete story. Share the joy of reading with others and spread the word. The next chapter is just a visit away! "Do you ever love me as a sister?" I ask as more tears stream down my cheeks, and he shrugs.


    "As a sister? Do I see you as one? No! To me, you''re the woman I''m in love with... The woman I want to spend the rest of my life with... The woman I..."


    "Do you still remember that..."


    "You''re my sister? Yes, I know that. Since I don''t see you as one, but as a lover, then there''s nothing wrong with us being together," He cuts me off and tries to touch me, but I send a hot p across his cheek, and he holds his cheek that now has prints of my fingers on it.


    "Does that make you feel better, huh?" He huffs and bites his bottom lip as he stares at me intently as if he can see through my soul.


    "Asher..." I stop as my phone suddenly starts ringing in my handbag, and even though I haven''t checked who the caller is, I need no one to tell me that it''s Mr. Raymond. I gulp down nothing as I search my bag fervently for the phone until I find it in there. I pick up the phone, about to answer the call when Asher suddenly snatches it away from me.


    "Give that back to me, Asher..."


    "Hey, Raymond... Sorry, Adelie can''t hang out with you tonight. She''s spending time with her boyfriend," My mouth drop open in shock as I watch him say to Raymond on the phone.


    "Bye," He disconnects the call and hands the phone back to me.


    "How about we spend some time together tonight, huh?" The corner of his lip slowly twitches into a smirk as he starts unbuttoning the buttons of his shirt, and my heart sinks into my stomach. What the hell is he about to do?

 Chapter 3

    Adelie POV


    You wouldn''t want to know what happened between me and Asher yesterday night. Well, if you''re still curious. He smooched and made me moan until I fell asleep in his arms. No, we didn''t have sex. At least not yet, although I''m scared that might happen soon if I don''t do anything about this.


    Waking up early this morning, I found myselfying alone on my bed. He must''ve left my room in the night while I was still asleep.


    I ruffle my hair slowly as I sit up on the bed tiredly, trying to keep my heavy and sleepy eyes open. It''s almost daybreak, and I need to get off bed early so I can get to work earlyter. Now that I think of it, how am I supposed to face my bosster after what happened yesterday?


    Pushing all the thoughts to the back of my mind, I stand up to my feet and drag myself sluggishly into the bathroom, mming the door hard behind me.


    Staring at my reflection in the mirror, all I see is a horrible girl that''s had her life messed up with her brother. A helpless girl that can''t even fight against her brother''s seduction, and a stupid girl that falls for her brother''s seduction when she should be pushing him away. A part of me is screaming how much disgusting this is, how much of a cheap and shameless whore I am to be doing this dirty thing with my brother, but a part of me is also convincing me that it''s not my fault, even though the truth is staring right back at me.


    Taking a deep breath, I strip out of my nightie, leaving me stark naked in front of the mirror while staring at myself. This nakedness has been seen by my brother... This body has been defiled by my own blood, and the thought of it makes me feel so horrible.


    I finally have a long rxing bath and walk back into the room to get dressed for work. By the time I''m done dressing, it''s already 7am, the time the family do have breakfast at the dining. As much as I don''t want to have breakfast because of my brother, I can''t also dodge my parents as they will always make sure that I have something to eat before I leave for office.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Descending the staircase minutester, I almost heave a sigh of relief when I meet just my parents in the dining. Asher is not with them.


    "Good morning, mommy, daddy," I greet them as I pull out the chair and sit on it.


    "Good morning, love. Did you sleep well?" They take turn in asking, and I only nod my head with a warm smile on my face, pretending to have a good sleep the previous night. I couldn''t have told them that I was busy with my brother all night, right? That''ll be very heartbreaking for them to know that the two kids they gave birth to are into some illicit affair. That''s crazy.


    Silence assumes the air as I hurry with my food, intending to get done with it and leave home before Asheres to join us. I don''t want to see him.


    "Come on, honey. Eat calmly. You''re going to purgeter," My mom says when she notices that I''m hurrying my food. If only she knows what I''m trying to avoid, then she would know that purging at the officeter is better than seeing my brother.


    "Hmm," I nod my head as I reduce my speed of eating.


    The sound of the footsteps descending the stairs pull my attention, and the cologne that fills my nostrils makes my heart sink into my stomach. Asher is here.


    "Uhm... I need to go now. See youter, mom, dad," I say to them hurriedly as I quickly stand up to my feet and grab my bad without bothering to drink water. I''ll buy a bottled water on my way to the office. "What''s with the hurry, sis. Aren''t you eating?" I have no idea the time that Asher arrives behind me, but feeling his hands on my shoulders makes my heart miss a beat, and I gulp down nothing nervously. "Yes, you should finish your food first, Adelie," Dad supports him, and I gulp down nothing.


    "No, dad. I''m fine. I just remember that I need to hand a file to my boss very early. He''s having appointment with some of his clients, and he needs the file," I lie to them, making sure that my voice doesn''t falter. "Oh, I didn''t know that," Dad utters, and I nod my head.


    "Drive safely, ok?" Mom says to me as I made to go. "Thanks mom," I reply to her.


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    "Uhm... Adelie, can you give me a ride to the office? My car is faulty, and I can''t take a cab to the office," Asher suddenly says, bringing me to an abrupt halt. I slowly clench my fingers around the bag in my hand, and take a deep breath. Can''t I really avoid this man?


    "There are many cars in the house, you can take anyone..."


    "You know I don''t like riding other cars aside from my own. There''s no harm in giving your brother a ride, right? I will tell the driver to bring me the carter when it''s fixed," He says with an unconvincing look on his face. I know his car may not have issue, or who knows, maybe he caused the damage by himself just so he can bother me.


    "You can have mine instead, Asher. I will take a cab to the offi..."


    "No, Adelie. I won''t do that. I don''t want to make you feel inconvenient. It''s your car, and it''ll be selfish of me to do that," He says, trying to sound like the gentleman he''s not.


    "I just said that I need to get to the office early..."


    "Come on, Adelie... He''s your brother, and there''s no big deal in dropping him off at his office. Besides, you two are going the same way," Mom finally chips in, and at this point, I know that I don''t have a choice. They are going to question me if I insist, and how will I exin to them then?


    "Fine," I can see the smile on his face as I finally agree to give him a ride. I need to be saved from him, please...

 Chapter 4

    Adelie POV


    Silence assumes the air as I drive down the road. It feels so awkward driving with Asher, and I can''t help but look forward to dropping him off soon.


    "Why did you put up that attitude back there," He breaks the silence, and I have to nce at him, because if he''s not out of his mind, he wouldn''t ask me such stupid question, knowing the reason behind my action. "I''m talking to you, Adelie. Why did you..."


    "Because I want nothing but to stay miles away from you, Asher. You are a devil, and I do no want to have anything to do with you," I yell at him as I park at the corner of the road.


    "A devil? That sounds really nice, you know?" I thought he was going to be touched by my harsh words, but he seems less affected, and this is driving me crazy. Why the hell do I have to be sibling with this bastard? "Do you think this is a joke?" I scoff, and he shrugs.


    "I know you''re serious. What were you expecting me to do? p you? Or start crying that my little woman just called me a devil?" My heart misses a beat at the word ''my little woman''.


    "Come on, I can''t do that. Come here, sweetheart," He suddenly pulls me close by the back of my neck, and no matter how much I try to push him away, he doesn''t sumb.


    He stares intently into my eyes as he rubs his nose against mine, and I feel spark within me as my heart pick race. I gulp down nothing as I foolishly long for his lips. Yes, this is wrong, but I can''t deny this wants that always consumes me when our body touches.


    "How about this, hmm?" He hushes as he slowly im my lips, kissing me slowly and making sure that he teases my tongue until I can''t take it anymore and give in to the intense kiss.


    "Yes, I''m a devil, Adelie..." He hushes against my lips and continue to kiss me.


    "A devil you''re trying to fight your desire against... A monster you wants to stay away from, but still feels drawn to. That is who I am," He finally pulls away from the kiss, and whispers in my ear, his warm breath fanning the nape of my neck. "Asher..." My resistance instead came out in moans of pleasure.


    "That''s it... That is what I do to you, Adelie. Stop trying to fight your desire. Don''t hold back, because you are mine," Whatever charm he is using on me is working magic as I feel my eyes slowly going close, the area between my thighs tightening and craving for his touch. I know this is wrong, but he''s fucking driving me crazy.


    I gasp sharply when I feel his hand crawling up my thigh and beneath the short suit skirt I''m wearing. His hand finally reach the ce I have been longing him to touch, but his chuckles pulls me back to my sense, and I quickly push him off me, adjusting my skirt afterward.


    "Look here, Adelie... The devil made you wet down there. It''s not yet time to take you, my woman, but soon. When the right timees, you won''t have to wait anymore," He winks at me as he slowly rubs his fingers together, which has my wetness in them. I turn my face away, feeling so embarrassed.


    "Asher..." I call and pause, biting my lip. What can I possibly tell him?


    "You want me to get out of your car? I will dly do that, mydy," He doesn''t even wait for me to finish what I was about to say before he pushes the door open and step out of the car, and I sigh in relief. Not that I had something to say, but he just did me a favor.


    The knock on the window pull my attention, and I tilt my head to see him knocking on the window ss, and I have no choice but to wine it down.


    "Drive safely to the office, and don''t forget you''re mine. You can''t flirt or go out with any other man. See youter," He says before he finally walks away.


    Releasing a deep breath, I throw my head on the head rest and stare into space as drops of tears slid down my cheeks.


    "What did you just do, Adelie... What is wrong with you?" I grab my hair and pull it aggressively, venting all my anger and frustration on it.


    After spending another five minutes at the roadside, I finally drive to thepany.


    I usually get to the office before Mr. Raymond does, but I guess I camete, since his car is already parked at the garage.


    I check my wristwatch as soon as I step out of the car, and it''s already 8:45am. All thanks to Asher, I am forty-five minuteste.


    Taking a deep breath, I advance toward the entrance door, and make my way straight to the elevator which takes me to the third floor, where my office is situated.


    "What happened, Adelie? You camete today," Cynthia, one of my colleagues asks me as soon as I step out of the elevator.


    "I had to take care of something back at home," I lie to her, and she nods her head.


    "How about your hot brother? Will he be around this weekend?" She asks with a smile dancing on her lips as we both walk down the hallway, and I roll my eyes. Well, Cynthia has been crushing on Asher since the day he came to pick me up from the office. I''m sure she won''t want to have anything to do with him if she knows the horrible man he is.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "I don''t know. I''ll give you his numberter so you can ask him by yourself," I say as I walk briskly toward the door to my office, which is just right in front of me.


    "Thank you so much. I''ll meet youter for it," She squeaks excitedly before she finally leaves for her office.


    Standing in front of my office now, I take a deep breath before I push the door open, while having my heart running marathon in my chest.


    ''She''s spending time with her boyfriend'' recalling what Asher said to Mr. Raymond on the phone yesterday, I can only sigh knowing that I would have to apologize to Mr. Raymondter. Well, I guess Asher is going to ruin my chance of being with my boss, not that I will allow that anyway. He has done that a couple of times, and I won''t allow that happen again.


    I finally push the door open, but I freeze on the spot as I collide with Mr. Raymond who was on his way out of the office. Alright, I''m in a deep mess now...

 Chapter 5

    Adelie POV


    "H... Hi, Mr. Raymond," I stutter, smiling at him nervously. It''s crazy how I can still look at him and smile even after what happened. Aren''t I heartless? Well, it wasn''t my fault, but Asher''s. He caused all of it.


    "What took you so long toe to the office today, Adelie?" He asks with a nk expression on. I have no idea whether he''s mad at me, or if he''s cool about what happened yesterday.


    "Uhm... Forgive me, Sir... Something came up back at home..." I reply to him, and gulp down nothing.


    "Alright. I have a meeting with a client now. I will be back soon," He says and starts walking away.


    "Hold on, Sir..." I find myself calling his attention, and he stops on his track, tilting his head to look at me afterward.


    "Yes?" He raises one of his eyebrows as he stares at me with a demanding expression on, and I bite my lip as I finally turn to face him. What the hell should I tell him? I''m sorry about what happened, it wasn''t my fault but my brother''s? How am I supposed to tell him that? He would definitely ask why my brother would do such a thing, since I''m an adult that can make decisions for myself.


    "About what happened yesterday..." I pause and bite my lip for the second time, feeling a bit nervous.


    "It''s fine... I understand you had to be with your boyfriend... But you could''ve told me you had a boyfriend when I asked you to watch a movie with me, yeah?" He smiles at me, but behind the smile is the pain I can see in his eyes.


    "No... No... No, Sir. It''s not what you think, okay? That was my brother that spoke with you yesterday... He was just messing with me because he didn''t want me out of the house... He... He felt I won''t be safe, which was made him do that," I exin to him, but his face remain nk, and I''m thinking if he heard what I said.


    "Actually, I don''t have a boyfriend," I don''t know why I said this to him, but I just feel the need to.


    "Really? You really don''t have a boyfriend?" His face brightens for unknown reason, and I slowly nod my head. The smile on his face tells me how happy he is to hear that from me, but why''s he happy? "No, I don''t," I reply to him, and his smile widen..


    "Alright... Uhm... Adelie... Are you going to be free tonight? We can have dinner together at a ssic restaurant, if you don''t mind," He asks me, and I think for a while. I would''ve loved to with all my heart, but what about Asher? Won''t he be a problemter?


    "Sure, I will be d," I reply to him, even though I''m not sure of this yet, and I can see the excitement in his eyes. "Thank you. I will send you the address of the ceter, and the time too," He says to me, and I nod my head. "One more thing, Mr. Raymond..." I say to him and pause.


    "Ask anything," He shrugs, and I gulp down nothing. I don''t know if what I''m about to ask will make sense, but I really need to.


    "I was thinking if we can go from here after the day''s work. I mean I don''t want to go home first," I say to him, and a thin line appears between his eyebrows. You know the reason I''m making this decision, right? You aren''t expecting me to go home and have my brother stop me from goingter, right? It''s just high time I get a boyfriend. I''m twenty-three for fuck''s sake, turning twenty-four soon.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "If that is what you want, then I''m fine with it," He shrugs, and I slowly nods my head.


    "I''ll get you a dress to change intoter," He says to me, and I nod my head as I mutter a "Thank you"


    "I''ll be back soon," He says to me before he finally stride out of the office, and I sigh deeply, finding my way to my seat. I have not gone for the date, but I''m already nervous. Although I have been to many dates in recent years of my life, and they never went well because my brother would always show up to mess things up for some reason best known to him. I just hope nothing of such happens today. I''m going to lose my mind if Asher decides toe and embarrass me there again. I won''t ever forgive him if anything of such happens.


    The rest of the hours of the day was well spent, and it''s finally time for the date. The dress for the date has been delivered to me, and I must confess that Mr. Raymond has great taste in clothes because the red short gown fits me so well. I would''ve bought the same cloth if I had spot it anywhere because of its beauty.


    Stepping out of the restroom after I change into the dress with my hair falling freely over my shoulders, I walk elegantly into my office where he''s already waiting for me, my heels are clicking the floor as I walk toward the closed door and push it open.


    "Wow! You look so gorgeous," He quickly stands up as soon as I walk in, staring at me the same way Asher does stare at me. Don''t think otherwise about me mentioning my brother. It''s just a reference.


    "Thank you," I blush hard, turning my face away shyly. It''s the first time in years that a man is telling me this. Yes, my brother tells me that everyday, and also when he flirts with me, but fuck! I don''t need all of that.


    "Shall we?" He holds out his hand for me, but I shake my head in denial. It''ll be inappropriate for other workers to see me holding hands with my boss in thepany, so I don''t want gossipster.


    "Alright, this way," He finally lead me out of the office, and we head to the elevator which takes us to the first floor.


    Walking over to the exit door side by side, I can see the stares some of the workers are giving us, and I feel a bit ufortable. I know to some of them, we''re going for a business date, while some that can read the connection would know what is really going on. Mr. Raymond doesn''t seem to care about what they think, anyway.


    The drive to the restaurant was rxing, and we finally arrive after spending about twenty minutes on the road.


    Pulling over at the parking lot of the tall building, I quickly open the door and step out of the car and he does the same. He walks over to where I''m standing, intertwining his fingers with mine, and my heart miss a beat as I gulp down nothing, feeling a bit nervous. I think this is awkward.


    "We''re here," He announces as if I had no clue we''re already in front of the restaurant. I haven''t talked about how magnificent the building is, and the exterior design is everything to be called beauty. It''s literally my first time being here, and I must confess that I like the environ already, only if their food would convince meter that the restaurant is actually worth it.


    "Come on, let''s go inside," He pulls me along and we walk toward the entrance door, his fingers still interlocking mine. Getting close to the door, it swings open on its own, and we walk in. My mouth literally drop open in shock at the sight that wees me as soon as we step into the restaurant. I have never been to a restaurant as beautiful as this. The interior design is everything, and I think it''s for wealthy people.


    "Do you like the ce?" He asks, pulling me out of lost, and I nce at him, nodding my head. But wait! Why''s it only us here?


    "Yes. It''s beautiful," I smile widely with admiration.


    "Come on, let''s sit there," He beckons on a ce that''s decorated beautifully like a couple''s table for two.


    Walking over to the table, he pulls out the chair for me to sit on, before he sit across from me. The waitere to serve us.


    Silence assumes the air as we focus on our food, eating silently. It has been a while since Ist tried something like this, and it feels a bit awkward now.


    "Adelie..." He suddenly breaks the awkward silence, causing me to raise my gaze to look at him with a questioning look on.


    "Hmm?" I reply to him, and it takes him another minute before he sighs briefly.


    "We have been working together for close to two years now, you know?" He begins, and I nod my head.


    "Uhmmm... This may be too sudden, but it''s just that I can''t wait any longer... I have always admired you from the first day I sent my eyes on you... I... I... I am not perfect, but I want to be perfect to be worthy of you... I... I love you, Adelie..." He pauses and bites his bottom lip, while I stare at him with my mouth agape in shock.


    "Will you give us a chance together for me to prove my love for you? Be my woman, Adelie Williams," He says with desire written all over him, and I gulp down nothing nervously...

 Chapter 6

    Adelie POV My heart beat rapidly against my chest as I stare at Raymond''s love-filled eyes. Should I ept him or not? I''m not sure of my decision at the moment.


    "It''s fine if you don''t want to decide yet, Adelie... I will wait until you are ready for this," As if he read my mind, he suddenly breaks into my thoughts, and I sigh briefly. Thest time I remember being in a rtionship was four years ago when I just turned neen, and it onlysted for one week because of my possessive brother that never allowed me to build a rtionship with any man. Even if I want to give this a chance, what about Asher? Will he not destroy everythingter? How will he feel when he finds out that I epted to be my boss''s girlfriend?


    "What do you care? Stop sounding like you are cheating on him, Adelie. He''s your brother and not your boyfriend, for fuck''s sake," My subconscious mind screams at me, reminding me that I''m being stupid right now. I have feelings for Raymond, even though it''s not that strong yet, so I shouldn''t be scared of going into a rtionship with him, right?


    "What do you say, Adelie?" His voice pulls me out of my train of thought, and I smile at him warmly.


    "Yes... Yes! I will be your girlfriend, Mr. Raymond," I smile at him shyly as I turn my face away, and I can hear the excitement in his voice as he scoffs.


    "Really? You will date me, Adelie?" He asks, probably to be sure he didn''t hear me wrong, and when I raise my gaze to look at him, I find him staring at me with love in his eyes.


    "Yes," I nod my head, and he springs up to his feet, then rushes over to me and pulls me into his arms, hugging me tightly like I will disappear if he goes easy on me.


    "Thank you so much for this chance, Adelie... I promise that you won''t regret thister. I will make you the happiest woman on earth, I promise," He says excitedly as he cups my cheeks in his palms, staring intently into my eyes like he wants to see through me.


    "Hmmm," I smile at him shyly, and he pulls me into his arms again, hugging me tightly.


    He finally pulls away from me and walks back to sit on his seat, while I bite my bottom lip. I feel so weird since it has been years since Ist tried this. I don''t know if this will turn outter, but if there''s anything I''m so scared of, it''s Asher. He''s an obstacle that I''m scared will cause destructionter.


    "Are you okay?" His voice pulls me back to reality, and I quickly shake my head in denial.


    "No, I''m fine. I just feel a little bit weird..." I stop and bite my bottom lip embarrassingly.


    "Weird? Why?" He ces his palm on mine that''s on the table, and squeezes it gently, giving me this weird tingling sensation. I only feel this whenever Asher touches me, so why am I feeling it now?


    "Uhm... The thing is, I haven''t really been in a rtionship all my life, and this kind of feels weird," I confess to him. Well, I have been in rtionships previously, but they neversted for two weeks and we would break up as soon as my brother finds out about it, so I conclude that I was never in a rtionship. Well, you won''t believe that I''m still a virgin at age twenty-three, right? Well, that''s because my brother never allowed me to get close to any man.


    I can see the confusion and shocked expression on his face as I say those words to him, and I totally understand. Because for fuck''s sake, I''m twenty-three, turning twenty-four soon, so it''s almost impossible for me not to have been in any rtionship all my life. Like it''s hard to believe.


    "Hmm, I understand... But you don''t have to feel insecure or anything, everything will be fine, okay?" He assures me, but I bet if he knows the kind of devil I have as a brother, I''m sure he wouldn''t have said that, knowing that all hell will break loose once Asher finds out that I''m in a rtionship with him. I still nod my head, regardless.


    We spend some time talking about things and getting to know each other, and after the date, he offered to drive me home since I already called my driver to pick my car from the office earlier.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    "No, I''ll take a cab home," I quickly decline, afraid that I may get into trouble if Asher sees us together.


    "Come on, Adelie. You''re my girlfriend now, and I should take responsibility for you. Come on, I''m only going to drop you off at home, and nothing else," He insists, and I slowly nod my head, although I don''t feel like going home in his car. We both hop inside his car in the front seat, and he sets it in motion afterward.


    As he drives down the road, I keep praying silently that by the time I get home, I shouldn''t meet Asher. Do you want to know the weird thing about my brother? He doesn''t have a friend, not even a single one. And as far as I remember, he has never introduced any girl to me as his girlfriend, even as he has many women throwing themselves at him. He''s weird.


    "And here we are," Mr. Raymond''s voice jolts me back to reality, and I quickly snap my head to check the building first if Asher is watching from upstairs, and thankfully that he''s not there. I can''t conclude that he has gone to bed since it''s just 8pm. He doesn''t go to bed that early.


    "Thanks for the ride, Mr. Raymond," I smile at him, and he scoffs.


    "I''m your boyfriend now, Adelie. Quit with the formality," He rolls his eyes at me, and I bite my lip in realization. I should start addressing him casually now, but it''ll feel weird since I''m used to calling him Mr. Raymond.


    "Alright. Thanks for the ride, Ray," The name feels weird in my mouth, but I think I love it.


    "Now, that''s it. You''re wee, baby..." He says to me as he holds my hand, and my heart misses a beat. It has been a while since a man calls me ''baby'', and it makes me have this tingling sensation now. Not that Asher doesn''t call me that, but to me, he''s just fooling around with me.


    "Come here," He ces his palm on my cheek, and before I canprehend why he did that, he leans forward and pecks me on the lips, making me freeze on the seat as my heart thumps heavily against my ribcage.


    "Good night, and dream about me," He says to me, and I slowly nod my head as I push the door open and walk out of the car. I wait for him to drive away, and when he''s finally gone, I turn to go inside the gate, but I flinch and stop on my track when I find Asher leaning against the gate with his hands crossed on his chest while ring hard at me like he''s going to devour me anytime soon. I think I''m in trouble now...

 Chapter 7

    Adelie POV


    I stare at him for a few seconds as I feel my heart thump heavily against my ribcage like it''ll force its way out anytime soon, and I gulp down the sudden lump that forms in my throat as many questionse running through my mind. Did he see Raymond drop me off? Did he see us kiss? What is he thinking right now? For the first time, I wish I can read minds so I''ll know what''s going on in his.


    Finally pulling myself together, I force myself to move my legs which are already stiff and glued to the spot. Moving close to him, I feel my legs drawing me back, my soul feels like it''s going to leave my body anytime soon. I have never been so nervous or terrified rather, all my life.


    "Asher... Wh... What are you doing outside at this time of the night? Are you justing back home now?" I ask him nervously and gulp down nothing, but he only stares at me nkly, and it''s scary.


    "Where are youing from?" His voice sounds cold and scary, and I gulp down nothing as it sends chills down my spine.


    "Me? We... Well, I aming from work," I tried not to stutter, but not when he''s giving me that cold look.


    "Work? What says by the time?" He asks, and I foolishly nce at my wristwatch as if I don''t know that it''s alreadyte in the evening.


    "What happened to your dress? Why are you wearing something else?" He asks without allowing me to answer the first question he asked me, and I gulp down another lump that forms in my throat.


    "Th... This? Actually, I went on a date with my boss. Like he has a dinner date with one of the clients, and I had to go with him," I lie to him, and he scoffs as he finally stands up to his feet.


    "A dinner date with a client..." He repeats as the corner of his lips tugs up in a smirk, which onlysts for two seconds and disappears immediately, reced with a deep and scary frown. "Ye... Yes..." I stutter, stepping away from him.


    "Why didn''t you answer my calls?" He asks coldly, and that is when realization dawn on me that I put my phone on silent when I arrived at the restaurant.


    "Oh, about that... I had to put my phone on silent so it won''t disturb the meeting," I reply to him, trying to sound as convincing as I can, but for fuck''s sake, Asher is not as stupid as I think he must be. I''m sure he can see that I''m lying to him now.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    "What about your car? Why did the driver bring it home instead of you?" He further asks like a policeman interrogating a crime suspect.


    "Oh, that? We had to go in my boss''s car," I reply to him, and he slowly nods his head.


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    "And..." He pauses and scoffs, and I need no one to tell me that things are about to go bad right now.


    "Asher, can I go inside and get some rest? I feel so tired now," I groan, pretending to be tired. It''s not that I''m not tired, but not too tired to not being able to talk with him, I just want to get away from him. He''s scaring the guts out of me, and I''m going to pass out soon if I don''t get away from him.


    "Sure," He shrugs, and I narrow my eyes as I snap my head to look at him, shocked. The Asher I know would not allow me to go just like that, and it doesn''t seem to me like he''s convinced. What''s he up to now?


    "Huh?" I blink my eyes a couple of times to be sure I heard him right, and he shrugs as he rolls his eyes.


    With his hands in his pockets, he turns and walks inside the gate, leaving me outside. Does this mean that Asher has changed? That''s the happiest thing in my life if he has really changed from being an overprotective and possessive brother. Releasing the breath I have been holding unknowingly, I drag my feet into thepound, but I stop on my track when I look in the parking lot and don''t find my parent''s cars there.


    "Where are they?" I ask myself, but quickly remember that they are away. They told me a few days ago that they would be traveling today, I guess they must''ve forgotten about it which was why they failed to mention it before I left for the office earlier today.


    "Wait! I''m going to stay alone in the house with Asher for some days?" My hands quickly fly to cover my mouth as my eyes slowly widen in shock. I''m doomed! Asher is going to mess me up before my parents get back, and nobody will save me from him. It''s not that my parent''s presence stopped him before, but now he will feel free to do whatever he likes with me.


    Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes contemting whether to turn back from here and save myself from that hell, or go inside and face whatever I''m offered there.


    After a few seconds of standing in the same spot, I finally summon the courage and walk toward the entrance door. I hold the doorknob and twist it open before I push it open nervously. Looking around the living room without getting a glimpse of Asher, I heave a sigh of relief, concluding that he must be in his room.


    I walk hurriedly over to the grand staircase and climb it as fast as my legs can carry me. Walking down the hallway minutester after I remove my shoes so he won''t know that here, I finally stop in front of my room, and slowly twist the knob, making sure that it doesn''t make any noise. I finally push the door open and walk inside, closing it behind me and locking it tightly afterward.


    "You must be running away from me, I guess," Hearing the voice of my nightmare behind me, I freeze on the spot.


    Slowly, I turn around to find Asher sitting on my bed with his legs crossed. I think I''m doomed now...

 Chapter 8

    "Ash... Asher?" I stutter nervously and gulp down the sudden lump that forms in my throat. By now, my heart beats rapidly against my chest like it would force its way out anytime soon. Staring at him sitting there while having his eyes all over me and a smirk dancing at the corner of his lips, I can literally feel my death hovering over me, and my soul leaving me slowly. It feels as though I''m in the middle of the forest in a vampire''s den, waiting to be devoured by the demonic creatures. That is how scared I am right now.


    "What... What... What are you doing here?" I further ask as if it''s not obvious what he''s doing in my room. As usual, he came to torment me, and I can''t deny the fact that it''s working now.


    "Nothing... And when has it be a crime to enter my little sister''s room?" He finally stands up to his feet and shrugs, crossing his arms on his chest, as he emphasizes on ''little sister''. He''s up to something, although I have no idea about what it is.


    "I... Didn''t say that... Can you excuse me? I just came back from work, and I need to freshen up," I say to him and bite my bottom lip while praying silently that he listens to me. Not that I have hope at this point, anyway.


    "Excuse you... Excuse you... Excuse you..." He says repeatedly as he stands up to his feet and tucks his hands inside his pocket, while still looking at me with that unreadable expression on his face. "Yes... I need to freshen up and get some rest," I reply to him, and he scoffs.


    "Raymond... Your date with him wasn''t for work, was it?" He suddenly asks out of the blue as he advances toward me while still having his hands in his pockets, and I can''t help but gulp down the lump that suddenly forms inside my throat. Wait! He didn''t believe me when I told him that?


    "Wha... What are you saying? We... We... Went..." My voice trails off as he suddenly pushes me lightly against the wall, mming his hand behind me on the wall afterward, while hovering over me like he''s going to devour me with those eyes as he stares down at me.


    "What''s going on between you and Raymond, Adelie?" He hushes as his eyes pierce into mine.


    "Why do you smell of him? The kiss... How dare he have a taste of your lips. Does he want to die?" He suddenly roars as he ms his hand on the wall, and I flinch fearfully.


    "Why did you allow another man to kiss you, Adelie? I told you to never do that... How dare you kiss another man?" He roars for the second time as he clenches his fist until his veins are popping out of his skin, and his knuckles make a cracking sound. I know Asher won''t be so angry to the point of hitting me, but I can''t deny that I''m still scared of him hitting me out of anger.


    "Wh... What are you talking about?" How I still dare to act dumb in front of him even after he saw everything is daring, and I think that it''s going to get him more angry, but you aren''t expecting me to give in and ept this just like that, right? "Do you still dare to lie to me, Adelie? Tell me now, what''s going on between you and Raymond?" This time, he sounds more like he''s trying to convince me to tell him the truth. Why is he suddenly so calm with me?


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    "No... Nothing..."


    "What about the kiss?" He cuts me off, and I bite my bottom lip. Maybe I shouldn''t have really allowed Raymond to drop me off here, I shouldn''t have allowed him to kiss me, but I foolishly did, and now I have to face it all alone. "Ki... Kiss? What kiss are you talking about?" I try to sound convincing and confident enough to make him believe me, but who says that it''ll be possible especially with those hazel eyes staring into my soul?


    "Did he ask you out?" His voice rings deep in my head, but I only stare back at him. I suddenly feel like something is missing in me, I feel like I am no longer the normal person that was standing in front of him minutes ago, and he seems to have changed within seconds. For some seconds, I feel like I am under a spell.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    "Yes," I find myself telling him the truth even though I intended not to let him know about it before. It''s not my fault, because nothing seems to be right with me now.


    "Did you ept him?" He asks the second question, and I find myself nodding my head even if I so much want to lie to him.


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    "Raymond... He''s now your boyfriend?" He further asks, his eyes are so red with rage in them. A dark and intimidating aura is strangely surrounding him, and I can''t decipher where the strange aura ising from. The man standing before me now doesn''t look like the brother that I grew up with, he looks to me like he has been possessed by some demon.


    "Ash... Asher... You... You''re scaring me," Those are the only words that leave my lips in a whisper once I open my mouth. My heart beats rapidly against my chest like it''ll force its way out anytime soon.


    "Why did you ept him, Adelie? Didn''t I tell you that you can''t have a boyfriend? I told you that you belong to me, why did you still ept him?" He scoffs momentarily as he finally pulls away from me and scoffs again.


    "You can''t keep doing this, Asher. You are my brother, and you can''t keep me to yourself, okay? I can''t possibly marry my brother, Asher..."


    "I will marry you, Adelie... You are mine alone, and nobody can take you away from me!" He roars like an obsessive boyfriend, and I freeze on the spot. Huh? What did he just say?


    "Wh... What are you saying, Asher? Are you out of your mind now? How can you marry me? I am your sister for..."


    "Break up with him," He cuts me off, and my mouth drops open in shock...

 Chapter 9

    Raymond POV


    I can finally smile genuinely now that I finally have the woman I have always wanted. For the past few years I have been working with Adelie, I have always had my eyes on her and looking forward to the day she''ll finally be mine. Well, it was love at first sight, but my fear of getting rejectedter didn''t allow me to speak up my mind and confess my feelings to her. I wouldn''t have gotten the courage to ask her out, but thanks to Rowan, my best friend that encouraged me to go for her.


    I throw myself on the bed as soon as I walk inside my room, and staring up at the ceiling, I can''t help the smile that forms on my lips. For the first time in a while, I feel so happy and alive.


    "I thought you were never going toe home. What kept you so long? Did anything happen?" I almost jump out of my skin when I hear my mom''s voice speak, and I quickly sit up on the bed, and there she is, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed on her chest. What the heck! When did she get here?N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    "Howe you''re here, mom? I thought you areing back in three months. You left barely three days now," I pull a puzzled look, but the fifty-three years old yet young-looking woman rolls her eyes as she walks over to the window and opens it.


    "Do you want to suffocate to death? Why didn''t you open the window?" She scoffs, ignoring the question I asked her.


    "I was still going to do that. I asked a question, mom," I ask for the second time.


    "I changed my mind," She replies to me casually, and I slowly nod my head, even if I''m not happy to have her around. Don''t mistake me that I don''t like my mom. I love her so much, but I bet you''ll do the same thing if you were in my shoes. What do you expect of someone that does nothing but frustrate life out of me?


    "Oh," I slowly nod my head.


    "Well..." She pauses and turns to face me.


    "Since you have decided not to get a girlfriend, your dad and I have decided to engage you with my best friend''s daughter, Emily. You know her, right?" She releases the bombshell to me, and my eyes slowly widen in shock as her words rey in my head. This must be an expensive joke of the century.


    "Are you kidding me?" I scoff, and she rolls her eyes.


    "Does it look like I''m kidding? Well, I''m not. I already spoke with Emily, and she confirmed to be single. She''ll be in the country in three days, so we need to go to her parent''s house tomorrow to see them for first introduction..." "No way, mom. I won''t marry Emily," I quickly refuse, but she just scoffs like I just bluffed out rubbish.


    "Sorry, my darling son, but you don''t have a choice at this point. Your dad and I have given you more than enough time to choose a spouse, and since you are not ready to, forcing you into this won''t be something bad and inconsiderate," She shrugs, and I sigh frustratingly.


    "Mom..."


    "Don''t push your luck, Raymond. This has been decided," She cuts me off.


    "I have a girlfriend now, mom. Just give us some time, and I promise to bring her here so you''ll see her," I reply to her, trying to sound as much convincing as I can.


    "You must be out of your mind to think you can say that to me and I will believe you. You can''t fool me again, sweetheart," She rolls her eyes, and I run my fingers through my hair. How can I possibly convince her that I''m saying the truth? I don''t me her, anyway. It was all my fault. I had lied to her and dad in the past that I was going to introduce my girlfriend to them but failed, so I don''t expect them to believe me again.


    "I''m not lying, mom. I got a girlfriend already. Her name is Adelie, and I promise you will like her. Just give me some time, and I promise to bring her for you and dad to meet her. I can''t marry Emily," I plead with her, and she sighs briefly. "Seventy two hours, Raymond. If after seventy-two hours you fail to bring this Adelie who may not even be existing like your so-called girlfriend months ago, then you must marry Emily, and nothing will stop me. Do you get?" She says, and I quickly nod my head. I can''t afford to be with another woman aside from Adelie. I have fallen so deeply in love with her to be with another woman now.


    "I cross my heart, mom," I say to her before she strides out of my room, and ms the door behind her. I finally release the breath I have been holding unknowingly.


    Reaching out for my phone, I unlock it and scroll through the contacts and once I get to Adelie''s number, I click on the ''dial'' icon, waiting patiently for her to answer the call so I can hear her sweet voice. The call rings for a few seconds, and strangely drops dead.


    "Why''s she not answering her call?" I dial the number for the second time, and this time she answers the call.


    "Give me the damn phone, Asher! Wait! You can''t do that... Give me my phone!" Her yells sounds through the phone instead, and I check my phone screen to be sure that she was really the one I called even though I can hear her voice. "Who is calling you, Adelie? Raymond? Why''s he calling you?" A masculine voice sounds from the other end, and I slowly clench my fingers around the phone as I feel anger spur through me. Who the hell is that?


    Bringing the phone down from my ear, I disconnect the call and throw my phone on the bed angrily, running my fingers through my hair crazily afterward. Who the hell was that?

 Chapter 10

    Adelie POV


    The sound of my ring rm pulls me out of my deep slumber, and I toss on the bed tiredly before forcing my eyes open. I intend to move my body, but I feel something heavy on me, so I tilt my head to see Asherying on the bed next to me, while having his hand hugging me tightly to himself, and his leg pinning me down to the bed. I have forgotten that he slept in my room yesterday night.


    Taking a deep breath, I carefully remove my body from his trying not to wake him up. It''s not that I care so much about him that I don''t want him to wake up, I just want to get away from him.


    I finally manage to get off the bed, and I drag myself into the bathroom tiredly. I crash against the wall and run my fingers through my hair as soon as I get into the bathroom, releasing a deep sigh. What the hell should I do? I can''t possibly run away from home, right?Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ''Raymond'' his name resounds in my head, and I close my eyes tightly. Will this rtionship work? Will Asher not try to spoil things for meter like he usually does?


    I have a quick bath and wear my robe. Well, I always wear my towel whenever I have my bath, but you aren''t expecting me to wear it today having Asher in my room, right?


    Taking a deep breath, I reach for the doorknob and twist it before I open the door slightly. I sigh in relief when I peep out of the bathroom and he''s not in my room. I finally step into my room and advance toward the door to shut the door tightly so he won''te in anytime he wants.


    My phone suddenly starts ringing as I walk over to the closet to get my clothes, and I stop to answer the call after I pick up my phone from the bed. It''s Raymond.


    "Good morning, angel," His sweet voice sounds through the phone as soon as I answer the call, and I feel my heart misses a beat. Fuck! Why am I having this feeling?


    "Good morning," I reply to him nervously, not after checking to see if the door is tightly locked. I don''t want Asher to barge in on me.


    "Did you sleep well?" He asks with concern in his voice, and I nod my head as I take a seat on the bed, smiling sheepishly like someone talking to her crush. What the hell am I even saying? He''s my boyfriend now, so it''s only right that I feel this way when I''m talking to him since I''m in love with him.


    "Yes, what about you?" I reply to him.


    "Yes, I did. See you at workter. I''m already getting ready for work. I just wanted to hear from you," He says, and I nod my head. It has been a while since someone calls me on the phone first thing in the morning to check up on me, except my annoying brother thates here every morning to bother me. How can I still call him my brother even after all he has been doing to me? If mom didn''t tell me that she carried him in his womb for nine months, I would''ve concluded that he must be an adopted child or a bastard. Don''t me me for that.


    "Hmm. See youter," I reply to him before I drop the call, and release the deep breath I''ve been holding unknowingly.


    It takes me another thirty minutes to get ready for work, and I finally stride out of my room.


    Descending down the staircase minutester, the aromaing from the kitchen wees me, and my mouth salivates as well as my stomach grumbles in craving for the food. I know that is the handwork of Asher. Not that he can do anything else apart from cooking, anyway.


    "Just stop, Adelie. He can do many things right, don''t deny it," My subconscious mind reminds me, and I roll my eyes. As much as I want to have a taste of that delicious food, I can''t risk being in the same dining room with Asher. He may do something stupid with me, and nobody will save me, since we''re alone in the house. If mom and dad know what their so-called son has been doing to me, I''m sure they won''t leave the two of us alone in the same ce for a second, but they are clueless.


    "Where are you going, Adelie?" He asks as hees out of the kitchen and finds me walking toward the exit door.


    I halt and turn to look at him with a questioning look, "Where does it look like I''m going? I''ve dressed for work already," I shrug, and he scoffs.


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    "Are you not going to have breakfast?" He asks me as he crosses his arms on his chest, but I shake my head.


    "No, I''m not hungry. I''ll eat when I get to work," I reply to him.


    "Get back here, Adelie," The smile on his face moments ago has dissipated into a deep and scary frown, his domineering voice sounds so scary too that for some seconds, my heart stops moving in my chest, and my body shivers fearfully. "Don''t make me repeat myself, Adelie," His voice sounds calm this time, and without waiting for me to make my decision whether to follow him or continue to leave the house, he turns and walks over to the dining where he already arranged the food he make. Why should he even care to know my decision, when he knows that I wouldn''t dare step my feet out of this house as hemanded?


    As much as I want to disobey him and leave the house, my body wouldn''t move as I stand still in the ce. How can my brother be so scary and monstrous? Is he the one that was adopted, or was I the one that got adopted? Does he never like my presence in the house? Those are the questions that run through my mind as I stare into space.


    Gulping down the sudden lump that forms in my throat, I find myself moving my legs toward the dining where he is now sitting and drinking nothing, but red wine. Wait a minute? Who drinks wine early in the morning? Now that I think of it, I think my brother is weird. He has never eaten anything for so long that I have known him. Although I don''t know if he eats behind my back, but he has never eaten any food except red wine for so long that I havee to know him. "Seriously? Is this really the time to think of that now?"Y subconscious mind screams at me, and I gulp down nothing nervously.


    "Sit!" Hemands me once I''m standing close to the table, and I quickly pull out a chair and sit on it.


    "Eat!" Hemands for the second time, and without waiting for another second, I grab the fork and start eating as fast as I can, trying not to also annoy him with the fast eating habit that I suddenly developed out of nervousness.


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    "Look at me, Adelie," His voice sounds so soft that I slowly find myself raising my gaze to meet his hazel eyes staring at me with affection in them. Those are the eyes that looked so scary just now. How the hell did he switch his mood so perfectly and wlessly?


    "Look at you... You look so scared. Did you see a ghost? Come on, don''t be like that. You''re making me feel bad," He chuckles softly as he reaches for my hair and ruffles it slowly while having a smile dancing on his lips. "Hmm," I nod my head as I force a smile at him.


    Silence assumes the air as I manage to eat my food, and after what seems like forever, I finally round up.


    "Can I go now?" I ask him once I''m done eating.


    "Sure," He smiles at me, and that is all I need to jerk up from the chair, grab my bag from the table, and start scurrying to the exit door like I''m being chased by a ghost. Forgive me, but Asher is scarier than a ghost to me. Almost at the door, his voice suddenly brings me to an abrupt halt.


    "Don''t do something stupid at the office, Adelie... My eyes are on you," I can never mistake that voice to just being a threat, I know he means what he just said, even though I don''t know how he''s watching me.


    Slowly, I tilt my head to see him leaning over the rail of the staircase as he stares at me with a smirk dancing at the corner of his lips. I know that smirk, it''s scary and dangerous, and I shouldn''t mess with him. Not when he has that smirk on. "Hmm," I nod my head before I pull the door open and storm out of the house...

 Chapter 11

    Adelie POV


    ''I''m watching you, Adelie. Don''t do something stupid at the office'' his words rey in my head as I drive down the road, and I feel shivers run down my spine.


    It took me forever to arrive at thepany, and once I park at the garage, I step out of the car and stride toward the entrance door, trying so hard not to appear miserable, because that is how I feel right now.


    "Hey, sweetheart. How are you doing today?" Just before I take the elevator to the third floor where my office is, Cynthia walks elegantly up to me with a wide smile lingering on her face. Just how I wish I can be this cheerful, but it seems like it''ll never happen. Not when my brother still lives with me.


    "Cynthia... I''m fine. Did you sleep well?" I force a smile at her as we both enter the elevator, standing side by side.


    "No, I didn''t. I spent the whole night, thinking about my prince charming," She smiles creepily as she cups her cheeks in her palm, and I can''t just help but roll my eyes at her. I''m sure she wouldn''t even think of that if she knows the kind of person Asher is. How can she even have a crush on that terrible young man?


    "Cut that crap, Adelie. Even you will be fooled by his innocent face if you were someone else," I remind myself and sigh silently.


    "I think you should keep things slow, sweetheart," I say to her, and she scoffs.


    "You know that I have been crushing on him for a long..."


    "That was why I gave you his number. Didn''t you call him?" I cut her off, ncing at her.


    "No, I didn''t. I was so nervous that I didn''t call him," She replies to me, and I roll my eyes at her.


    "Can you help me just this once? You can invite me over to your house when he''s around, or maybe arrange a blind date for me with him," She pleads with me, and I shake my head unbelievably. The elevator rolls open just before I think of replying to her, and we step out of it.


    "I will think about that," I reply to her as we walk down the hallway, heading to my office.


    "Just name your price, sweetie. I promise to give you anything you ask for, just please do this for me... Just this once," She whines as she holds my hand, bringing me to a halt.


    "Fine! Just stop embarrassing me. We will talk about itter. Just buy me dinner after work, and we''ll talk about it," I yank her hand off before I walk toward the door to my office.


    "I swear I''ll buy you anything you ask. Thank you, sweetie," She yells after me, and I roll my eyes.


    Finally stepping into my office, I release a sigh of relief as I throw myself on the chair, reclining on it tiredly.


    ''I''m watching you, Adelie'' his words rey in my head for the umpteenth time, and I run my fingers through my hair like a crazy person. I think I''ve really lost my mind because Asher won''t cease driving me nuts. "Good morning babe," My heart almost jump out of my chest when I hear that voice, and I quickly snap my head up to see Raymond smiling at me like he''s Happy to see me.


    "Goo... Good morning, Sir," I stutter nervously, turning my gaze away. I don''t know whether Asher has a camera stalking me, but I can''t take chances. I don''t want him to scare me when I get hometer again, so I need to stay far away from Raymond.


    "Are you okay? Are you sick? Why do you look so pale?" He bombards me with questions, having a worried expression on his face. He tries to touch my forehead to feel my temperature, but I flinch and pull away from him. "What''s wrong with you, Adelie? Is everything alright?" He asks as a thin line appears between his eyebrows, and I quickly nod my head.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    "Ye... Yes... Everything is... Fine... It''s just that we''re in the office, and we should maintain the boss-employee rtionship," I smile at him nervously, and he stares at me nkly for a few seconds before he smiles at me.


    "I''m sorry if I pushed you too hard... I was just concerned. I will be in my office," He smiles at me, and with that, he turns and walks into his office. He looks so sad and disappointed, and I can understand that I''m faulty here. He wasn''t trying to harm me but was just trying to make sure that I''m fine, and all I did was push him away. I wish he understands that I''m handicapped.


    Taking a deep breath, I try to rx before I resume work a few minutester. Pushing all the thoughts disturbing me to the back of my heart, I focus all my energy and attention on my work. The fact that I''m dating Raymond now doesn''t give me the right to mess up at work, I know that.


    The office phone suddenly starts ringing, and I pick it up without hesitation.


    "Hello, who am I..."


    "It''s me... Come inside, now," Raymond''s voice sounds through the phone, and the call drops dead immediately. I gulp down nothing nervously, tilting my head to see him sitting in his office with his full attention on the screen of the desktop ced in front of him. There''s just a ss demarcating us, so I literally see him from my office.


    Many thoughts rush through my mind as I drag my feet up and drag myself toward the door, and once I step into his office, he asks me to take a seat. This only tells me that he wants to discuss something, which I''m not even ready for. Maybe I should''ve just rejected him when he asked me out. I''m not brave enough to fight for us, so why the hell did I make the mistake of going into a rtionship?


    "I called you yesterday, but..."


    "I''m sorry about that... My brother was messing with my phone," I quickly cut him off. I should''ve apologized first before he talked about it.


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    He stares at me with a look on his face that shows nothing but jealousy and anger. He has every right to be angry and jealous, because why not? No matter what, nobody should interrupt our call as his girlfriend that I am. "Don''t be mad at me, I swear it..."


    "Come on, babe... I''m not mad at you," He rolls his eyes and smile at me, but I can see that he''s trying to hide his anger.


    "Hmm," I slowly nod my head and gulp down nothing nervously.


    "Babe... Can I ask a favor from you?" He asks after a long silence, and I raise my gaze to look at him.


    "No, I can''t do it," I wanted to tell him this knowing that I may not be able to, but I end up nodding my head instead, and he smiles.


    He reaches out for my hands on the desk and holds them, but I slowly retract from his light grasp. I''m just scared.


    "Are you okay? Why are you acting weird?" He asks, seeing the way I''m acting toward him.


    "Yes, I''m fine. I''m just a bit sick," I lie to him, and he squints his eyes, suddenly looking so worried.


    "What happened? Do you want me to take you to the hospital?" He asks me with concern written all over him, and I shake my head.


    "You said you want to ask me of a favor," I remind him, getting overly curious.


    "Yes... So, a friend of mine is throwing a party at his house in a few days, so I was thinking if we can go together," He asks, and my mouth drops open...

 Chapter 12

    Adelie POV


    The rest of my day at work was boring as I expected. The office hour is finally over, and I am getting ready to leave when Raymond shows up.


    "Hey momma," His voice sends chills down my spine, and the sound of that makes my heart misses a beat. No man has ever called me that before, and I kinda like it. I wish he can call me that always. "Hmm?" Turning to face him, I give him a demanding look.


    "Do you mind strolling with me tonight?" He asks, and I blink my eyes in shock.


    "Sure, why not," Even if I know Asher may not let me out of the house, I still feel like it''ll only be right if I give him this chance again. He is my boyfriend now, and I should do what will make him happy, right? "Great. We''re just going to have fun outside, get fresh air, and grab ice cream together," He says to me, and I must confess that it doesn''t sound bad.


    "Alright, I will be more than happy to go with you," I smile at him, and he chuckles softly.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "I wille to pick you upter, okay? I need to get going now. I love you," He says and unexpectedly pulls me into his arms, hugging me warmly, and my heart flutters.


    "I love you too," I manage to whisper, and he pulls away from me. He winks at me before he finally strides out of the office, and I release the breath I''ve been holding unknowingly.


    Finally grabbing my handbag from the desk, I stride out of the office but flinch when I see Cynthia standing at the doorstep. For heaven''s sake, does thisdy want to kill me with a panic attack?


    "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to scare you," She smiles at me creepily, and I roll my eyes.


    "What is it this time, Cynthia?" I ask as I lock the door and finally turn to face her.


    "Uhm... You said to buy you dinner. I came for it," She replies to me, and I touch my forehead frustratingly. I have forgotten that we talked about something like that. As much as I want to tell her that I want to go home, I don''t want her to feel bad.


    "We''ll make it brief. I need to head home quick enough," I say to her, and she crosses her heart with a big smile ying on her lips.


    "I promise," She squeaks excitedly, as she locks her arm with mine. For heaven''s sake, when the hell did I get so close to this bitch that won''t leave me the hell alone?


    Well, it all started two years ago after I started working here. She was in the marketing department then, and she was the first person that weed me warmly into thepany. I remember when my car broke down on the road, and even though she had no car, she stopped the cab she was taking to work and asked me to hop in with her, after which she paid the fee. Since she was here before me, taking me around and telling me things about thepany became her priority until I got used to how things are done here. She''s the nicest soul I''ve ever met.


    "Whatever," I roll my eyes. We finally head to the elevator, and arriving at the parking lot after about five minutes, we hop in my car and drive out of thepany.


    "Since we''re on our way now, why don''t we start talking about it?" I see that she''s really determined, or should I say desperate about this. I can''t really say if this is really a crush or madness. If I can remember vividly, she has only met Asher once, or maybe they''ve seen each other again after then. How could she be attracted to someone she met just once? Ok, you can say that it''s fine to be attracted to someone at first sight, but being this crazy over them, there''s nothing you can say that''ll convince me that this is not madness.


    "Can we get there first, Cynthia?" I roll my eyes at her.


    "Come on, sweetie..." She persists, and I sigh briefly.


    "Well, what do you want to know?" I ask her so I''ll know where to start my ranting.


    "I want to know his likes and dislikes. What does he do, and what can I do to make him like me?" She replies to me, and I scoff. I have never seen Asher with a woman, and it''s hard to tell how a woman can win his heart. I mean, I don''t think this will work. If not that he has been doing shit with me, I would''ve concluded that he''s gay.


    "Just be yourself, sweetheart. Just be yourself, and Asher will like you," I shrug, even if I know deep down that I''m lying to her. I know this is not right, but I can''t possibly allow this nice person to hurt herself because of that jerk, right? "Really? Do I need to get him a gift? Uhm... What does he like? What if I get him a wristwatch? What about sneakers... Or even perfume? What do you think?" She bombards me with questions, and I pull over at the side of the road.


    "His birthday ising up in five days, I think surprising him will be of great help," I quickly purse my lips together, realizing that I just spilled nonsense that may put me in troubleter. Asher used to be so excited about his birthdays whenever it''sing, but after the incident fifteen years ago, he has hated his birthday and stopped celebrating them. Even though I want to think that it was a result of the trauma from that day, something keeps telling me that there''s more to it. ''I didn''t ask you to buy me a gift, did I?'' I can still remember how he screamed at me and almost strangled me when I got him a gift on his birthday twelve years ago. The look on his face that day could kill, and I think I just messed up now. Cynthia is going to get into trouble if she gets him a gift.


    "Really? Oh my God! Thank you so much for this information. I will get him a gift, a befitting one that he will love, I promise," She squeaks excitedly. "Cynthia..."


    "I''m so grateful, sweetie. You have always been a sweetheart," She squeaks excitedly, hugging me like she''s going to choke life out of me.


    "Can you stop? You''re choking me," I struggle to breathe, pushing him off my body slightly.


    "I''m sorry, sweetie. I was just overly excited," She quickly apologizes to me. Seeing the excitement on her face, I feel guilty. I would be ruining her happiness if I tell her otherwise now, and I''m also scared that Asher may hurt her if she gets him a gift. What do I do now?

 Chapter 13

    Adelie POV


    After spending some time with Cynthia, I finally decide to go home.


    The drive back home was tiring and exhausting, and luckily, Asher was not around by the time I got home. Maybe he still hasn''t returned from work yet. Besides, dad left a lot of things for him to take care of before he traveled. Releasing a deep sigh, I throw myself on the couch and ruffle my hair slowly. I''m stressed.


    Recalling that Raymond asked us to stroll tonight, I stand up to my feet and drag myself up to my room upstairs, and as soon as I walk in, I strip out of my clothes, and dash into the bathroom.


    My phone suddenly starts ringing, and I pick it up from the bed as soon as I step into my room. It''s Raymond on the phone.


    "Hey, momma. I''m waiting for you outside," His voice sounds from the other end as soon as I answer the call, and I nce at the wall clock to see that it''s past 8pm.


    "I''ll be there shortly," I reply to him before the call ends. Now, thinking about Asher, I can''t help but ask myself where he is. I have been home for over an hour, and he''s yet to be home. Where the hell is he?


    I finally get dressed and leave my room to join Raymond outside. The empty living room wees me, as there''s no sign of Asher anywhere around, and I''m beginning to get worried about him. He has never stayed out thiste before. Is he ok? Did something happen to him? Where the hell would he be by now?


    "It''s a good thing he''s not at home anyway. At least you''ll have all the time in the world to spend with your boyfriend," My subconscious mind reminds me, but I still feel a bit worried about him.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Finally pushing all the thoughts to the back of my mind, I stride toward the door and pull it open, revealing Raymond that''s leaning against his ck car which is just parked outside the gate. A sweet and exciting smileces up my lips as I stare at him. He''s cute, and I can''t deny that.


    Stepping out of the gate a few minutester, he pulls me into his arms and hugs me tightly like he has been looking forward to doing this. Although I feel a little ufortable doing this with him, since it feels so weird, but I also know that I should be calm and get used to it since he''s my boyfriend now.


    "You look gorgeous as always," I blush at hispliments, and he chuckles as he tucks his hands in his pockets and leans against the car again, checking me out with his eyes, and I turn my face away shyly. "Thank you," I smile at him shyly.


    "I already booked a restaurant for us tonight, why don''t we go there and have something to eat first?" He asks.


    "Sure," I reply to him. He finally pulls the door open for me, and I hop inside the car. He walks over to the driver''s seat and hops in before he zooms off.


    Driving down the road a few minutester, I stare out through the window as the thought of Asher lingers in my mind, and I can only get more worried.


    "Are you ok? You look disturbed," His voice brings me back to reality, and I quickly nod my head.


    "Yes, I''m fine," He stares at me with a suspicious look on his face, before he finally turns his gaze back to the road.


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    Twenty minutes passed before we finally arrive at the spacious restaurant which I''m just being to for the second time. This was the same restaurant he brought me to the other time that he proposed to me.


    "Do you like it here? If you don''t, we can go to another ce," He asks as we walk side by side toward the entrance door, but I shake my head in denial, and he smiles at me.


    We finally walk into the restaurant, and as expected, the table has already been set with varieties of food on it.


    An awkward silence assumes the air as we both eat silentlyter, the thought of Asher disturbing me, no matter how much I try to push it away.


    "You have been acting weird. You can talk to me if there''s a problem. Are you ok?" He asks for the second time with a worried look on his face.


    "Don''t you like it here? Don''t you want to hang out with me? It''s fine if you don''t want to, baby. I will take you back home," He quickly says, and I shake my head.


    "No, it''s not like that. Uhm... Excuse me, I need to use the restroom," I quickly stand up and grab my phone before I leave for the restroom. Maybe putting him on call would make me feel a little at ease. Arriving at the female restroom, I quickly scroll through my phone and dial his number. He picks up on the first ring.


    "Where the hell are you, Asher? Do you know what time it is now?" I almost yell at him, but I end up being a bit calm.


    "You should go to bed without me. I have something to take care of, and I don''t think I''ll be back home today," He replies to me bluntly, and I scoff angrily. To think that I have been so fucked up about this dude. What the hell? "Are you kidding me? I''ve been so worried sick about you, and all you do is talk to me like that as if what you did wasn''t a big..."


    "I told you that I have something to take care of here, so can you just go ahead and stop fucking making me repeat myself?" He sounds a bit pissed, and even though he''s not here with me, I flinch at the imagination of what he''ll look like right


    now.


    "Oh... Ok..."


    "Good night," The call drops dead after his voice sounds through the phone, and I slowly clench my fingers tightly in anger. I don''t know if I''m hurt because of the way he spoke to me, or because he won''t being home tonight. This is crazy.


    Taking a deep breath, I finally turn and stride out of the restroom.


    "Are you okay? Did anything happen? Why are you crying?" Raymond bombards me with questions when I arrive at the restaurant, but I shake my head instead.


    "I''ll take a cab home. I''ll see you at the office tomorrow," With that said, I turn and stride out of the restaurant, not sparing him another nce even as he keep calling my name. I know I shouldn''t be doing this to Raymond, but I just can''t help it.


    "Can you at least wait and let me drive you home, please?" He rushes over to me and holds my hand, bringing me to a halt.


    "I''ll be fine with a cab home," I retract my hand from his grasp, and g down a cab. I hop in, and the cabby drives away...

 Chapter 14

    Adelie POVUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    I toss on the bed for the umpteenth time and finallyy on my back as I stare up at the ceiling. It has been three hours since I got home, and it''s midnight already, but I still can''t bring myself to get some sleep.


    I sigh briefly, sitting up on the bed and reaching out for my phone that''s just lying on the bedside table. Raymond has called me nonstop, but I couldn''t bring myself to answer his call after what I did to him back at the restaurant. At this point, I''m beginning to think that I can''t handle it having a boyfriend. If I can''t do this, maybe I should just break up with him and not give him high hope.


    My phone suddenly beeps, and as I unlock it, a message pops on the screen. ''Can you please answer my call, momma? I''m worried about you and can''t even sleep'' reading the message from Raymond, I sigh deeply and turn the screen off, tossing it on the bed afterward. Maybe making him think that I''m already asleep won''t be a problem.


    I drag myself from the bed and walk over to the window side, where I check the parking lot for his car, and as he said earlier, he''s still not back from wherever he went to. I know I''m being foolish right now, I''m not sure whether I''m worried about his safety, or just scared of sleeping alone, but I can''t sleep, no matter how much I try to.


    Dragging my feet back to the bed, I pick up my phone and find myself dialing his number, even if I don''t want to. He picks up on the first ring.


    "You can''t sleep alone, I guess?" His voice sounds through the phone more like a mock as soon as he answers the call, and I bite my teeth. I hate to admit it, but I really am scared of sleeping alone.


    "I''m scared..." My voice is so low that I can barely hear myself, but he heard me anyway.


    "Why are you scared, sister?" He emphasizes hisst word, and I know that he''s teasing me right now.


    "I''m going to spend the night with Raymond," I don''t know what pushed me to say that to him, but I know that I just need to say something that would bring him here at once.


    Silence assumes the other end, and I can feel the intensity from there even though I''m not there with him.


    "I''ll be back shortly," His deep voice sounds through the phone, and the call drops dead afterward. My heart beats rapidly against my chest as I slowly bring down the phone from my ear, regretting my action. Why the hell do I even want him here? Why did I do that?


    Taking a deep breath, I drop my phone on the bed and drag myself into the bathroom afterward to have my bath.


    I only spent thirty minutes in the bathroom before I walk back into my room to sleep, but I stop on my track as soon as I walk in, only to find Asher sitting on my bed.


    "You look shocked to see me. Didn''t you call me here?" He raises his gaze to look at me, but his expression changes as soon as he sees me standing with just a towel around my chest. With his eyes gazing hungrily at me like they''ll devour me soon, I feel my knees weaken, and my feet suddenly feel numb. I gulp down nothing nervously.


    "Wh... Wha... What are you doing here?" I stutter nervously, even though I know that the question is ridiculous, or stupid rather, considering that I was the one that called him here. I should get a knock on the head for being so stupid. "You called me toe," He finally stands up to his feet, and my heart skips like a million times as I step back fearfully.


    "Have you forgotten, pretty?" The corner of his lips tucks up in a smirk as he tucks his hands in his pockets while staring at me hungrily.


    "You even threaten me that you would spend the night with your boyfriend if I don''te home at once. Is that how much you missed me or were you trying to make me jealous?" His voice sounds domineering, yet sexy and seductive. I feel the area between my legs twitch excitedly as it contracts tightly. If I''m correct, then I think this is what they call being horny. This is wrong, how the hell can I get horny around my brother? This is really crazy.


    "Who... Who... Who said that it was a threat? I was... Serious..." I try not to stutter, but not with those eyes staring at me.


    "You look pretty in that, don''t you think? How would it feel like to have that towel on the floor, and have yourself pinned to the wall by me, huh?" He bites his bottom lip as he starts moving toward me, and I step back until my back is pressed hard against the wall like I want to disappear into it.


    "Do... don''te close to me..." I say to him threateningly, my body trembling fearfully, and he stops on his track.


    "Why? Didn''t you call me home for this, huh?" He finally stops in front of me, cing his hand on my thigh, and my heart thumps heavily against my ribcage.


    "Ge... get away from me, Asher..." I stutter and swallow hard.


    "Why? Don''t you want me anymore, huh?" He whispers as his hand crawls its way up my thigh, and I shudder under his touch. His hand is already making its way to my forbidden area, and I don''t even have a pantie on, and neither can I bring myself to stop him.


    "You should get some sleep and stop overthinking yourself, Adelie. You''re blocking my way to the bathroom. I can''t sleep like this, you know? I''m a bit smelly," He whispers and chuckles softly before he pulls away from me. "Hmm," I quickly nod my head and scurry away from him. I watch as he pulls the bathroom door open, and walks in, mming it close behind him, and I flinch. Wait! Don''t tell me he''s going to spend the night here with me. Hell no! I quickly change into my robe and sit on the bed, waiting for him toe out so I''ll ask him to go to his room.


    It took him forever before he finally walks back into my room with a towel hanging dangerously around his waist. He has the most perfectly built abs that I have ever seen, and with his body dripping wet and his hair clinging to his face, I think he looks cute.


    "Quit the dirty thought and go to sleep, sweetheart," He breaks into my thoughts, and I bite my inner lip embarrassingly. Turns out that he caught me drooling at him.


    "Are you not going to your room?" I finally muster courage and ask him.


    "No," He replies to me bluntly, and continues after he grabs one of the robes in my closet, and wears it, "Do you want me to let you sleep alone?" He turns to look at me with a questioning look on his face. "Don''t worry, I''ll sleep on the sofa. You can sleep on the bed alone," He further says to me, and I heave a sigh of relief...

 Chapter 15

    Adelie POV


    Waking up very early in the morning to find myself alone in the room gives me so much freedom and the chance to do my things how I do them on normal days. It''s 5am, and I still have much time to get ready for work. Sitting up on the bed, I run my fingers through my hair tiredly, like I should just go back to sleep. I couldn''t sleep wellst night since I was a bit ufortable with Asher in the same room as me. I was scared he might harm me in my sleep, or maybe force himself on me. I know it''s unfair to think that of him, but for someone who does all those dirty things with me as his sister, I doubt if there''s anything else he''s not capable of, or if he''s not capable of doing worse. My phone starts ringing, and even if I haven''t checked yet who the person is, I know that it''s Raymond.. I''m really putting that dude through a lot, and I feel guilty for the things I''m doing to him. I answer his call this time because it''ll be so unfair to ignore him again.


    "Hey, good morning," He sounds a bit sad, which I understand very well. It was all my fault.


    "Good morning, baby. Did you sleep well?" I just said that to bail myself out, though I know it''s not fair, and it worked.


    "Yes, I did. What about you?" His voice sounds bright this time, and I sigh briefly. He doesn''t deserve all this from me. Raymond is a good man that doesn''t deserve to be treated this way.


    "Yes," I reply to him.


    "I''m sorry for calling so early, I just want to make sure that you''re fine," He exins to me, and I nod my head as if he can see me.


    "I know. I''ll be at the office soon. See you then," I say to him and quickly end the call because of the footsteps I''m hearing from outside. I wouldn''t want Asher toe to interrupt our call again, so I better end it before hees in. As expected, the door barges open, and he walks in with a deep frown on his face.


    "Who were you on phone with?" He asks angrily like a jealous boyfriend, and I gulp down nothing.


    "Ca... Call? When was that?" I try not to sound suspicious as I deny his question, because how the hell did he know that I was on a call with someone?


    He stares at me with that usual angry look on his face that always terrifies me, and I am starting to get moved again by his res.


    "Stop looking at me like that, it''s scary," I quickly turn my face away, and I hear him sigh.


    "I came to tell you that I''m leaving home now. I''ll be back in the evening, so take care of yourself," He says to me, and without sparing me another second, he turns to leave.


    "Where are you going again?" I ask him, and stops on his track as he tilts his head to look at me with his eyebrows squinted. Did I ask the question I wasn''t supposed to? I mean, he has been acting weirdtely, going out early in the morning anding backte, it''s only right that I get curious and asks what''s happening, right?


    "I''ll be back early today, don''t worry," He replies to me before he pulls the door open and storms out of my room, mming the door behind him that I end up flinching.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ''Where the hell is he going again? What is wrong with him? Why''s he acting weird?'' I ask myself as I stare at the closed door. I finally shrug and drag myself from the bed, heading to the bathroom afterward.


    It takes me about two hours to get ready for work, and after I have breakfast, I finally leave for the office.


    As expected, I was held up in a traffic jam for about twenty minutes before I finally was able to drive to thepany. The drive to thepany though was dyed by the traffic, but I still managed to arrive at the usual time. All thanks to leaving home earlier than usual.


    Stepping into my office about five minutester, I sigh briefly in relief since Raymond is not yet in the office. I''m scared of facing him, or maybe I''m nervous rather. I''m still thinking of how to exin what happened yesterday to him, and knowing he would be feeling bad about the way I''m treating him, I can''t help but feel nervous and guilty.


    Still trying to figure out how to apologize to himter, the door suddenly opens with him walking in elegantly graced in a ck suit, looking as handsome as always. My heart sinks into my stomach as soon as he stops in front of my desk. "Good morning, Ray..." My voice is low that I doubt if he heard me. Although he already told me to always address him by his name whenever we are alone, but now that I know I hurt him, I don''t know if to be formal with him, or still address him the way he instructed me to.


    "Good morning baby. Did you sleep well?" He smiles at me as if nothing happened, and this is getting me freaked out now.


    "Yes, I did... About yesterday... I''m sorry I rushed off just like that. I got a call that my brother was in danger, so I had to rush out to reach him," I exin to him, speaking confidently even though I know that these are all lies. "You should''ve told me about it..."


    "I didn''t want to bother you about it, that was why I left," I cut him off, and he rolls his eyes.


    "Come on, Adelie. You are my girlfriend now, and I should take responsibility for whatever happens in your family. I was so worried sick about you yesterday, I thought that I did something that got you reacting that way... I would''vee over to your house, but I felt you wanted to be alone, which was why I didn''te over," He replies to me, and I slowly nod my head.


    "You have to tell me if anything is bothering you in the future, ok? You can''t always keep things to yourself like that, do you get it?" He further says, and I slowly nod my head, feeling guilty about the whole thing. To think that I still get him to feel bad for me knowing that I''m hurting him with my actions, just how much of a bad person I am?


    "Hmm," I force a smile at him, and he returns the smile.


    "By the way, you look beautiful as always. You smell nice too," He winks at me, and I blush hard. "Now, you look prettier when you blush," He further says, and I feel my head swelling proudly. "Thank you. You look cute too," I reply to him, even if it sounds a bit weird.


    "Wow! It''s the first time my baby is going topliment me, and I think I''m blushing hard now," He chuckles softly as he cups his cheeks in his palms. He looks cute when he does that, and I can''t deny it. If you ask me who amongst him Asher is cuter, then I would be left in dilemma, because fuck! I don''t know who''s more handsome.


    "Let''s have lunch togetherter, okay?" He says to me, and I quickly nod my head.


    "Sure, I''ll be d," I reply to him.


    "Alright ma''am, I''ll be in my office," He teases me before he finally walks into hispany, and I sigh in relief...

 Chapter 16

    Cynthia POV


    It''s finally the day I have been waiting all my life for, but I''m a bit nervous. I have made up my mind to confess my feelings to Asher today being his birthday, but I''m also nervous. What if he rejects me? What if he feels like I''m not beautiful enough for him? It''s my first time doing something like this, and I just pray he doesn''t make me regret it.


    "Are you sure about this, Cynthia?" My subconscious mind asks me as I stare at the wrapped gift in my hand, and I also ask myself the same question. Am I really sure about this? What if it doesn''t go as nned? What if things don''t turn out well in my favor?


    "I can do this... I will do this," I say to myself before I finally stride out of my room. Adelie already gave me the address of their house, and I''m just going to meet them at home. Since it''s Saturday, I''m sure that they will all be at home. My name is Cynthia, twenty-six years old single youngdy that has been broken by men several times, and I ended up giving up on love, but not until I met him. My heart which I thought I built a wall around to avoid anyone intruding it anymore got broken the moment I saw him, and there was this feeling I had, and I know that I want him. I want Asher Williams as my all because I''m deeply in love with him.


    Standing at the roadside a few minutester, I haul down a cab after a few failed trials, and the journey to the William''s house began.


    My heart is filled with many thoughts as the cabby drives its way down the road, at some point I think I should just stop the cab and turn back from here because of how nervous I am, but then, I know I shouldn''t give up before even trying. It''s better to try and fail, than not to try at all, right? But I''m still scared of failing.


    Being on the road for what seemed like forever, the cab finally stops in front of the mansion, and I step out of it. I pay him and he leaves afterward.


    Staring at the building in front of me, I doubt if I''m in the right ce, because how can here be so quiet on Asher''s birthday? I still proceed to the entrance door, regardless.


    Taking a deep breath, I ring the doorbell with my hands trembling fearfully, and two minutester, the door pulls open, revealing a middle-aged man, whom I assume to be Adelie''s dad.


    "Good day, Sir," I quickly bow to greet him politely.


    "Good day, youngdy. Who are you?" He asks me, while still standing in the doorway.


    "Oh, my name is Cynthia. I''m here..."


    "Oh, you must be the Cynthia Adelie always talks about. Come inside, she''s upstairs," He says to me politely as he pulls the door open for me to go in.


    "Uhm... Sir, actually... I came to see Asher and not Adelie," I say to him, and he stops for a few seconds to look at me again.


    "Asher?" He asks, maybe to be sure he didn''t hear me wrong, and when I nod my head, the look he pulls on doesn''t look nice. He looks like it''s taboo to ask after his son.


    "Uhm... Yes! Is there any problem, Sir?" I ask him to rify my confusion, but he quickly wears a smile.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "Not at all. Come inside," He finally leaves the door wide open for me, and I walk inside. The living room is so big and beautiful, and it screams wealth with all the beautiful designs in here.


    "Please sit, I will go get him for you," He says to me, and I sit on the couch. I watch as he walks away and climbs the stairs, and again, my nervousness kicks in.


    Barely ten minutes after the man left, the sound of the footsteps descending the staircase pull my attention, and I tilt my head to see Adelie.


    "Hey, sweetie. How''re you doing today?" I greet her nervously as I stand up to my feet.


    "Hey, Cynthia. You came," She smiles at me widely, and I nod my head. It''s my only chance, so how could I have missed it for anything in the world?


    "Yes. Where is he?" Anxious, I ask her.


    "Rx. He''ll soon be here," She replies to me, throwing herself on the couch and crossing her legs.


    "Hmm," I finally sit back on the couch.


    "It''s a good thing my parents are home. You can finally meet them. I''ve been telling them about you, and they have been looking forward to meeting you," She says to me, but my mind is somewhere else, so I just hum. I just want to see Asher, and nothing else.


    "Why''s he not here yet?" I know I''m acting crazy right now, but I can''t help it.


    "He should be here soon. I think he was getting dressed before I left his room," She replies to me, and I slowly nod my head.


    "Is he going out? Does he have a date with someone? How about you fix a date between us?" I bombard her with questions, but she only rolls her eyes at me.


    "It''s the first time someone is going to be so crazy about my son, and I think I love this energy," A feminine voice sounds behind me, and I quickly stand up and turn to see a woman walking into the living room. With the striking resemnce between her and Adelie, I need no one to tell me that she''s her mom.


    "Good day, ma''am," I quickly bow to greet her, and she smiles at me widely.


    "Good day, sweetheart. You must be the Cynthia that Adelie has been telling us about, yeah?" She pats my shoulder before she sits on the couch, and I quickly nod my head.


    "Wow! It''s so good to see you. Come on, why don''t you have a seat? Asher will soon be here," She says to me, and I nod my head and sit back on the couch.


    "I have heard so much about you, and they are all good things. Adelie has never had any friends, but I think she really likes you," She says to me, and I blush hard. "Thank you, ma''am," I reply to her.


    "You earned it, darling," She says to me, and I smile.


    The sound of the footsteps descending the staircase pulls my attention, and I snap my head there in anticipation to see Asher. My heart freezes in my chest for some seconds, as I watch him walk elegantly down the stairs. He''s graced in long ck trousers, and a red buttoned-down shirt that has the two up buttons opened, revealing his broad chest. His thick ck hair is clinging to his head while having some strands covering his forehead. He hasn''t gotten to where I am, yet his nice smell has filled the atmosphere. He''s the definition of perfection, to still look so handsome even with the deep frown on his face.


    "Oh, my God!" I don''t know when my hands fly to my mouth that dropped open moments ago. Just who the hell is this man, because I can''t believe he''s a human...

 Chapter 17

    Cynthia POV


    "Who is this?" His voice pulls me out of my world of Fantasy, and I watch him stare at Adelie with a questioning look on his face.


    "She''s our guest... Your guest," His mom replies to him instead, and he turns his head to look at me with a nk expression on his face. As his pair of hazel eyes pierce into mine, I feel my heart melt in my chest, and I gulp down nothing nervously.


    "Who are you?" His deep voice sounds sexy to me, and I blush hard. I quickly stand up to my feet.


    "Uhm... Good day, Asher... My name is Cynthia... Adelie''s colleague," I reply to him, and he pulls a face that says ''so?''.


    "So?" He finally says it to my face, and I gulp down nothing nervously.


    "Uhm..." I pause and grab the wrapped gift from my handbag that''s on the couch, handing it to him.


    "Happy birthday, Asher... Please ept my little gift," I smile at him nervously, but he only stares back at me with the same expression on his face. He doesn''t look angry, sad, happy, or even impressed with my kind gesture. For some seconds, I ask myself what he''s thinking at the moment, but too bad that I am just a human that can''t even read people''s minds. If I could, then I think this would''ve been the best time it''ll be useful to me.


    Slowly, I tilt my head to look at Adelie who has a look on her face that shows that there''s a problem, the same goes with his mom, and I''m beginning to ask myself if I''ve done something wrong because I can''t remember doing anything since I came in here.


    "Who told you it''s my birthday today?" His voice sounds so scary this time, and his expression suddenly changes to a scary one, like he would devour me anytime soon if I don''t get the hell out of his sight, but I''m still bold enough to stand still. I''m ready for whateveres out of this.


    "Uhm... I saw it in your ID card," How I still manage to reply to him confidently, knowing that I''m lying is crazy. What if he knows that I''m lying? Will he get mad at me?


    "I hate people that lie to me, so who the hell told you that it''s my birthday today?" He snaps at me angrily this time, looking even scarier.


    "I did!" Adelie chips in before I can reply to him, and I slowly tilt my head to see her on her feet, and I bite my bottom lip. Is he going to be mad at her now? I just hope that I haven''t caused trouble for this family.


    I watch as he stares at her for a few seconds, while still maintaining an angry look on. He finally tilts his head to face me, and I flinch fearfully.


    "I don''t need your gift... And I would appreciate it if we don''t ever cross path in the future," He says to me coldly, and walk past me.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "I like you, Asher," I spill out, although it was difficult to do. An awkward silence assumes the atmosphere as I wait patiently for him to say something to me.


    He turns and faces me while having his hands tucked inside his pockets, and a smirk dancing on his lips.


    "You like me? Sorry, but ugly girls are not my spec. When you be beautiful in the future, you cane to me for a night, which I will dly give," He smirks at me before he turns to leave.


    "Who the hell do you think you are, Asher? The most handsome man that gets whatever he wants? How dare you treat my friend like that?" Adelie yells at the top of her voice, as she grabs the cor of his shirt, and pulls him back. "Adelie..." Tears stream down my cheeks as I try to call him, but he gives me a look that says ''stay out of this''.


    "Why the hell are you doing this, huh? If you have a problem with your birthday, why don''t you fucking speak up about it, and just stop looking so pathetic in the eyes of people?" Adelie scoffs at him.


    "Adelie!" He turns swiftly to face her with an angry look on his face.


    "What? Do you want to hit me for telling you the truth? Why don''t you fucking go ahead and raise your hand on me, you jerk! Go ahead and hit me, I dare you!" Adelie further yells, and he slowly clenches his fingers as he res hard at her. He looks like he''s trying so hard to resist hurting his sister.


    "What? Are you just going to stare at me like that like a pathetic dog? Say something, you jerk!" She hits him hard on his chest, and he takes a deep breath.


    "Let''s not do this here, Adelie, please," The way he suddenly bes calm makes me wonder if he was the same man that was so fierce moments ago.


    "Why? How dare you call my friend ugly? Do you think of yourself as a man now for insulting a woman that has the courage to confess her feelings to you? You are a freaking pathetic idiot, Asher. You are a bastard!" She yells at him for the umpteenth time, and he turns his face away.


    "Uhm... I''ll be on my way now," I quickly grab my handbag from the couch and stride to the door, but his voice brings me to an abrupt halt.


    "I''m sorry, Cynthia," He says to me, and I stop for a few seconds before I finally pull the door open, and storm out of the house.


    I break into tears as soon as I step out of the house. Those are the most painful words that anyone has ever said to me. It wasn''t enough that he rejected me, but he made sure he made me look worthless.


    I scurry out of the gate and haul down a cab, which drives me out of the ce...

 Chapter 18

    Adelie POV


    It''s a beautiful morning, and I''m d that I''ll be having breakfast with my parents today. Just how much I''ve missed them so much. These past few days without them have been unarguably boring.


    Descending the staircase minutester, the aromaing from the kitchen wees me and realizing that I''ll be eating from the food made by that scumbag I call a brother, I can''t help but roll my eyes angrily. I''m still so mad at him for treating Cynthia the way he did yesterday. For goodness sake, she did nothing wrong. All she did was confess her feelings to the bastard she imed to be madly in love with. As much as I''m sad about what happened, I''m also happy that she realized the kind of person my brother is. Maybe she will learn to kill those dirty feelings and move on with her life. I''m sure someone will love and ept her the way she is. For fuck''s sake, Cynthia is not ugly.


    "Urgh!" I grunt angrily as I finally get to the dining room, where my parents are already seated and waiting for Asher to serve their food.


    "Good morning, darling. Did you sleep well?" Dad, the always energetic one smiles at me as he ruffled my hair, and I nod my head. "Good morning, dad. I slept well, what about you?" I reply to him with the same energy, and he smiles at me while nodding his head. "Good morning, sweetheart. Trust you had a lovely night''s rest?" Mom finally smiles at me, and I return the smile to her.


    "Yes, mommy. Good morning. Did you sleep well?" I ask her, and she nods her head.


    The sound of the footstepsing behind me alerts me of Asher''s presence, and I scoff angrily. I just wish I can p him so hard in the face right now. Just the thought of all the things he said to Cynthia yesterday is driving me crazy. How could he be so mean to my sweet and innocent friend?


    "Good morning, Adelie," His voice sounds through my ears, and I shut my eyes briefly, trying to control my anger. How the hell does he still have the nerve to talk to me, knowing that I''m mad at him?


    "Morning," I reply to him grumpily.


    He starts serving the food, starting from dad, then to mom, and finally to me, but I stop him.


    "I don''t want to eat rice, Asher. I''ll make noodles for myself," I stop him from serving me, and I can see the surprised look on my parent''s faces.


    "Noodles? When did you start having noodles for breakfast?" Dad chips in before mom can talk, and I shrug.


    "Maybe today," I shrug again, as I roll my eyes. I don''t like having noodles for breakfast, but if that''s the only excuse not to eat the food made by him, then I would take the risk.


    "Alright. I will make it for you right away," Asher quickly says, dropping the bowl he was holding, and I shake my head.


    "I can make it myself, I don''t need your help," I say to him grumpily as I stand up to my feet, and re hard at him before I saunter into the kitchen, mming the door hard behind me.


    "What''s wrong with these two?" I hear mom''s voice from the dining as I set to cook, and I run my fingers through my hair.


    "Did you two have a fight?" I heard dad asks Asher.


    "No, we didn''t," The jerk dare to lie to dad when he knows that I''m mad at him? That''s so crazy.


    "I will go talk to her," His voice sounds from outside before I hear his footsteps drawing close, and I quickly turn to face the food which I already have on the hot te. The door opens, and I feel him walk inside and close the door behind him. "Adelie..." He calls softly and pauses.


    "What do you want?" I ask him, not sparing him a nce.


    "I know you''re mad at me for what happened yesterday, can we talk about it, please?" He asks me softly, and I roll my eyes. Who would''ve ever thought that my annoying and always possessive brother can be this jelly?


    "There''s nothing to talk about, Asher. Just leave, I don''t want to talk to you," I reply to him dismissively, and I hear him sigh.


    "Come on, baby. It hasn''t gotten to that," He further says, and my heart skips like a million times as my eyes slowly narrow in shock. For fuck''s sake, why the hell is he calling me baby?N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "Don''t call me that," I try not to stutter as I say to him harshly.


    "Ok, I''m sorry. I won''t call you that again. So can we talk now, please?" I feel his footsteps drawing close to me, and I quickly turn to face him. I gulp down nothing nervously, seeing the crazy look he has on. What the fuck is he up to now? "Wh... What are you doing?" I stutter, and he rolls his eyes at me.


    "Rx!" He hushes as he finally gets to where I am now leaning against the counter, and wraps his right arm around my waist, pulling me close to himself.


    "Are you crazy? Let go of me! Mom and dad may walk..."


    "Shhhh! Don''t be nervous," He hushes me as he leans forward and nuzzles my neck while burying his face there, teasing me with his hot breath, and I feel my heart pick race.


    "Wh... What are... doing, As... her?" My heart is beating so loudly that I bet he can hear its sound. I hate that my body reacts to his touch this way, but for fuck''s sake, why is he doing this? Mom and dad would be so disappointed in us if they should walk in on us doing this. They''ll never be able to forgive us.


    "Rx, sweetheart... What should I do to make it up to you? What should I do to make my baby forgive me, huh?" His hand crawls up my thigh, and his tongue teasing the nape of my neck as he whispers the question like he doesn''t want someone else to hear what he just asked me.


    "Sto... stop this, As... her... Just stop, please," I try not to moan out loud as I feel his hand caressing my thigh. I can feel my vagina wet from his touch, and I think I may end up squirting if he doesn''t get away from me this minute. "Tell me, sweetheart... What should I do to make it up to you?" He whispers the same question for the second time, and I bite my bottom lip.


    "Da... date Cyn... thia..." I end up bluffing out, and he quickly pulls away from me like I''ve just said something forbidden. His eyes suddenly darken with rage as he stares at me, and I gulp down nothing nervously. Why the hell is he reacting this way now?

 Chapter 19

    Adelie POV


    An awkward silence assumes the air as we all have breakfast. I nce over at Asher asionally, and he''s not even looking my way.


    Earlier in the kitchen after I told him to date Cynthia, he looked so angry that he ended up storming out of the kitchen, and I have been left questioning myself why he reacted that way. I mean, even if he doesn''t like her, there should be no reason he should''ve acted that way, right?


    "Son... What do you think about Cynthia? The youngdy seems to really like you," Dad breaks the awkward silence, and I nce at Asher to see that he already paused eating, and now holding firmly to his fork like he would stab someone if this discussion doesn''t end soon. I''m scared right now, and I can''t deny it.


    "Your dad is right, Asher... I mean, I have never seen anydye here to look for you, and I have also never really seen you with any before. She seems to be really courageous to havee here to find you," Mom chips in.


    "Uhm... Asher... Mom and dad are right. Cynthia has really been crazy over you. I have never really seen you with anydy, which makes me assume that you have none in your life right now. Why don''t you give her a chance?" I know I''m calling for trouble now, but it wouldn''t harm trying to convince him, right? Who knows, maybe he would eventually leave me to live my life happily if he gets a girlfriend for himself.


    He nces at me with an angry look on, that almost makes me urinate on my body, but I hold back.


    "Thanks for the suggestion, everyone... I don''t like her," He replies bluntly, and I sigh briefly.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "Is there anything wrong with her?" Dad further asks, and I can see that he''s already tired of this discussion.


    "Nothing... She''s not just my kind of woman," He replies to dad, and this really got me as I end up bursting intoughter, causing them to stare at me weirdly like I''d just lost my mind.


    "Sorry about that, but you? Your kind of woman? Do you have a kind of woman? I''ve never seen you with anydy, so who is your kind of woman?" I try not tough again, although it''s pretty difficult, because that was the funniest joke I''ve ever heard in years. It wasn''t supposed to be funny, buting from Asher, I consider it funny.


    "My kind of woman? I think you are my kind of woman," He replies to me after a few seconds of silence, and my heart misses a beat as I watch him stare into my eyes with desire written all over him. What the hell did he just say? Has he forgotten that mom and dad are still here?


    "Yeah, any man would want my baby, and I understand that. I think Cynthia is not bad. Since she''s Adelie''s friend, you can build her into the woman you want, with the help of your sister," Dad quickly chips in, and I sigh in relief. I thought they were going to overthink it, but I was mistaken. Although they would''ve done that if they know what their so-called son is doing behind their back.


    "Yes, dad is right... I will help you out with it," Iugh nervously, turning my gaze away from him since he has been staring at me with the usual eyes. Fuck! This guy is going to kill me before my appointed time, I just sweat it.


    "I will think about it," He replies casually, turning his attention back to his food.


    "So, what about you, Adelie? What''s your n? You''re not getting any younger, you know that, right?" Dad suddenly faces me and says.


    "Me?" I point my index finger to myself like he didn''t mention my name before he started talking. I''m just a terrible daughter, I know that. "Yes, you!" He rolls his eyes at me, and I smile at him weirdly.


    "My n? What do you mean by my n?" Although I know what he''s talking about, but I pretend not to. I''m not sure if I want to be with Raymond. Yes, I love him, but I don''t know if I love him enough to spend the rest of my life with him, especially now that Asher is always on the way.


    "I''ve heard rumors about you and your boss. Don''t y games with us. Did you two started dating already?" Mom chips in, and my eyes narrow in shock. Who told her that?


    "Raymond is a nice young man, so you don''t have to be scared. Just let us know if there''s anything going on between you two," Dad says to me, and I slowly nod my head. I guess I can''t keep it from them anymore.


    "Yes... We are dating now, although it hasn''t been long," I reply to them, and nce at Asher whose eyes are boring at me with rage in them. For fuck''s sake, he can''t marry me, right? He''s my brother, has he forgotten that? "Wow! That''s nice. Do you love him? Does he love you?" Mom asks me with a wide smile on her face.


    "Can anyone ever love you more than the way I do? Or can you ever love any man more than the way you love me?" Asher suddenly ces his arm around my shoulder, smiling at me creepily, and my heart misses a beat. "Come on, sweetheart. I know you love your sister, and she loves you too, but family love is far different from that. Don''t mix it together," Mom chuckles softly, but his eyes are only fixed on mine like he wants to look into my soul.


    "Answer me, Adelie... Do you love Raymond more than you love me?" Again, his eyes are suddenly bing so scary that I feel like jerking away from him and screaming my lungs out, but my whole body suddenly bes weak. It feels like I''m under his spell again, and I slowly find myself nodding my head to his question.


    "Will you be with any other man aside from me?" I hear his voice in my head, and it suddenly feels like we are the only ones in a forest.


    "No," I find myself replying to him as I stare nkly into his eyes.


    "You are mine, Adelie. What did I say?" His voice echoes in my head again, this time, with more power andmand.


    "I am yours, Asher," Those words escape my lips without being said by me. I try not to be controlled by him, but it seems like whatever he''s using on me is doing its work perfectly.


    "Tell me you love me, Adelie," His domineering voice echoes in my head, and I find my lips moving on their own, echoing "I love you, Asher,"


    "What are you doing, Adelie? Why are you staring at your brother like that?" Mom''s faint voice resounds in my head, and I snap back to reality. I nce at Asher to find him focused on his food and he''s not even looking in my direction. It can''t be that I have been hallucinating all this time, right?


    "I''m sorry, mom," I quickly apologize to her, and nce at him again to find him smirking as he fixes his gaze on his food.


    "When are you bringing your boyfriend over for lunch?" Dad asks, and I gulp down nothing...

 Chapter 20

    Cynthia POV


    It has been four days since I got the worst rejection of my life, and I haven''t been the same all this while. I took a few days off work just so can calm my head, and now that I feel much better, I''m finally resuming work today. ncing at my reflection one more time in the mirror, I finally pick up my bag from the bed and stride out of my room.


    Stepping out of the building, I stop at the roadside to haul down a cab that''ll take me to the office.


    Standing at the roadside for ten minutes without any hope of getting a cab, I sigh frustratingly. I think I''m going to have to trek because I can''t afford to bete for the office after spending a few days at home. Striding down the road a few minutester, a ck jeep pull over beside me, bringing me to a halt. I stare at the tinted window ss, wondering who the hell is in the car. It better not be one of those men that can''t afford to walk past any girl they see on the road, because I''m in no mood for that nonsense now.


    The ss finally wines down, and my mouth drops open in shock as the person that wees me. It''s Asher, my crush! Adelie''s brother, and the bastard that called me ugly.


    "Hi, Cynthia," He smiles at me awkwardly, and I blink my eyes to be sure that I''m not dreaming. Because for fuck''s sake, this was the same guy that insulted me thest time I was at their house. I would''ve concluded that he''s mistaking me for someone else, but recalling that he called my name, I know that he is aware of who he''s talking to.


    "Are you here to tell me how ugly I am, Mr. Asher?" I ask him, pissed. You can imagine the emotional trauma he has put me through with his words, you can imagine how depressed I had felt all these days, and you''re not expecting me to just pretend as if nothing ever happened, right? Even though I''m in love with him, I am not so stupid.


    "I see you''re finding it difficult to get a cab to your office. Why don''t you hop in and let me drop you off?" He asks me, ignoring what I asked him, and I scoff.


    "You must be thinking that I''m stupid, Asher, but I''m not. Calling me names and insulting me, and still showing up here, acting like a good person. You should either learn more about how to act or maybe quit pretending to be a good man," I fire at him, not minding if I gote to work.


    "I would''ve loved to learn more about acting, but unfortunately, I''m not an actor, neither am I aspiring to be one, and did you just say that I''m pretending to be a gentleman? I''m not, sweetheart. Why don''t you quit being stubborn, and hop in?" He rolls his eyes at me. Wow! He''s not even remorseful.


    "I''d rather trek down to the office, than hop in your car," I fire at him, and walk past him angrily.


    "Hey, Cynthia... We can talk about this in the car, ok?" He steps out of his car and starts following me. As much as I want to be happy about this, I try not to, because there''s nothing impressive about this. Who knows, maybe he''s trying to pull another stunt with me.


    He finally blocks my way, while tucking his hands in his pockets.


    "Fine! I''m sorry about what happened that day. I was not in a good mood that day, so I acted quite irrationally. Why don''t we talk about it on your way to work? I promise to make it up to you," He says to me like a gentleman that I''m not convinced he is. I don''t trust him.


    "Do you think I''m stupid? You think it''s fine to insult me and show upter just to me it on your mood swings?" I scoff at him, crossing my arms on my chest as I roll my eyes. I think I''m getting extremely angry here, but I can''t just help it. "Come on, Cynthia... I told you I''m sorry, can you give me a chance to make it up to you, please?" He cups his cheeks and smiles widely at me, but I still find his smile kind of weird, like he''s forcing it. Does that really matter right now? "Anyway, thanks for the gift. It looks great on me, yeah?" He shows me his hand, and I gasp sharply. He''s wearing the wristwatch I got for him, and I think I''m so fucking over the moon right now. "Yes... Yes!" I reply to him excitedly, blushing hard.


    "Thank you. Come on, you''re runningte for work already," He grabs my hand, and my heart misses a beat as he pulls me with his, leading us toward his car. We finally hop in, and he starts driving away.


    "Thank you," I smile at him shyly, and turn my face away afterward. This has always been my dream, but it feels so weird right now. I could never have believed if anyone had told me that I would ever be in the same car with Asher Williams, my crush, but now, my dream has finallye true.


    "I''m sorry again for the other time. I didn''t mean to do that," He breaks the awkward silence, and I nod my head.


    "By the way, you are really pretty, I was just teasing you that day," He says to me, and I feel like my head is going to explode soon because the fuck! He doesn''t know what he''s doing to me right now.


    After driving for what seems like forever, he finally arrives in front of thepany and stops the car.


    "Thanks for the ride," I say to him, and he nods his head. Just when I''m about to step out of the car, he holds my hand and pulls me back to the seat, and before I canprehend what''s happening, he leans forward and ims my lips, kissing me slowly and taking my breath away. I know it doesn''t make sense to kiss him this time, but fuck! I want this. Having my crush kissing me in his car is the best feeling ever.


    He finally pulls away from me and stares at me lustfully.


    "That''s my way of saying sorry about what happened. Here''s my card, you can call meter when you''re done in the office, so I can pick you up," He says to me, handing me his card, and I quickly take it from him.


    "I will surely do that," I nod my head excitedly.


    "By the way, you have such sexy lips. I wouldn''t mind tasting it every time, if you allow me," He winks at me seductively, and I blush hard. I know he''s being flirtatious with me right now, but I can''t deny that I love this side of him. I wouldn''t mind being his pet if he would flirt with me like this all day.


    "Thank you," I squeak excitedly.


    "You''re wee, sweetheart. See you after work," He winks at me, and I nod my head before I push the car door open, and step out of his car.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    I wave at him as I watch him drive away, and when his car is out of my sight, I turn to go inside but stop on my track when I find Adelie standing behind me with a nk expression on her face. "What! You scared me," I hold my chest as I flinch.


    "We need to talk," She says to me grumpily, then turns and starts walking away. What''s wrong with her now?

 Chapter 21

    Adelie POV Convincing Asher to go apologize to Cynthia yesterday wasn''t an easy task, but I''m d that he eventually agreed. They may start dating anytime soon because I will make sure of that. Staring out through the window of my office, I sigh briefly and check my wristwatch for the sixth time, wondering why Cynthia is not yet in the office at this time. We alwayse here at the same time, but Asher went to see her today, so I was expecting her to get to the office real quick since he will be dropping her off. Well, don''t bother racking your brain how I knew about that, because I nned everything. After the incident that day, Cynthia has refused to answer my calls, and although I have been there a couple of times to see her, she never wanted to see me as she kept avoiding me. She even went as far as taking a few days off from work. I know I shouldn''t have persuaded Asher, knowing that whatever he said to her didn''te from his mind, but I can''t allow my only friend to continue to suffer like this, right?


    Finally, I spot Asher''s car outside the gate, and I expected Cynthia toe out of it. Five minutes passed, and I begin to wonder why she''s taking so long toe out of the car already. Finally, I stride out of my office to go check on her, and just when I arrive downstairs, I find them kissing inside his car, and I slowly clench my fingers as anger spurs through me. I''m not angry because they are kissing, but for fuck''s sake, this is too early. I know Asher, and I''m sure he''s going to hurt Cynthia eventually. I only fucking asked him to apologize to her and bring her to the office, I never asked him to kiss her, did I?


    "That bastard!" I grunt angrily, and just when I''m about to go over to drag Cynthia from there, she finally steps out of the car, grinning from ear to ear. If only she knows what she''s getting herself into, then smiling would''ve been thest thing she would do.


    She smiles at his car until he drives away, just like a teenager that has just fallen in love for the first time. She finally turns to walk into thepany''spound, but she stops and flinches, holding her chest.


    "You startled me, Adelie," She holds her chest, breathing heavily.


    "We need to talk," I say to her instead, turning around to leave.


    "What happened? Did anything happen?" She questions me as she walks behind me, but I keep walking, not even sparing her a nce. We finally arrive at the female restroom a few minutester, and I m the door close as soon as we both walk inside.


    "Is everything alright?" She asks, looking a bit worried.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "Everything is not alright, Cynthia. How the hell is everything supposed to be alright when you were inside the car, kissing my brother like you both are a thing already?" I snap at her, and she stares at me nkly.


    "What are you talking about?" She asks, looking confused, and I sigh briefly. I shouldn''t have spoken to her in that manner, because it would seem otherwise.


    "Why were you two kissing?" I ask her calmly this time, and she scoffs.


    "What are you saying, Adelie? I have a crush on your brother, and you know that. Or should I rather say that I am in love with him? I..."


    "I know you''re in love with him, and I''m not trying to dispute that fact, Cynthia. Remember what he said to you..."


    "Oh, is it about that? He already apologized and told me he would make it up to me. I think your brother was just in a bad mood that day," She smiles at me, and I run my fingers through my hair crazily. She''s fucking driving me nuts. How the hell can she be so clueless? I mean, how can she think that the guy that called her names and rejected her a few days ago would change so soon?


    "Why are you looking so pissed? Is there anything you''re not telling me, sweetie?" She asks me curiously, and I shake my head. How can I possibly tell her my brother is a bad person? She would think that I''m crazy, and won''t even believe me. She''s so madly in love with him that she won''t even believe me, anyway.


    "Nothing... You just have to thread with care, Cynthia... Don''t get overlyfortable around Asher, ok?" I say to her, expecting her to understand the rest.


    "What do you mean?" She asks, but I only pat her shoulder.


    "I need to get back to work now," I say to her, leaving the restroom afterward.


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    Stepping into my office a few minutester, my phone suddenly starts ringing, and I quickly answer it when I see that the caller is dad. Why''s he calling me?


    "Hey, dad," I say to him, sitting on the chair.


    "Hey, sweetheart. How''s work going?" His voice sounds through the phone, and I nod my head.


    "Work is fine. Is there a problem, dad? I just left the house barely an hour ago, why are you calling?" I ask him curiously.


    "I called to remind you about what we talked about earlier. Invite your boyfriend over for dinner," He says to me, and I sigh briefly. Oh, right, I forgot he asked me to do that, and I feel this is not good. I mean, I don''t want him to meet my parents yet, but what am I supposed to do when they desperately want to meet him?


    "Alright, dad. I will do that," I reply to him and drop the call before him because I''m not ready for some random talks this morning. I have so many works to do today.


    ncing over to Raymond''s office, I sigh briefly and throw my head back. He''s not yet in the office. He told me earlier that his mom wasn''t feeling too good, so he took her to the hospital. I wonder how she''s doing now, and I wonder the time he would get back to the office. I''m already missing him.


    Speak of the Angel, the door suddenly opens, and I raise my gaze to see my handsome boyfriend, looking as hot as usual.


    "Did someone miss me here?" Those are the first words he says to me as soon as he steps inside the office, and I smile at him shyly.


    "Good morning," I greet him, and he rolls his eyes.


    "Come here," He gestures for me, and I stand up reluctantly, walking over to him afterward.


    "Good morning, sweetheart. Did you sleep well?" He wraps his right arm around my waist and pulls me close to himself while removing the strand of hair on my forehead with his left hand. "Hmm," I nod my head.


    "Did you miss me?" He asks me for the second time, and I find myself nodding my head to his question. I can''t deny that I really miss him.


    "I''m sorry, I had to spend some time with mom to be sure she''s fine before I left. I had to hurry here immediately," He exins to me, and I nod my head. "How''s her health now?" I ask him.


    "She''s pretty good now, and may be discharged tomorrow or next," He replies to me, and I nod my head.


    "Is there anyone staying with her there?" I ask, concerned.


    "Yes. My little sister is there," He replies to me, and I pull a puzzled look. He never told me he had a sister. Well, we haven''t really known each other much though. "Alright," I nod my head.


    "Uhm... My dad is asking you toe over for dinner tonight if you''re free," I say to him nervously, and bite my bottom lip. For some reason, I find this embarrassing...

 Chapter 22

    Adelie POV


    The rest of my day at the office was filled with me working as usual, and it was finally closing time.


    I wait in my office for Raymond to finish up with work, so we can go home together since he''ll being over to my ce for dinner. After waiting for what seems like forever, the door finally opens, and he walks out with the most usual cheerful smile lingering on his face.


    "I''m sorry for keeping you waiting, baby. I was talking to a client of mine," He exins to me, and I slowly nod my head.


    "It''s fine. Can we go now?" I ask him as I pick up my bag from the desk, and stride over to the door.


    "Sure, we can," He winks at me, as he walks over to me, and we leave the office together.


    Stepping into the elevator a few minutester while holding hands, we meet some of the staffers inside, and I feel a bit ufortable. I wanted to remove my hand from his grasp immediately, but his grip around me tightens, and when I raise my gaze to look at him, he shakes his head.


    I can feel the staffers'' gaze on us, and I bet I know what''s going on in their minds right now. Gosh! I feel like disappearing into the ground and nevering back here, but Raymond doesn''t even look bothered about it.


    My dream finallyes true as the elevator rolls open, and we walk out of it.


    Finally stepping out of thepany a few minutester, I stop on my track when I spot Asher, leaning against his car with a sunshade ss resting on his nose. For fuck''s sake! Who wears that kind of ss at this time of the day? It''s already dark for goodness sake. Well, that is not my problem now, but what the hell is he doing in thepany?


    "Excuse me, please," I excuse myself from Raymond and walk over to meet him outside the gate where he''s standing.


    "Looks like my sweetheart is having a nice time with her boyfriend. Fuck! I don''t want to be jealous, but I can''t help it," He clicks his tongue, before turning his gaze to look at Raymond, who is leaning against his car and waiting patiently for


    me.


    "What are you doing here?" I ask him, and he scoffs..


    "I have only seen him once and it was in the night. Tell me, is he more handsome than me? Is he sweeter than me? Did he do anything to you behind the walls of thepany?" Now, he''s sounding jealous and angry, even though he wants to hide it.


    "Stop being crazy now, Asher. I asked what you are doing here," I repeat my question, but he only shrugs.


    "I''m doing what you asked me to... Is there a problem?" A thin line appears between his eyebrows as he stares at me like he wants to see through me. He doesn''t need to say less before I would understand that he''s here because of Cynthia. "My eyes are on you, Asher... You better not do something to harm my friend," I threaten him, and he smirks at me.


    "For your sake, I will be nice to her. Don''t just let that bastard touch you, if you don''t want to see the other side of me," He says to me, and I know that those words are not just an empty threat. He fucking means everything he''s saying right


    now.


    "Asher..."


    "Tell him to behave himselfter when he''s at the house. I may end upmitting murder if he tries shit with me," He says to me before he turns his gaze above my shoulder, and a smileces up his lips.


    "Herees my pretty girl," The way he smiles at whoever ising behind me tells me that it must be Cynthia. Wow! Asher is not only a flirty bastard that does abominable things but also pretends a lot. How the hell did someone like him be my brother?


    "Adelie... I checked your office, but you weren''t there," Cynthia says after she hugs Asher.


    "Yeah, I left quite early. I''ll leave you two now. I need to attend to something at home. See you at work tomorrow," I say to her, and re hard at Asher before I turn and leave them.


    "I''m sorry for keeping you waiting," I apologize to Raymond once I get to where he''s standing, but his gaze is strictly focused on Asher, who just hopped inside his car with Cynthia.


    "Oh, sorry for not introducing you two. That''s Asher Williams, my elder brother," I say to him, clearing his doubt.


    "Wow! Haven''t really met him," He says, turning his gaze to me.


    "Yeah, he hasn''te here to pick me up since I started working," I reply to him, and he nods his head.


    He finally pulls the car door open for me, and I hop in. A few minutester, he drives out of thepound, and soon we are on our way to my house.


    As he drives down the busy road with vehicles parading around, I only stare out through the window as many thoughts cloud my mind. I''m scared, and I don''t want to deny it. I''m scared things might go wrong with Asher around, I''m scared he would do something stupid as usual, and maybe make Raymond doubt me.


    "Are you ok, babe?" Raymond''s voice pulls me out of my train of thought, and I tilt my head to look at him. I smile at him faintly, as I nod my head.


    "You look nervous," He says, cing his right hand on mine while focusing his attention on the road.


    "Don''t be, ok?" He assures me, and I slowly nod my head. I feel a bit relieved.


    We finally arrive at the front of the gate twenty minutester, and he drives in. We proceed toward the entrance door as soon as we hop out of the car, and step inside the living room, the aroma of delicacies wees us. Mom must''ve taken out her time to make the food.


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    "My sweetheart is finally here. I have been waiting all day for you," My mom who was in the dining room when I came inside, walks up to us, and pulls me into her arms, embracing me like it has been so long since she hasst seen me. "Good evening, ma''am," Raymond greets him politely, and she leaves me to stare at him in awe.


    "Wow! You''re so handsome. You''re wee to our humble abode, my dear. Adelie has told us so much about you," Mom blurts out excitedly, and I roll my eyes.


    "Thank you, ma''am. I''m d to be here," Raymond replies to her with a wide smile ying on his lips, just like the gentleman he is.


    "Oh, my goodness! You''re so cute," Mom gushes over him, and I turn my gaze away embarrassingly. Can she just keep it down, please? "Thank you, ma''am," He replies to her politely.


    "Such a gentleman. I bet you''ve chosen a really sweet man, Adelie. I''m so proud of you, honey," Mom pecks my lips, and I sigh briefly.


    "Come on, here. I made something sweet for you, sweetheart. The dining room is this way," She grabs his hand and leads him to the kitchen, while I just roll my eyes.


    "Mom, I will take change my clothes upstairs ande back. I''ll be back, Ray," I say to them before I leave for my room.


    Dragging myself up the staircase tiredly, I finally made it to the hallway, and as soon as I arrive at the front of my room, I push the door open tiredly.


    "Wee home, sweetheart," The voice I would always recognize even in my deep sleep speaks behind me, and I turn swiftly to find Asherying on my bed. What the hell! When did he get here?N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.

 Chapter 23

    Adelie POV


    "Wh... what... How did you get here?" I stutter as I stare at him, and sit up on the bed before he shrugs.


    "I got home pretty fast. Like five minutes before you arrive. I decided to wait for you in your room. Did I startle you? I''m sorry about that, sweetheart," He smirks at me, and I gulp down nothing nervously.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "What are you doing in my room?" I ask him as I step back fearfully, but he only scoffs and stands up to his feet.


    "What am I doing here? Is anything wrong withing to my sister''s room?" He asks me, a smirk ying at the corner of his lips, and I bite my lip.


    "Uhm... Can you leave? I need to change my cloth," I say to him.


    "No... Go ahead and change your clothes... I''m not looking," He utters before he giggles softly.


    "My bad! I may decide to look at my sister''s sexy bodyter. You can''t really me me for that, can you? I mean, you would also look if you were in my shoes, right?" He scrutinizes me with his eyes, biting his lip seductively. "Let''s not do this now, Asher. I have a guest waiting for me downstairs," I plead with him.


    "You can tell him to leave, sweetheart. I can give you a hundred folds of what he can''t even give you. Why do you still need him?" He hushes as he starts walking closer to me, and I step back until my back crashes against the wall.


    "I am more handsome than him... I have a perfect body... I''m jealous that he kissed you, and I haven''t done that in a while. Tell me, does he make you feel the same way I make you feel? Do you enjoy being with him more than me?" He ms his hand beside me on the wall, while towering over me. "Asher..."


    "Tell me, Adelie... Did you allow him to touch you even after all I told you? I''m sure you wouldn''t want me to murder that bastard right there in the living room, yeah? I don''t mind going to jail, you know?" He hushes as he raises my head to look at him, his eyes piercing into mine.


    "I told you, Adelie... You are my woman, and I wouldn''t have any other man touch you. Did he touch you?" He asks for the second time, and I gulp down the sudden lump that forms in my throat. My heart flee from its spot, and I''m sure it must''ve been stuck in my throat now because I''m finding it difficult to breathefortably.


    "N... no... He... he did... n''t," Tears stream down my cheeks as I stutter, and he finally pulls away from me.


    "Now, you''re making me feel like a bad person. Wipe your tears and stop being like that, sweetheart. I''ll wait for you in the living room... With your boyfriend," He says to me, emphasizing on ''boyfriend''. He finally pulls the door open, and strides out of my room, mming the door hard behind him.


    Releasing the breath I''ve been holding unknowingly, I run my fingers through my hair as I fall on my butt, and bury my face between my knees, crying my eyes out. Should I just speak up about the way my brother is harassing me? What if nobody believes me? What if they say that I''m losing my mind? What if they say that... Just what if... I fucking don''t know what to think anymore. I don''t just know what to do. I don''t know if I should keep enduring this till he finally does the worse, or if I should just run away from here and nevere back.


    I manage to stand up to my feet, dragging myself sluggishly into the bathroom to have my bath, whichsted for twenty minutes, and I wear something casual before I went downstairs to join Raymond and everyone.


    "I was about toe check on you. What took you so long?" Mom asks as soon as I arrive at the dining room.


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    "Nothing. My water system broke, so I had to fix it," I lie to her as I pull out a chair to sit on.


    "Are you ok? Did you get hurt?" Raymond asks with concern resounding in his voice, and I nce at him.


    "Hmm... I''m fine," I nod my head.


    "Raymond is really fun to spend time with. I think I like him," Dad says to me, and I smile at him faintly. "Thank you, Sir," Raymond replies to dad with a sweet smile on.


    "So, Asher... What do you think about your sister''s boyfriend?" Mom suddenly asks Asher and shit! She shouldn''t have done that. I nce at him, and as expected, he''s staring at me with a nk expression on his face. "Adelie... Can any man ever love you the way I do?" Not again, please.


    "Come on, Asher... You are my brother, and Raymond is my boyfriend. I know you love me, and Raymond can''t possibly love me the way you do, but I promise you that he really does," I intertwine my fingers with Raymond''s, and I bet the rage in his eyes can send anyone to their early grave.


    "Let''s see how long thissts," He says while having a smirk dancing around his lips, and my heart sinks into my stomach.


    "What do you mean?" Mom and dad ask at the same time, but he tilts his head to look at them with a creepy smile on.


    "Come on, mom, dad, I was only joking around with her," He rolls his eyes, and they both smile. I''m sure they won''t even smile at him if only they know the kind of devil they are calling their son.


    "Excuse me," He drops his cutlery, then stands up and walks away, ignoring dad who keeps calling him.


    "What''s wrong with him? Is he not happy to see me?" Raymond asks me in a whisper as soon as Asher is out of sight, and I scoff.


    "You worry too much. I think he''s having a mood swing or something of such. He''s usually like that," I reply to him, and he slowly nods his head.


    "Sweetie, why don''t you go talk to your brother? He shouldn''t be like that in the presence of our guest," My mom suggests, and my eyes widen. What! "Mom..."


    "Your mom is right. You should do that," Ray chips in before I can continue, and I slowly nod my head. They are sending me into the lion''s den, but it''s pathetic that I can''t even say no.


    Leaving the dining room, I head to his room where I''m sure he must be.


    "Asher... It''s me. Can we talk, please?" I ce knock on his door when I get there, but he ignores me.


    "Asher... Can you..." My voice trails off when the door suddenly bursts open, and before I canprehend what''s happening, he grabs my hand and pulls me inside his room, mming the door close behind us. He ms me against the wall, and ms his lips against mine, kissing me roughly. What the hell! I''m in a deep mess...

 Chapter 24

    Adelie POV


    "Let me go! Let go of me!" I struggle to break free from his tight grasp, but he is way more powerful than I am.


    "Don''t stress yourself, sweetheart. You''re gonna get exhausted," He pins my hands above me to the wall with just one of his hands, while staring at me with those lustful eyes.


    "Why are you doing this, Asher? Why the hell do you want nothing but to ruin me?" Tears stream down my cheeks as I stare at him, hoping to see him remorseful, but he rather maintains that nk expression.


    "I am not doing anything wrong, Adelie... I am only protecting my woman," He replies to me sarcastically, and I scoff.


    "I love you, and there''s no way I would ever let you be with another man. Never!" He utters, and I scoff as I slowly nod my head.


    "I''m still a virgin, Asher... How about you go ahead and do what you want now? I don''t care... You can... You can do whatever you want... Just let me be with Raymond... I love him, okay? You can''t separate us the way you have done with my previous boyfriends..." I grab the cor of his shirt and plead earnestly.


    "I promise, nobody will find out if you do it, ok? I''m ready to give you my virginity, if you will let me be with Raymond, please," I cry to him bitterly, and he scoffs.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "And who says that I want you just for sex? You belong to me, Adelie... You are mine alone, and nobody else''s. For as long as I live, I won''t ever let you be with any man," He further utters, and I bite my bottom lip.


    My legs wobble on the floor and tears stream down my cheeks as I finally pull the door open, and step out of his room.


    Wiping the tears from my eyes, I finally got proceed to join Raymond and my parents in the dining room.


    Raymond finally left, and I head to my room upstairs. I crash against the wall and burst into tears as soon as I walk inside my room.


    After crying almost all night, I finally fall asleep on the floor.


    I have no idea how long I''d been asleep, but the sound of my ringing phone pulls me out of my deep sleep, and Izily reach out for it and slide the answer button without even checking who the caller is.


    "Guess what, sweetie!" Cynthia''s voice sounds through the phone, and I finally force my eyes open, realizing that it''s already daybreak, and the sun is already out. Fuck! I slept for so long.


    "What is it, Cynthia?" I groan tiredly and sleepily as I manage to sit up on the bed, running my fingers through my hair. Wait a minute! I slept on the floor yesterday, howe I''m on the bed now?


    "It''s Asher... He just sent me a message, asking me to go out on a date with him tonight. I''m so happy," She squeaks over the phone, and I roll my eyes angrily. This shouldn''t have been a reason for her to wake me from my sweet sleep, right? "Asher?" I pretend to be surprised about it, although I still am. I know that bastard is up to something, but I just don''t know what it is that he''s cooking. He better not mess with my friend though.


    "Yes! I''m so happy, sweetie. We should get off work earlyter, so I will go shopping and get sexy clothes to wear," She squeaks again, and I slowly nod my head as if she can see me. Can''t believe she''s killing herself over Asher, the despicable human I so much detest for making my life a living hell.


    "Congrattions. We''ll talkter," I reply to her.


    "Come on, sweetie. Can you tell me what color of dress he likes on women? I want to wear something he will like," She asks me, and I roll my eyes.


    "I think you should ask him that yourself," I reply to her before I click the button and disconnect the call. Throwing my phone carelessly on the bed, I drag myself up and dash into the bathroom to have my bath and get ready for work. It only takes me fifteen minutes to have my bath, and another twenty minutes to get dressed. It''s literally my first time getting things done so quickly, especially when ites to bathing and getting ready to go out. I almost make sure that I take my time, but not in this case. Raymond told me before he left yesterday that we are having an appointment with some of his clients this morning, and we''ll be going there together. I don''t want to disappoint him.


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    Having breakfast with my parents a few minutester, since they insisted that I eat before I leave for the office, mom suddenly breaks the awkward silence.


    "Adelie, I and your dad will be leaving this morning for Anta. We will be away for three months because of a project we''ll be working on," She releases the bombshell, and my heart sinks into my stomach as I suddenly stop eating. "Can... Can Ie with you? I will take a few months'' leave at the office," I ask them because I can''t imagine myself staying under the same roof with Asher these few months that they''ll be gone. I don''t even want to imagine what he''ll do to me. Even though I offered to have sex with himst night, I was still not going to do it even if he had agreed to. It''s disgusting, sleeping with my own brother, and I can''t imagine myself doing it.


    "Come on, baby. I understand that you''re going to miss us, but you don''t have toe with us. You have Asher, and Raymond is also here to take care of you," Dad utters as he touches my head, and I bite my bottom lip. How I wish they know my reason, I''m sure they won''t hesitate for me toe with them.


    "You can spend some time at Raymond''s house when you don''t feel like staying at home. Don''t just make your brother feel lonely," Mom further says, and I slowly nod my head. Maybe staying over at Raymond''s house for the time being before theye back won''t be a bad idea. I don''t want to stay with this beast I call a brother.


    "Hmm," I hum before we continue to eat.


    I finally leave for the office. Although the drive to the office was dyed by the heavy traffic jam on the road, but I managed to arrive at the office even if it waste. At least not toote for the appointment. "Good morning, sweetheart," Raymond stands up from my chair as soon as I walk inside. He seems to have been waiting for me here.


    "Good morning. Why are you here?" I ask in confusion, but he pulls me close to himself instead, and ims my lips, kissing me slowly and intensely, and I return the same energy. I mean, I want this.


    "I have missed you so much," He pouts his lips when he pulls away from the kiss, but still holding me to his body with his hands on my waist.


    "But we saw each other yesterday night... Howe you''re..." My voice trails off as he ims my lips again hungrily like I have been away from him for months. What the hell is wrong with him right now?


    As you reach the final pages, remember that 000005s.org is your destination for theplete story. Share the joy of reading with others and spread the word. The next chapter is just a visit away! "Come on, stop acting all possessive. We are in the office," I push him away, feeling a bit ufortable.


    "I''m sorry if that hurt you... I couldn''t just control it. I''m really sorry," He quickly apologizes to me, and I nod my head.


    "It''s fine... Uhm... What about the appointment?" I ask him as I watch him tuck his hands in his pockets.


    "I canceled them," He shrugs, and I gasp sharply.


    "Why?" I ask him, and he sighs briefly. Thest time I checked, he told me how important the contract was to him, and he was supposed to finalize everything today, so why did he do such a thing?


    "Nothing... The project is good to take much of my time if I decide to sign the contract. I may not have so much time to spend in the office, and also you know, my mom is sick and needs me now. My sister is still schooling, and she would eventually need to go back to school soon," He exins to me, and I understand with him. He has a good reason for doing that.


    "Alright. Do you mind if we go see your mom at the hospitalter?" I ask him, and he beams excitedly.


    "Not yet, sweetheart. She''ll be discharged today, so I think we should go see her at home tomorrow," He replies to me, and I slowly nod my head. Is this a way of introducing me to his mom? I just pray this ends well because this is the longest rtionship I''ve ever had. My previous ones alwayssted for two weeks, and we would break up.


    "Alright," I nod my head.


    "The party I was telling you about is tomorrow evening. I''ve ordered the dress you''re going to wear," He utters, and I nod my head. "Thank you," I reply to him.


    "Come on, sweetheart. I will be in my office. Call me if you need anything. I love you," He winks at me, and I giggle.


    "I love you too," I reply to him before he pulls the door open, and walks inside his office...

 Chapter 25

    Cynthia POV


    "Does this look good?" I ask Adelie for the tenth time, as I show her the red silver gown I just picked from the hanger. We are presently in the most beautiful mall in the town.


    "You''ve asked that like a million times already. Don''t you get tired?" She whines frustratingly as she raises her gaze to look at me. She has been sitting on the bench and pressing her phone since we came here. For goodness sake, I brought her to help me choose a dress for the date, and not to press her phone. I''m so pissed right now.


    "Can you just drop your phone and let''s do this fast?" I snap at her, and she finally stands up sluggishly as she rolls her eyes at me.


    We pick a few clothes and finally head to the cashier, where we make the payment before we finally leave the mall.


    "I''m just going to drop you off at home, and head home after," She says to me as we both hop in her car, and I smile at her. She''s going to be my sister-inw soon, and I can''t be any less happy.


    "Thank you, sister-inw," I tease her, although I''m dead serious deep inside me. Her reaction got me questioning myself. The way she acts whenever I talk about her brother, makes me think that there''s something she''s not telling me, or maybe he has a girlfriend and she''s not telling me about it.


    "Are you really doing this, Cynthia?" As expected, she pulls over at the side of the road, tilting her head to look at me. She looks like she''s hiding something from me, but I can''t just picture what it is. If only I could read minds, maybe it wouldn''t be so difficult. Fuck! How can I even have that thought? I think I have to stop watching too many dramas.


    "Yes..."


    "You are going to say yes if he asks you to be his girlfriend?" She cuts me off with her eyes narrowed, and I nod my head nkly.


    "You... Cynthia... Don''t you think you''re rushing things? I understand that you''re deeply in love with him, but don''t you think you should take things rather slow? Like, get to know him first before you getmitted to him," She tries to convince me, but I find it hard to believe.


    "Why do you not want me to date your brother? Is there something you''re not telling me? Because I don''t understand why you''re always trying to convince me not to be fast about things. Does she have a girlfriend you''re trying to hide from me, or do you just not like me to be with your brother?" I ask her, a bit pissed.


    "No, not at all... It''s not like that, okay? Asher doesn''t have a girlfriend, and how can you say that I don''t want you with him? Cynthia, I want what will make you happy, and if he''s the one that will, I have no problem with that... I just want you to..."


    "It''s fine, Adelie. I understand your care for me, but I''m sure about this. If he makes the move, I will dly ept him. I have always wanted this, so just let me handle this," I assure her, and she slowly nods her head.


    She finally drives me home, and by the time I arrive at my apartment, it''s already past 7pm.


    "Good night, sweetie. We''ll see at the office tomorrow," I say to her before she drives away.


    Taking a deep breath, I head to my room, and as soon as I walk inside, I dash into the bathroom and have a quick bath.


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    Stepping out of the bathroom a few minutester, I set to get dressed, and just when I round everything up, my phone suddenly starts ringing. It''s Asher on the phone.


    "Hey, baby girl," His sweet and sexy voice sounds through the phone as soon as I slide the answer button, and my heart misses a beat. I can''t help but imagine how sweet life would be with him by my side with each day that passes by, as he would sing to me with that deep and sexy voice when I carry his child.


    "Snap out of it, Cynthia. He hasn''t asked you out yet," I scold myself mentally, and gulp down nothing.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "Hey," I manage to reply to him since my hammering heart won''t let me speak louder.


    "I''m almost at your gate," He utters, and I smile widely. How will going out on a date with the most handsome man in the city feels like? Well, now I know. My stomach is filled with butterflies, and I feel like I''m going to explode anytime soon. "Alright, I''ll be waiting for you," I reply to him shyly, covering my face with my hand as if he''s here. I''m blushing so hard.


    "See you in a few minutes, baby," He says before the call finally drops dead, and I throw myself on the bed. Fuck! I love the way he flirts with me.


    I finally check myself out in the mirror to be sure that I''m ok, and I''m d that I picked this silver-colored short gown earlier. It matches my hairstyle and the color of my skin.


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    "Perfect," I smile at my reflection before I pick up my phone from the table, and stride out of the room.


    I spot his car parked at the front of the gate and him leaning against it as soon as I step out, and a wide smilece up my lips. As I advance closer to him, I find him extremely dashing in his outfit. He has ck trouser on, and a ck buttoned- down shirt that has the two up buttons opened, revealing his sexy chest that have me tripping for him over and over again. He''s gonna make me drool at him all day.


    His smile makes my heart waver in my chest, and the spark in his eyes makes me feel like there''s no man else on earth except him. His hair is quite messy, yet looks so cute and sexy on him. His perfume smells so expensive. "Mydy," He smiles at me widely once I get to where he''s standing, showing me his set of perfect dentition. Everything about this man is so perfect.


    "You look so cute," I can''t just stop myself from telling him the truth, and although his reaction is weird, but I still love it. What every normal people would say when they get apliment, is ''Thank you'', but he only said, ''I get that a lot''. "Shall we?" He pulls the car door open for me, and I smile at him before I hop inside in the front seat that''s just beside the driver''s seat.


    I watch as he walks over to the other side after he closes the door, and finally hops in. The journey to the sweet romantic date began, and my heart is so filled with joy. Is he going to propose to meter? Will he ask me to be his girlfriend? It''ll be the happiest thing in my life to finally be his girlfriend. I''ll be so happy. Those are the thoughts that linger on my mind as I stare at him drive down through the darkness, but I wouldn''t know until we get there, right? Why don''t I just remain patient till we get to our destination?

 Chapter 26

    Cynthia POV


    Arriving at our destination a few minutester, I realize that he brought us to a fancy restaurant. My dream one at that.


    "Do you like it here?" He asks as soon as walks inside the spacious restaurant, and I nod my head. This is more than beautiful, I must confess.


    "Yes, I love it," I reply to him, and he nods his head before he holds my hand romantically, making my heart fluster. Asher knows how to treat a woman, I must confess. Who would''ve ever thought that the same man that treated me like a piece of trash a few days ago, would be here, acting all lovey-dovey with me?


    The waiter came to take our orders as soon as we have our seats.


    "So, tell me about yourself," He begins as he stares at me with a serious look on.


    "My name is Cynthia, twenty-six years old, and the only child of my parents who are nowte. I work in the same ce as Adelie, and we are quite close," I reply to him, and he squints his eyebrows.


    "Is that all?" He inquires, and I shrug.


    "Yes, that is all," I reply to him, and he nods his head.


    "What about you? Do you mind telling me about yourself?" I ask him, and I bet his eyes flickered, as a deep frown settles on his face. Did I ask a bad question?


    "It''s better not to know, pretty girl," The corner of his lips tugs up in a smirk, and I feel my heart skips like a million times. The way he stares at me feels so creepy and scary, that I''m beginning to think that something is wrong somewhere. He doesn''t look like the Asher I came here with a while ago, but like another person to me because of the way he''s ring at me right now.


    "Ar... Are you... Ok?" I stutter nervously, even though I know that I should be asked that question. I am not ok, and I can''t deny it.


    "Do I look like I''m not, Cynthia?" He leans forward and asks in a deep and scary tone, throwing me off guard that I end up flinching fearfully.


    "You... You are scaring me," My heart hammers hard against my chest as I stare away. For some seconds, I find myself regrettinging out here in the first ce, but on second thought, I feel like it has been gotten to that extent yet.


    "Oh, I''m sorry, sweetheart. I was just ying with you," His voice sounds through my ears, but this time with remorse resounding in it, and I slowly raise my gaze to find him staring at me with an apologetic look on his face. Is he ying with me, or was I hallucinating?


    "I know I can be terrible sometimes because of the kind of person I am. I really hope you will get used to that," He speaks in a parable that I can''t deny not understanding it.


    Just when I''m about to say something, the waiter finally arrive with our order.


    "You can go. I will serve her myself," He says politely to the waiter, while smiling at him, and he bows before he walks away.


    "You didn''t have to stress yourself to serve me, you know?" I say to him, and he smiles softly.


    "That''s not a big deal," He says as he dishes out the food, and we start eating afterward.


    A dead silence ys in the atmosphere as we eat silently. I keep peeking nces at him, and he never raised his gaze to look at me. I think he''s strict with table manners, so I better go with the flow too.


    "Adelie said you like me. Do you?" He suddenly breaks the awkward silence, and I choke on my food.


    "Easy, girl," He pats my back after he hands me a ss of water that I gulp down the content in one shot.


    "Thank you," I reply to him as I drop the ss, and he nods his head.


    "So, I have an answer to listen to," He further says, and I nod my head shyly.


    "Do you want us to date?" The next question makes me raise my head to look at him nkly. Is this his way of asking me to be his girlfriend? Who does this?


    "Excuse me?" I blink my eyes confusingly like I didn''t hear him, but I just want him to repeat what he said earlier. Instead, he sighs and reclines on the chair.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    "You want us to date, right?" He asks, but this time, in a more appropriate way, and even if I don''t want to appear desperate, I can''t just help but nod my head. This may be my only chance of being with him, and I don''t want to ruin it just like that.


    "Do you want us to date?" He asks for the third time since I haven''t really answered him. I guess he wants to hear it from me directly.


    "Yes," I reply to him.


    "So be it then," He shrugs while having a smirk ying at the corner of his lips, and I stare back at him nkly. Just like that?


    "Why? Aren''t you happy?" A thin line appears between his eyebrows as he stares at me with a questioning look on his face, and I quickly shake my head.


    "No, it''s not like that. I''m happy," I quickly reply to him, and he nods his head.


    "Good. I will set the rules straight up. Our rtionship is going to be a secret that can''t be told to anyone, not even the person you''re closest to, ok?" He utters, and I pull a puzzled look.


    "Why?" I end up asking.


    "It''s better you don''t know why for now. I don''t want our rtionship to be public. You can always call me whenever you want to see me, and I promise toe to you at once. I will do whatever you ask me to do for you, but my time with you is not promised, as I''m always busy..." He pauses and leans forward.


    "Lastly, I''m a sex freak, and if you don''t want me getting it outside, then I''m sure you know the right thing to do, right?" He finally says, and my mouth drops open in shock. Is he a jerk, or is he just being straightforward?


    "Asher... Do you.... love me? Why do you want to date me?" I ask him, trying to suppress the tears that are threatening to escape my eyes. Everything he just said is a turn-off for me, but I''m sad, knowing that I won''t still be able to move on, regardless.


    "Love? I don''t love anyone, Cynthia... Not even myself. Love is cruel, life is cruel, trust is cruel, and so is my heart. Why do I want to date you? Because you want me to," He replies to me honestly, and although I know this is foolish and hurtful, I still find him cool. At least he was just being honest with me.


    "What will it take to win your heart, Asher?" I ask myself as I stare at him. I really want to be with this man for the rest of my life, I want to spend every minute of my life with him, but then, he doesn''t even love me.


    "Do you still want to date me, Cynthia?" He asks as his eyes darken.


    "Yes, Asher Williams... I will date you, and marry you in the future," I don''t know where the courage suddenlye from, but I find myself determined to be with this man. He looks like he''s hiding something, he looks like something is wrong with him, and I need to find out about that. I need to know what is wrong with this man, maybe I will be able to help him.


    "Wee to hell, Cynthia," He leans forward and whispers to me...

 Chapter 27

    Adelie POV


    I pace restlessly in the living room. It''s almost midnight, and Asher is not home yet, nor pick up my calls. I''m not worried about him, but Cynthia. I can''t possibly be fine, knowing that my best friend is with my despicable brother at this hour of the night, right? What if he does something crazy to Cynthia? What if he forces himself on her? I won''t ever forgive myself, knowing that I pushed him to do this, just to please my innocent friend. Slumping on the couch, I dial his number for the umpteenth time, and as expected, he didn''t answer the call.


    "Shit!" I curse under my breath as I scroll through my phone, and finally dial Cynthia''s number. I have been scared of calling her, but I don''t think I should hold back anymore. I have to make sure she''s fine. Luckily, she answers the phone on the first ring.


    "Hey, Adelie," Her cheerful voice sounds from the other end, and I heave a sigh of relief.


    "Cynthia, you''re ok? Where''s Asher? I''ve been calling him, but he''s not answering his phone," I ask her worriedly.


    "Yes, I''m fine. He just dropped me off at home and left. He should be on his way home now," She replies to me, and I slowly nod my head. Now that she said that he''s on his way home, I feel my nightmare haunting me again, knowing that he won''t leave me the hell alone when hees back.


    "Alright. I''ll call you tomorrow," I finally end the call, and I stand up to go lock myself inside my room so he won''t see me when hees.


    "Were you worried about me or your friend? You thought I would hurt her?" His voice sounds behind me, and I stop abruptly on my track. I slowly turn around to see him leaning against the wall. Fuck! When did he get here? "Twenty-five missed calls... That''s crazy. You must''ve missed me so much," He giggles as he starts walking toward me, and I step back fearfully.


    "What did you do to her? What the hell did you do to Cynthia?" I yell at him as I give him a disgusting look, but he only shrugs.


    "Nothing... I only told your desperate friend what she''s about to sign up for, and she agreed to still be my girlfriend. She''s such a sweetheart," He stops in front of me and tucks his hands inside his pockets. "Asher..."


    "I might as well be having a sex partner in the nearest future. She has a perfect body, and I''m sure she will warm my bed well," The corner of his lips tugs up into a smirk, and I gulp down nothing nervously. "Don''t do anything stupid, Asher. You wouldn''t want to get on my bad side, do you? Don''t hurt Cynthia..."


    "I only did what you want, sweetheart... You asked me to date your friend, and I just asked her out, and she agreed to date me," He shrugs, and I bite my bottom lip.


    "You don''t have to feel guilty, sweetheart. I already told her that I don''t love her. You are the only one on my mind, Adelie. I would never share your love with any other woman," He pats my shoulder, and I flinch. "See you tomorrow," He finally heads toward the staircase and climbs it.


    "Pheeeew!" I heave a sigh of relief as I slump on the couch and shut my eyes tightly. I finally leave to sleep in my room.


    My sleep was sound and peaceful since I locked my door tightly.


    My ring rm pulls me out of my deep slumber, and I snooze it for twenty minutes.


    A few minutester, I finally wake up and head to the kitchen to do the dishes. It''s Saturday today, and Raymond will pick me up soon to go see his mom.


    After doing the dishes, I walk back into the living room, expecting to see Asher there, but he''s nowhere around. He always wakes up before me, no matter how early I am to wake up.


    "Where''s he?" I ask no one and shrug before I head upstairs.


    "Asher... Asher... Are you there?" I knock on his door a couple of times but got no answer, and just when I''m about to head back to my room because I can''t risk going in there, my phone suddenly starts to ring. It''s Asher.


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    "Hey, sis. I went out early today to take care of something. I will being homete," He says to me.


    "Ok," The call drops dead after I reply to him. Where has he been goingtely? Asher is not someone that likes going out often, and to think that he has been going outtely, it''s somehow suspicious. Pushing all the thoughts to the back of my mind, I walk into my room and strip out of my clothes before I hit the bathroom.


    It takes me about an hour and a half to get ready, and just when I rounded up everything, Raymond''s call came in.


    "I''m waiting for you outside, babe," His sweet voice sounds through the phone as soon as I answer the call.


    "Alright. I''d be there in a minute," I reply to him before the call drops dead.


    ncing at my reflection in the mirror one more time, I finally stride out of the room, and it only takes me five minutes to join him outside the gate where he''s waiting for me.


    "You look gorgeous as always, sweetheart," He gushes over my look with admiration in his eyes as he stares at me.


    "Thank you," I blush hard.


    He finally pulls the door open for me, and I hop in the car.


    "Are you okay?" He asks me a few minutester as he drives us down the road.


    "Hmm," I nod my head and smile at him, which onlysts for seconds and disappears immediately. I''m nervous and thinking of many things. I know that I''m only going to say hi to his mom because she was sick, but I''m also nervous. What if she doesn''t like me? What if she thinks that I''m not good for her son? And I''m also scared about Asher. He would go to any length to ruin me, what if he decides to show up there and starts iming me?


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    "You don''t have to be nervous, ok?" He holds my hand and assures me, making me feel a bit rxed.


    "Hmm," I nod my head.


    The rest of the drive to our destination wasn''t boring, since he didn''t allow me to be lost in thoughts again, with his talks and jokes. In all these years that I have spent working with him, I never thought he would be this lively. "We''ve arrived," He announces as he pulls over, and I look out through the window to find us in thepound of a magnificent building.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    "Ray..." I call his attention just when he''s about to step out of the car, and he stops to look at me.


    "You''re ok, babe?" He asks me.


    "I''m scared... What if your mom or sister doesn''t like me?" I ask him, and he chuckles softly.


    "I love you, sweetheart, and that is all that matters," He cups my cheeks in his palms and stares into my eyes with an assuring look on. He makes me feelfortable and safe around him, he makes me feel like no harm cane to me whenever I''m around him, and even when I''m not, and that is one of the reasons I keep falling for him every day.


    "But..."


    "And don''t worry, my mom and sister will love my adorable woman. You have the charm to win anyone''s heart at first sight, so I''m not worried about that," He assures me, then leans forward and nts a kiss on my forehead. "Now, smile for me, babe," He hushes, and I giggle softly because of the way he pouts his lips.


    "That''s my baby girl," He winks at me before he alights from the car, and I do the same thing. I just hope and pray that this turns out wellter...

 Chapter 28

    Adelie POVN?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    With my hammering heart, I tighten my fingers around Raymond''s as we walk side by side toward the entrance door of the mansion, as many thoughts keep lingering on my mind. As much as I don''t want to think about it because Raymond asked me not to, I still feel a part of me nervous.


    He pushes the door open after he inputs the password, and we walk inside the spacious living room. Just my dad''s own, the living room is quiterge and beautiful. The couches look extremely expensive, a big chandelier light is hanging on the ceiling, and the ce smells really nice.


    "Sit here, babe. I''ll go get mom and my sister," He says to me, and I slowly nod my head as I sit and wait for him, feeling a bit ufortable.


    Barely three minutes that he left, multiple footsteps descend down the staircase, and even though I want to check out who the people are, I''m just too nervous to do it.


    "Wow! Is she the one? She''s so beautiful," A feminine voice whispers, and I finally raise my head to find a youngdy about the same age as me, standing with a wide smile on her lips. With the striking resemnce between her and Raymond, I need no one to tell me that she must be his sister. Raymond is standing behind her, smiling.


    "Good day. Uhm... I''m... Adelie," I smile at her nervously, my heart beating rapidly against my chest like it''s trying to force its way out.


    "Wow! You''re pretty. Look at you. Oh, my goodness, Ray... She''s so gorgeous," She gushes as she nces at Raymond, and I turn my face away shyly. "By the way, my name is Rhea, and I''m his sister..."


    "Little sister," Raymond corrects her, and she rolls her eyes.


    "Whatever! You are wee to our home, Adelie. Make yourselffortable," She says to me, and I nod my head before I take my seat again.


    "Don''t be nervous, babe. See? I told you she would like you. Mom will be here soon, ok?" He whispers as he sits beside me, and I nod my head.


    "What would you like to have? He didn''t tell us he was going to bring you today, so we didn''t make anything. But I can just go to the kitchen and make you something to eat," Rhea offers, and I quickly decline.


    "You don''t have to bother yourself. I already ate something before I left home earlier," I decline, and she pouts her lips.


    "Come on, you can''te to your boyfriend''s house and not eat anything. Wait! Did I say that well? No, I mean husband-to-be," She teases me, and I blush.


    "Hmm... I will have anything then," She finally leaves for the kitchen.


    "Wow! I am so lucky to have you, babe. You''re so gorgeous and sweet," He whines, and before I can react, he pulls me close to himself and nts a kiss on my forehead, making my heart fluster.


    "I saw that," A feminine voice sounds around the vicinity, and I quickly pull away from him. There is a woman in her forties, standing with a big smile on her face. I recognize her at once to be Raymond''s mom since he has shown me her picture before now.


    "Good day, ma''am," I quickly stand up to my feet and bow to greet her, but she pulls me into her arms and embraces me instead, patting my back.


    "You''re wee to my abode, sweetheart. My son already told me so much about you, and I''m d to finally meet you," She says when she pulls away from the hug.


    "Thank you, ma''am. It''s nice to meet you," I reply to her, and she smiles widely. Wait a minute! How does she still look so pretty at this age? I remember Raymond telling me that she''s clocking fifty-five in a few months, but she looks like she''s just in her forties.


    "You finally made me proud, son. Look at her, she''s so pretty," She says as she sits on the couch across from me, and I blush hard.


    "You trust me on that, mom. You know I always have eyes for beautiful things, just like dad," He winks at her, and I smile. I like the rtionship between the members of this family, and I wish mine can be like this. My mom is always busy with business and never had time to spend with me, and when she has time, she doesn''t spend it well with me too, and my dad. He too is always busy with work, going from country to country for business, but the little time he always spends with me is worth it. He would always make sure to make it up to me. And my so-called brother who is supposed to be there for me does nothing, but ruin my happiness and harasses me. I just wish my family can be this perfect.


    "Raymond, can youe help me get the salt from the cab? I can''t reach it," Rhea suddenly yells from the kitchen, and as Raymond stands up to go meet her, I follow him secretly, making sure not to let his mom know that I''m following him. Even though I trust him so much, I also need to make sure that he''s not like my brother.


    I stand in front of the door after he dashed inside the kitchen.


    "I thought you wanted to take the salt, Rhea?" His voice sounds from inside.


    "No, I have the salt. I just want to tell you that your woman is cute. Does she have a brother?" She says to him, and I smile excitedly.


    "Yes, why?" I can hear the anger in his voice as he replies to her.


    "Come on, don''t give me that look, I was just teasing you," She giggles.


    "Whatever!" Raymond scoffs.


    "You have to treat her right. She''s adorable, and I like her," She says.


    "You don''t have to tell me that, sweetheart. I know how to treat my woman," He replies to her, followed by his footsteps...

 Chapter 29

    Adelie POV


    I spent the whole day at Raymond''s house, and I also n to spend the night there, since we''ll be attending a party together tonight.


    Sitting in front of the mirror, the door creaks open, and Raymond walks in with a smile ying on his lips.


    "Did I disturb you?" He asks as hees to stand behind me, tucking my hair behind me as he leans forward and pecks my neck.


    "No, you didn''t," I reply to him after he pulls away, and he slowly nods his head. His hands are still on my shoulders, and with admiration on his face.


    "You are gorgeous," He says for the umpteenth time, and I blush hard. He never ceases to tell me how gorgeous I am, and that only makes me fall more and more for him. Did I forget to talk about everyone in his family? Well, they are all fun to be with, especially his mom. I was thinking she won''t like me, but she loves me and also thinks that I''m good for her son, which I''m d about.


    "Thank you," I blush hard, and he giggles softly.


    "You look cute when you blush," He ruffles my hair before he walks over to sit on the bed, and I roll my eyes.


    "So, who''s party are we attending?" I ask curiously.


    "My best friend''s," He replies to me, and I squint my eyebrows. Is this his way of introducing me to his friends? Wow!


    "Many of my friends will also be present there, so I want you to meet them," He further utters, and I slowly nod my head. I''m d he''s not hiding me and wants me to meet everyone he rtes with. Although it doesn''t give me so much security and assurance that we''ll be together forever, but at least I''m seeing that he''s doing his best to show me how sincere he is.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    "You don''t have to be nervouster, I will protect you," He winks at me, and I chuckle softly.


    "I didn''t say that I was nervous," I roll my eyes at him, and he giggles.


    "Alright. I will still protect you, regardless," He winks at me, and I smile at him.


    He finally stands up and walks into the bathroom to have his bathe, since it''s almost time we leave for the party. I take the opportunity to quickly get dressed before hees out because I''m notfortable being naked around him. At least not yet.


    By the time hees out of the bathroom, I''m already fully dressed and waiting for him to join me after he dressed too. My mouth drops open when I see hime out of the bathroom. His body is dripping wet, his hair is clinging to his head with water dripping from them. His perfectly toned abs are everything to drool over.


    "Stop drooling at me like that. I''m shy," His voice brings me back to reality, and I bite my bottom lip as I turn my face away. What the hell was I even doing, staring at him?


    "Uhm... I''ll wait for you in the living room," I quickly pick up my purse from the bed, ready to leave the room.


    "My mom is going to question you if you leave. She is crazy and would think we are faking being in a rtionship. Do you want her to force me to marry someone else?" He utters, and I feel this sudden nervousness that fills my heart. I don''t know why the sudden feelings, but I know that I don''t want him with another woman.


    "I''ll sit then," I reply to him, sitting on the edge of the bed, and looking everywhere else but his direction.


    After spending almost forever in the room, we finally leave for the party, and by the time we leave the house, it''s already past 8pm.


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    He drives us to the party, and we arrive in less than an hour. The vi where the party is hosting is quite big and beautiful. ording to what he said, a friend of his is celebrating his birthday today, and hosting the party here.


    By the time we walk inside the vi, my mouth almost falls open at the number of people that wees us. For someone who doesn''t like staying in a crowd, I think I might just end up passing outter.


    "Look who we have here. Hey, Raymond," A youngdy of the same age as I walk up to us and pulls him into a tight warm hug, and my blood boils in rage, but I try not to show it. How can he allow someone to hug him in my presence? "Hey, Rita. It has been a while. How have you been?" The way he smiles at her makes me so angry that I feel like punching him hard in the face. Like seriously? He''s annoying.


    "I''ve been good. I have missed you so much, sweetheart. Look at you, so cute," She winks at him, and I scoff angrily since I can''t control my anger anymore.


    "Like seriously, Ray? Don''t I exist here anymore?" Tears well up in my eyes as I re at him, and his eyes narrow.


    "What are you talking about, baby?" He tries to touch me, but I step away from him.


    "Hey, sweetheart, calm down. I''m sorry, I should''ve introduced myself, but I was so carried away. Raymond is my uncle, ok? I''m Rita, his niece," She introduces herself to me, and I look away embarrassingly. Wait! Now that I look at her, she has this resemnce with his mom. Howe I didn''t notice it earlier?


    "She''s the one you told me about, right? She''s gorgeous, and I love her," She turns to Raymond and says to him, but he''s busy staring at me with a smile on his face.


    "Sweetheart, I love how you''re trying to protect your man. Keep up the good work," She further says to me, and I smile nervously.


    "You look pretty when you''re jealous, sweetheart," Raymond whispers to my ear, and my heart skips.


    "Just stop with oppression already, Ray. You know my boyfriend is not here," She whines, and I chuckle softly.


    "It''s not my fault you didn''te here with him, right?" He smirks at her, and she rolls her eyes.


    "I will leave you two to have fun now. What''s your name, sweetheart?" She asks me.


    "Adelie," I reply to her, and she nods her head.


    "Alright, sweetheart. See you some other time. And Ray, tell your mom that I may be at her house next weekend to spend some time with her," She winks at him before she walks away.


    "I''m sorry, love. Rita can be crazy sometimes. She acts so clingily to me in public, which was what she disyed here just now. I''m sorry love," He apologizes, and I nod my head.


    "Look at you... You are already teary. Don''t ruin your make-up, ok?" He chuckles softly as he cups my cheeks in his palm, and before I can react, he leans forward and ims my lips, kissing me slowly like his life depends on it.


    "Whoa! Look who we have here! You want to turn my birthday party into an engagement party, that''s bad," Hearing the masculine voice, I quickly pull away from him, and turn to see a young man of the same age as him, walking up to us with a big smile on his lips. He seems to be the celebrant...

 Chapter 30

    Cynthia POV


    I check the screen of my phone for the eleventh time, and I sigh briefly. I have been waiting for Asher toe to meet me for the past fifteen minutes, and he''s not yet here. I invited him to go with me to my ex-boyfriend''s birthday party, which he promised to be here. I just hope he doesn''t disappoint me because this means so much to me. I will lose face. Before I broke up with that bastard, I told him that I would show up at his thirtieth birthday with my boyfriend that will be hotter and more handsome than he is, and I need to fulfill my promise.


    After what seems like forever, he finally shows up, and even though he''ste, I''m still so happy that he was at least able to make it. I may lose my mind if he didn''t show up.


    "I''m sorry I camete. I had to deal with something," He hops out of the car and walks over to open the door for me.


    "Thank you. It doesn''t matter, since you''re here," I reply to him.


    "You look sweet tonight, by the way," He winks at me as he hops inside the car, and I blush.


    "Thank you," I reply to him. The drive to the party finally began.


    As he drives down the road, the thought 9f Alex, my ex-boyfriend fills my mind, and I keep wondering what he looks like now. He was my first boyfriend whom I loved so much with everything in me and gave my virginity to him. We dated in high school when I was still sixteen, and we broke up when we graduated since he traveled out of the country to pursue his dream.


    After him, I dated two other motherfuckers, and because they couldn''t fill the vacuum Alex left in my heart, I had to break up with them. Six yearster, Alex came back and I was so happy. I thought our rtionship was not going to work out again, but somehow, we got entangled again and started from where we stopped.


    Alex was the sweetest man any woman would ever wish to have in their life. He treated me so well, but if only I had known that those were nothing, as he was only doing that to get into my pantie again, and do what he wanted with me. We dated for two years, and on his twenty-eighth birthday, I prepared a gift for him, but I was shocked when I got to the party that night, and he proposed to another woman even after he had sex with me the previous day. I ended things with him for real, and the bastard didn''t even feel remorseful about it.


    ''How do you expect me to be with someone like you? You can''t even fend for yourself'' his words even though it has been so many years, are still buried in my heart and hurting me every time I thought of them. He broke up with me and started life with a wealthy girl because he felt like I was poor and couldn''t offer him anything. I was so broken for the next few months, but eventually, I realized that he was right. I gathered my life together and moved on, I made up my mind that I was never going to be with any other man again. Over the past two years, I have met a few men that were ready to be with me, but I was never interested. I just hate all of them, but Asher, he is an exception.


    "You''re good? Why are you crying?" Asher''s voice brings me back to reality, and that is when it urs to me that I already have tears in my eyes.


    "No... Nothing, I''m fine," I reply to him, and he stares at me suspiciously for seconds before he focuses his attention on the road again.


    "Do you want to tell me something? I''m listening," He further utters, but I shake my head for the second time. As much as I want to tell him my pain, I also don''t want to look pathetic, I don''t want him to think that I''m using him to get back at my ex-boyfriend.


    "No, not really," I reply to him, and he nods his head again.


    It takes us an hour and a half before we finally arrive at the vi where the party is hosted, and as we step out of the car, I suddenly be nervous. For some seconds, I feel like I shouldn''t havee here in the first ce, I feel like it''s not worth it, but then, I have to prove my word to him, and fulfill my promise.


    As we walk side by side toward the building, Asher suddenly holds my hand tightly, making me feel a bit safe and calm.


    "Thank you," I whisper to him.


    "You are my girlfriend, so it''s what I should do," He replies to me casually, and I nod my head.


    Stepping into the building, I look around the ce. There is a good number of guests around, and waiters are busy serving the guests.


    "Come here," He leads me to one of the sets of chairs, and pulls it out for me like the gentleman he is.


    "Thank you," I smile at him before I sit on it.


    I watch as he stares around the ce like he''s looking for someone, and I can''t help but wonder what he''s looking for.


    "Are you looking for someone?" I ask him, and he tilts his head to look at me.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    "Yes. Adelie should be here," He replies to me, and I squint my eyebrows.


    "She''s here? She didn''t tell me she would being here," I utter surprisingly, and he shrugs.


    "I guess her boss invited her," He replies to me, and I nod my head. I have noticed something unusual between boss and Adelietely, but I haven''t asked her what is going on between them. I need to be sure first. "Oh," I utter, not knowing what to say.


    "I will be back. I need to use the restroom," He says to me as he stands up to his feet, and leave quickly, not even waiting for me to reply to him.


    "Waiter!" I call out to one of the waiters, and he walks over to me. I grab one of the tall wine sses on the tray he''s holding and sip from it.


    "Sorry, ma''am, you can''t have that. It''s for the celebrant," He says to me politely, and I scoff. If he has mentioned someone else, I would''ve considered dropping it, but Alex? Hell no!


    "And why can''t I have it, because it belongs to the celebrant?" I ask him as I finally stand up to my feet.


    "Don''t be rude and drop it, ma''am," He utters, trying to sound polite.


    "You''re the one being rude here. I like the wine, and I want to have this. You can tell the celebrant, or get something else for him to drink," I reply to him sarcastically, but he snatches the drink from me, spilling it on my cloth. "What is going on here?" Asher''s deep voice sounds from behind us, but I''m just too pissed to even say a word. Tears stream down my cheeks since people have started throwing nces at me.


    "The guest is being rude. I told her that the drink is for the celebrant, but she insisted that she wanted it," The waiter exins to Asher.


    "Is that why you spilled it on her?" He thunders angrily at the waiter, and even I flinch fearfully as I raise my gaze to look at him.


    "I was..."


    "How dare you do that to my woman, you bastard?" He thunders for the second time, as he grabs one of the sses, and empties the wine on the waiter before he smashes the ss on the floor. "How does it feel like?" The corner of his lips slowly twitches into a smirk as he takes another one from the waiter passing by.


    "Don''t you ever mess with my woman next time," He roars at him, before he throws the ss at him, getting him injured in the forehead.


    "What is going on here?" Alex''s voice sounds from behind us...

 Chapter 31

    Adelie POV


    After Raymond introduced me to his friend, whose name is Alex, we were all discussing something, and getting to know each other, when we suddenly heard the sound of a broken bottle, and we look in that direction to see that the vi is already in chaos.


    "What''s going on there?" Raymond asks as he springs up to his feet, and Alex follows before I stand up too.


    "I''ll go check it out," Alex says before he walks away, and we follow him too.


    As we approach the ce, I quickly recognize the person standing, whose back is facing us. It''s Asher. What the hell is he doing here? But when I spot Cynthia too, I didn''t need anyone to tell me that they came together. "What is going on here?" Alex asks once he arrives at the ce, but his expression changes as soon as he spots Cynthia, and the way they stare at each other, tells me that they know each other from somewhere. "Nothing serious, I was just trying to teach your mannerless waitress some manners," Asher turns to him and smirks at him as if nothing happened.


    "Oh, you''re bleeding?" Asher suddenly gasps as he turns to face the waiter, who''s holding his injured forehead.


    "How dare you, bastard! Who the hell are you to ruin my party?" Alex snaps at Asher, and my heart sinks into my stomach, knowing my brother won''t let that slide. Things are going to go bad here tonight if Alex says more annoying words to him.


    "You would like to take those words back, Mr. I don''t tolerate people saying shits to me, especially calling me a bastard. It makes my beast mode activated, and I bet you wouldn''t want that to happen," He smirks at Alex.


    "And wait! Did you ask who I am? Well, sorry for not introducing myself to you. My name is Asher Williams, Cynthia''s boyfriend," He replies to Alex, as he raises one of his eyebrows.


    "Hi, Alex... It has been a while. Meet my boyfriend, Asher... Sweetheart, this is Alex, my ex-boyfriend," Cynthia says proudly and confidently with a wide smile ying on her lips, and I now understand what this is all about. Cynthia brought Asher here for showoff. Is this girl crazy?


    "You look shocked, are you?" Asher breaks the intense silence.


    "Sweetheart, can you give some money to the waiter to sort himself out? I will refund you when we get home," He finally turns to me and utters, and I slowly clench my fists angrily. Can''t he just pretend not to know me? "You..."


    "Sweetheart, why don''t we go to the restroom so we can sort your dress out, huh?" He holds Cynthia''s hand and pulls her with him as they both walk away. I think I''m cursed with Asher.


    The party is finally almost over, and I can see Asher from where I''m sitting. He''s still there with Cynthia, and they are acting all lovey-dovey. These two are crazy.


    "Excuse me," I suddenly hear a feminine voice, and I raise my gaze to see a youngdy standing with a cunning and creepy smile on her face as she stares down at me. She''s in her mid-thirties, the red long gown she''s wearing is opened in the chest, showing her cleavage, and her brown hair falls freely down her shoulders with some strands covering one of her pair of brown eyes.


    "Hi, I''m Lena," She extends her hand for a handshake, and I stare at her nkly for a few seconds before I finally take her hand. It''s my first time seeing her, but she''s acting all familiar now, and I''m confused because I haven''t really met her before. Raymond excused himself and left for the restroom minutes ago, maybe they know each other.


    "Can I sit here with you?" She asks, and I slowly nod my head, even if I don''t feelfortable around her. I don''t want her to think that I''m being rude, or being a bad person.


    "Sure," She finally sits across from me and crosses her legs.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    "I didn''t get your name, sweetheart," She utters.


    "Oh, I''m Adelie..."


    "You must be Raymond''s girlfriend," she cuts me off, and I slowly nod my head.


    "That''s great. Well, let''s not be strangers. I''m Lena, his ex-girlfriend," She utters, and my mouth drops open in shock, but I quickly control it.


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    "Oh," I mouthed.


    "Lena..." Raymond suddenly shows up and calls her name, and I suddenly feel so angry. How the hell does he recognize her just from the back?


    "Ray..." She calls softly as she stands up to her feet and turns to face him while having a sweet smile lingering on her face.


    "It has been a while," She squeaks excitedly.


    "Yeah. What are you doing here?" He further questions her, and I roll my eyes as I turn my face away, but my eyes meet Asher''s, and I turn my face away again.


    "Alex invited me," She smiles widely at him, and he slowly nods his head.


    "Baby,e here," He finally gestures toward me, and I roll my eyes as I stand up and walk over to meet him. He has been acting like I wasn''t even here, so why''s he calling me now? "Sweetheart, meet my ex-girlfriend, Lena... Lena, meet my fiancee, Adelie," He says while beaming with smiles, and I blush hard.


    "Oh, your fiancee? That''s nice... Congrattions," She smiles at me nervously, but I can see the anger in her through her eyes. Do I care about how she feels? No! "Thank you," I smirk at her.


    "Sweetheart, why don''t we meet a few of my friends over there? You must''ve been so tired staying here, so I think we should take a stroll too," He says as he holds my hand, and I nod my head. "Yes, sweetheart," I reply to him.


    As you reach the final pages, remember that 000005s.org is your destination for theplete story. Share the joy of reading with others and spread the word. The next chapter is just a visit away! "See you some other time, Lena... I need to go with my woman now," He says to her, and she scoffs.


    We finally turn to leave, but I stop abruptly when I hear the tearing sound of fabric behind us, and I turn back swiftly to see her feet on the back of my dress which is now torn badly.


    "Oh, I''m sorry about that, sweetheart, it was a mistake," She smirks at me.


    "What the hell did you just do, Lena? How could you tear her dress?" Raymond snaps at her, but she rolls her eyes sarcastically.


    "Getting her another one won''t be a big deal, why make it look like one?" She scoffs, and I slowly ball my fists. I so much want to pounce on this bastard and beat the hell out of her, but I need to alsoport myself and act like it''s fine. "You..." She was saying, but her dress suddenly falls off her shoulders, revealing her naked body. She only has a pantie on, with no bra.


    "Oops! I''m so sorry, it was a mistake," Asher speaks behind her, and she gasps sharply as she turns to face him.


    "You, how dare you!" She snaps at him.


    "What? Are you angry? Don''t you have the money to buy another one? Buying a new one won''t be a big deal, so don''t make it look like it is," He smirks at her, and I can''t help the smile thatces up my lips. For the first time, Asher finally does something that pleases me so much. He fucking protected me even when I didn''t need it.


    "By the way, you have such nice boobs," He giggles softly, and by now, everyone has started taking pictures of her, while she uses her hands to cover herself up as tears stream down her cheeks.


    "You will pay for this," She raises her hand to p him, but Cynthia quickly stands Between them, and her handnds on her cheek.


    "I''m sorry, sweetheart, but I don''t like living in debt," Cynthia says, and before I canprehend what''s happening, she sends two hot ps across her cheeks.


    Wow! Today was crazy, honestly...

 Chapter 32

    Adelie POV Yesterday''s event was crazy, and what Asher did for me was epic, and still hard to get off my head. If anyone ever told me he would do that for me, I wouldn''t have ever believed. Waking up beside Raymond this morning is really a good feeling that I love so much. After the party yesterday, Ray took me to the nearest mall where he got me cloth to wear, after which he brought me to his ce, and the strange thing was Asher not saying anything. The Asher I know would never allow Ray to take me away. Who knows, maybe he''s now in love with Cynthia. I think I did a good job convincing him to date her. That way, maybe I will have peace of mind henceforth. But I''m still scared for my friend. What if Asher is up to something? What if he''s nning to harm her?


    "Good morning, babe. Did you sleep well?" Ray asks as he walks out of the bathroom with just a white towel hanging around his waist, and his body dripping wet. He just had his bath since it''s morning already, and he would need to go to the office.


    "Good morning," I throw my gaze away shyly as I feel my heart hammering against my chest. He''s so hot that I can''t even breathe. We slept almost immediately after we got home yesterday. I''m d he didn''t bother me that he wanted to have sex with me. He''s the most gentleman I''ve ever seen.


    "Is he hotter than Asher?" My subconscious mind screams at me, and I roll my eyes inwardly. I don''t want to start thinking about Asher this morning, please.


    "I figured you don''t have a dress here to wear to the office. Do you want us to stop by the mall on the way to the office?" He asks as he grabs the hand drier and starts drying his hair.


    "No, I think I will just go home and get ready for work," I say to him, even though I''m not sure about the decision I just made. I may end up regretting itter. What if I bump into Asher there? He may flirt with me again, and I may not be able to resist him. That''s going to be crazy.


    "Do you want me to drop you off?" He asks as he turns to face me, and I shake my head.


    "I''ll just take a cab home," I reply to him, and he pauses what he''s doing.


    "You can take one of the cars from the garage. I will send my driver toe to get itter," He offers, but I quickly shake my head. I mean, there''s nothing wrong with taking a cab, right?


    "It''s fine. I''m just going to take a cab home," I reply to him, and he shrugs after a few seconds of silence.


    While he''s busy getting ready for work, I leave for my house.


    "Are you leaving already? I made breakfast," Rhea says as soon as I step into the living room, and I stop on my track.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "I''m sorry, but I need to hurry home to get ready for work. I''ll see you some other time," I say to her before I hurriedly stride out of the living room, and soon, I''m standing at the side of the road and waiting for a cab to pick me up. ''Why didn''t I just order Uber?'' I sigh briefly to myself after five minutes of waiting and there''s no sign of a cab showing up anytime soon.


    I finally spot a cab and haul it down after a few minutes. I hop in and give him my address before the ride started.


    ''Don''t mess with my woman'' I scoff and shake my head as his words ring in my head. The angry look in his eyes yesterday made me feel like he would''ve torn Lisa apart if she was not a woman. Why the hell was he so angry just because someone tore my dress? Is my brother really obsessed with me? That''s crazy.


    We finally arrive at the front of the gate a few minutester, and I hop out of the car. My heart sinks into my stomach as soon as I walk into thepound and spotted Asher''s car in the garage. Here I was, thinking he must''ve gone to the office, but turns out that I was mistaken. What the hell is he still doing at home by this time of the day?


    Taking a deep breath, I proceed toward the entrance door and push it open before I make my way in. The aromaing from the kitchen wees me in as I walk into the living room, and I need no one to tell me that he has already made breakfast, and as usual, my mouth salivates at the smell of it.


    "I thought you were not going toe home today," His voice brings me to an abrupt halt as I walk my way toward the staircase, and I stop to see him in the dining room, sipping red wine. Now that I think of it, why the hell does Asher suddenly love taking red wine? Thest time I checked, back then when we were still kids, he was never fond of it, but after his fifteenth birthday, he suddenly changed and started to get obsessed with red wine.


    "Is that even something to think about? There''s nothing strange about it," my subconscious mind scolds my dumbness, and I sigh briefly before I turn to face him. He''s not looking in my direction, but just staring into space with a nk expression on his face, just like the sassy vampire in my imagination whenever I read a fantasy book. But wait a minute! Isn''t it wrong, topare my brother to a vampire? That''s inhumane.


    "Good morning, Asher," I greet him after I gulp down the sudden lump that forms in my throat, and as he tilts his head to look at me, my heart skips like I''ve just seen a ghost.


    "Good morning, sweetheart. Did you have a good night at your boyfriend''s house?" He asks as the corner of his lips twitches into a smirk, his eyes boring into mine.


    "Ye..." I stop and freeze on the spot for no reason, as I suddenly feel waves of fear surge through me.


    "What did he do to you?" As he stands up to his feet, I take a step back fearfully like my doom ising for me. As I watch him walk toward me, I feel like disappearing into the thin air, or maybe fainting won''t be a bad idea.


    "Did he kiss you? Did he sleep with you?" He whispers once he''s standing in front of me, his eyes not leaving mine. The look in his eyes exins nothing, but anger, possessiveness, lust, and desire. For some seconds, I wish I can read his mind and know what he''s thinking, but with the look in his eyes, do I need to read his mind to know what he''s thinking? I don''t think so.


    "No need to panic, darling. I''m just ying with you," He suddenly rolls his eyes as if he is easing the tension so I won''t be so scared, but I am. I can''t help it.


    "I... I... will be in my room," I quickly force my legs toward the staircase as I feel my heart beating rapidly against my chest. I should''ve just allowed Raymond to bring me home, or maybe get me a dress at the mall instead. I shouldn''t havee here by myself...

 Chapter 33

    Cynthia POV


    Forcing my eyes open after sleeping all night, I stare up at the ceiling as memories of yesterday night fill my heart. It has been so long since I was so happy. The look on Alex''s face yesterday makes me feel satisfied, and each time I think about it feels as though I''ve gotten so much achievement.


    "Urgh!" I groan tiredly as I sit up on the bed and run my fingers through my hair. I woke up quitete today, so I have to hurry up and get dressed so I can get to the office early enough.


    With all the strength I found in me, I drag myself from the bed and walk sluggishly into the bathroom, mming the door behind me.


    ''You don''t mess with my woman'' his words rings in my head as I stare at my reflection in the mirror, and I blush hard as I cup my cheeks in my palms, feeling on top of the world, because why not. Asher is the sweetest man I''ve evere across, and I''m d he''s my boyfriend now.


    "You arete, can you stop daydreaming already and get ready for work?" My subconscious mind screams at me in reminder, and I gasp as realization dawn on me that it''s almost 8am.


    Walking back into my room after having my bath, I proceed to get ready for work. I understand Asher won''t be able to pick me upter for work, since he has to also be at the office early, so I''m just going to have to take a cab there. "And then, we''re done," I giggle softly as I grab my handbag from the bed and stride out of my room, locking the door behind me.


    I giggle excitedly like a girl in her teen that just had her crush confessed to her, but this feeling is more than that, so don''t me me for being like this. Standing at the roadside for about two minutes, I finally haul down a cab, and the journey to my office began.


    "So sweet," I mutter and giggle asionally as the image of Asher keeps popping up in my head. The way he was protective of me at the party made me feel so special.


    "What''s going on?" The loud screeching sound of the car brings me back to reality, but when I look out of the window, we are not anywhere close to thepany.


    "There''s a heavy traffic jam ahead, so I would have to turn back from here. You maye down now, ma''am," The cabby says to me, and I scoff as my eyes narrow in shock, because why would he tell me that shit? "Are you expecting me to trek to my office? The ce is still far from here," I scoff at him.


    "I''m sorry, ma''am. But I''m only going to dy you if we should stay here. I need to turn back from here," He further exins, and I sigh briefly. I think I''m going to faint by the time I arrive at work on foot.


    Reaching for my phone, I check the Google map, and he''s right. The traffic ahead is heavy.


    "Alright. Here''s your money," I hand him his money after I step out of his car.


    "No, it''s fine miss. You don''t need to pay for it," He says to me, and zooms off before I can say anything.


    "What do I do now?" I whine almost in tears as I run my fingers through my hair frustratingly. There''s no way I''m going to trek to the office, right? I''m going to spend about twenty minutes on the road if I want to, and you know what that means. I may not be able to do anything by the time I get to the office.


    Still standing at the side of the road and wondering what I''m going to do, a bike suddenly pulls over beside me, almost crushing my legs if not that I shift back.


    "Hey! Are you insane or blind? Didn''t you see me here?" I yell at the bastard that''s on a helmet.


    "You haven''t changed yet, sweetheart," That voice I will never forget even in my deep sleep. It''s Nathan''s, my sweet cousin.


    Tilting my head to look at him, his usual smirk wees me as he crosses his arms on his chest.


    "Nathan!" I squeak excitedly as I rush over to him and pull him into my arms, hugging him tightly like he''s going to disappear if I go easy on him.


    "You aren''t nning to kill me, are you?" He scoffs as he pushes me off slightly, and I roll my eyes at him. He hasn''t changed a bit.


    "When did youe back to town?" I ask him, and he shrugs.


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    "Just got back yesterday night. Come on, hop in, I''ll drop you off," He says as he hands me his helmet, and I roll my eyes before I take it from him.


    "How did you know I''m here?" I ask as I hop on his bike.


    "That''s why there''s something called tracker," He replies to me sarcastically as he starts the bike and zooms off.


    Nathan is myte aunt''s only son. Just like some other unfortunate kids, Nathan didn''t have a good childhood since his useless dad abandoned him and his mom when the poor woman got pregnant. What do you expect from pregnancy out of wedlock? That''s one of the disadvantages of it. ording to my mom, his mom died three months after she gave birth to him, and since then, my mom has been the one taking care of him before she had me three years after.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    He left the city to go find a greener pasture when he turned eighteen. It has been eleven years since Ist saw my cousin, and having him back now makes me so happy. At least, I won''t be so lonely again.


    We arrived at thepany in a sh since he sped through the road and even vited the traffic rules. I just pray they don''t end up arresting him on his way back.


    "Thanks for the ride, Nathan," I say to him as I hop off the bike and hand his helmet back to him.


    "Yeah. I will be waiting for you at home. Come back as soon as you''re done here. We have a lot of things to talk about," He winks at me, and I roll my eyes.


    "I will. Bye," I wave at him before he finally zooms off.


    Turning around to go inside thepany, I stop on my track when I find Alex leaving his car. What the hell is he doing here?

 Chapter 34

    Cynthia POV


    ''You need to do something with your life, Cynthia. We can''t be together'' anger surges through me, and I feel my heart hurt so badly as I watch him walk toward the entrance door. Tears well up in my eyes as his words keep hitting me so hard. It has been years since he said those words to me, but they still feel as though they have just been said to me.


    Pushing all the thoughts to the back of my mind, I sigh briefly before I proceed toward the entrance door, and I head to the elevator as soon as I walk inside the lobby.


    The elevator is quite crowded, but thankfully that I made it to it on time. The elevator rolls open minutester, and everyone strides out of it.


    "Cynthia..." The familiar voice brings me to an abrupt halt, and I squint my eyes confusingly. Wait a minute, have I been in the same elevator with Alex? Howe I didn''t see him inside? I turn to face him, regardless. He''s still as handsome as always, and everything about him is still perfect, but not as perfect as my Asher. Why the hell am I evenparing them?


    "Alex... You''re here?" Although it''s hard to smile at him, but I still try so hard not to let the pain take the best of me. There''s no way I would allow that, never!


    "Yes, I just got here. What are you doing here?" He asks after he looks around.


    "Oh, this is where I work," I reply to him, feeling a sense of pride in my words, because why not? This same bastard mocked and left me because I had nothing to do, he left because he felt that I would be useless in my life, so it''s only right that I feel confident around him, right?


    "Wow! What a coincidence. I''m friends with Raymond," He says to me with a nervous smile on his face, and just that disgusts me so much. How dare he smile at me? How does he still bring himself to smile at me after everything he has done? If I were him, I wouldn''t have the nerve to even stand in front of me. Do I me him? I guess he doesn''t know what shame feels like.


    "That''s good. Excuse me," I reply to him sarcastically, ready to go.


    "Uhm... Hold on. Uhm... I know you''re at work now, I was thinking if we can hang out together and talk about something," He says to me, and I stop to look at him.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "Talk? I don''t think I will have the time, Alex," I reply to him sarcastically, and he slowly nods his head.


    "If there''s nothing else, then I will take my leave now," I tuck my hair behind my ear, ready to leave when his voice stops me again. What the hell does this bastard want from me this morning? The traffic jam almost ruined my day if not that Nathan came through for me, and now this bastard? Can my day ever get better?


    "Uhm... Is it fine if I talk to your boss to give you a day for it?" He asks, and I sigh briefly. Is this guy losing his mind now or something?


    "No, it''s not. I have a date with my boyfriend. Excuse me," I reply to him sarcastically before I walk away from him, heading to my office. As I walk through the hallway, I can''t help but feel this sense of fulfillment, because why not? Maybe I would''ve been hiding by now if I hadn''t done anything good with my life, but here I am today, boastful of the life I''m living.


    "You look stunning,"


    "You look beautiful, Cynthia," My colleaguespliment me as soon as I step into therge office, and I blush hard. "Thank you," I reply to them.


    "Oh my goodness! You needed to have seen Cynthia with her boyfriend yesterday. I was so jealous of her. The guy is just so perfect," Zara, one of my colleagues and the extrovert in the office whines as she cups her cheeks in her palms. "Really? Cynthia has a boyfriend?" Others murmur as they hurry over to her seat to get the full gist, and I feel so ted. Now, I know how good it feels for ones man to be the talk of everyone. Asher is unarguably cute.


    "Yes, she has a boyfriend. The man is just so cute," Zara whines for the second time, and I roll my eyes as I finally turn my desktop on, ready for the day''s work.


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    "Tell me about it," I hear another voice behind me, and I sigh briefly.


    "I heard he''s Adelie''s elder brother. The guy is just so cute," Zara says for the umpteenth time, and I finally m my hands on the desk to call them to order. I''m getting jealous already. Why would she be talking about my man like that? It''s annoying.


    The sound of my phone beeping pulls my attention, and I check the screen to see a text on the screen. It''s from Adelie.


    ''Let''s see briefly by lunchtime'' I read the message, before I reply to her, and just when I''m about to drop the phone, it beeps again with another text popping on the screen, but this time it''s from Asher. ''Hey, pretty. Let''s have dinner together tonight. I will pick you up after work'' I blush hard after I read the text.


    ''Alright, handsome. I will be waiting for you'' I reply to him before I drop the phone, and concentrate on my work again.


    It''s finally lunchtime, and I leave my office to go meet Adelie at the cafeteria where I know she must be waiting for me already. The youngdy doesn''t joke with food, so I''m sure she must be there already. Arriving at the canteenter, I spot her sitting there and already having her lunch like a hungry tigress, and I shake my head before I walk over to her.


    "Hey, sweetie. Did you not eat before you left for the office this morning?" I ask her as I pull out the chair and sit on it.


    "No, I didn''t. I''m so famished," She says after she gulps down some water.


    As you reach the final pages, remember that 000005s.org is your destination for theplete story. Share the joy of reading with others and spread the word. The next chapter is just a visit away! "I see," I roll my eyes as I watch her eat.


    "What about you, aren''t you going to eat anything?" She asks me, and I shake my head. I rarely have lunch, since I eat two times daily. Morning and night. I only have lunch when I''m so famished, and now, I''m not. "No, I''m not hungry," I reply to her, and she nods her head.


    "What was the stunt you pulled at the party yesterday?" She asks after she cleans her mouth with the napkin, focusing all of her attention on me.


    "What stunt?" I ask her, even though I know what she''s talking about.


    "Why did you bring Asher to the party?" She asks, and I scoff.


    "Come on, Adelie. You''re not serious, are you? Asher is my boyfriend, and it''s only right that I..."


    "You can''t date Asher, Cynthia. Can''t you get it? I know you love him, but you have to be careful around him," Again, she says the weird things that leave me questioning myself about what exactly is happening. "Why are you against my rtionship with your brother? You were the one that was helping me out then, why..."


    "You won''t understand, Cynthia. Asher is..." She stops and sighs deeply as she runs her fingers through her hair. What exactly is she hiding from me?


    "Am I not good enough for your brother? Does she have a girlfriend already? Why are you against my rtionship with him? This is getting out of hand, and I need to know what exactly is going on. What is happening?" I ask frustratingly, and she sighs briefly.


    "It''s nothing. You just have to be careful around him. Don''t love him with all your heart," She says to me before she stands up and strides out of the canteen without sparing me another nce. What is going on?

 Chapter 35

    Cynthia POV


    The rest of my day in the office was boring and just filled with me thinking about what Adelie said to me. I have been trying toe up with any possible reason for her to say that to me, but nothing seems to being through, and I think I''m losing my mind.


    It''s finally closing time, and I don''t even know if I''m ready to go for this date or if I should just go home and rest my head, but then, I know that I can''t bring myself to stand Asher upter.


    My phone starts ringing as I walk toward the exit door after I leave the elevator, and I slide the answer button as soon as I see the caller to be Asher. He''s always on the perfect timing. "I''m waiting for you outside the gate," He says to me.


    "Alright. I''ll be with you shortly," The call ends afterward, and I step out of the building once the exit door roll open.


    As I walk toward the gate, my heart missed a beat at the sight of him. He''s graced in all-ck shiny and expensive clothes, with the color of his car matching his dress. It''s literally my first time meeting someone that loves ck so much to the point of not wearing anything else aside from ck. Since I''m not always with him, I have no idea if he wears other colors, but the few times I''ve been with him, I''ve not seen him wear other cloth aside from ck color.


    "Good day," I greet him once I get to where he''s standing, and he nods his head with a wide and charming smile on his face. For some time, I feel the burden in my heart moments ago disappear immediately. His smile is like the therapy I need to cure all my problems.


    "How was your day at work? Was it stressful?" He asks as he holds my waist and pulls me close to himself, pressing my body hard against his, and I feel my cheeks flush embarrassingly. Why the hell is he doing this here? People are watching. "People are watching us," I whisper, and he chuckles softly.


    "You have to get used to this if you want to date me," He winks at me, and my brain suddenly shuts down as I stare at him nkly.


    "But... you asked to keep it a secret," My voice is so low that I doubt if he heard me, but the smirk on his face tells me that he did.


    "Yes, I did. I do things ording to my mood, and this is how I feel now," He smirks, and before I can think of what he said, he leans forward and ims my lips, kissing me slowly like his life depends on it. I feel my knees weak and suddenly fail to carry me, and just when I''m about to stagger, he holds me firmly to himself.


    "Oh my goodness! Isn''t that Cynthia?"


    "Her boyfriend is so cute,"N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "I''m so jealous of her. Look at them," I hear voices behind me, and I turn my face away shyly. Fuck!


    He finally pulls the door open for me, and I hop in, releasing the breath I have been holding unknowingly.


    "So, where do you want us to go? Do you want to spend the night with me at my house, at the hotel, or do you rather we go to the restaurant?" He asks as he starts the car engine, and I nce at him unbelievably. How can he be so so straightforward?


    "Resta... Your house," I blurt out before I can stop myself, and he chuckles softly.


    "What do you want to do at my ce? Have sex with me, or do you just want to sleep by my side?" He asks as he drives down the road, and I feel so embarrassed. What the fuck was I even thinking, saying that I want to go to his house? It''s so embarrassing.


    "Nothing... Just sleep by your side," I mutter, and he scoffs.


    "Staying by my side is dangerous, Cynthia. Are you sure you want to do it?" His domineering voice sounds through my ears, and I feel my heart freeze in my chest. "Yes, I want to," I don''t know where the sudden courage came from, but it feels like I''m not thinking straight right now, because what the fuck am I doing?


    "Alright then, if you say so," He replies to me with a smirk dancing at the corner of his lips as I stare at the side of his face, wondering what is brewing in his mind.


    "Do you know we will be home alone? Your friend is not around," He suddenly asks out of the blue moon, throwing me off guard. I''m sure he just wants to scare me away from him, but I''m determined.


    "Can you think straight, Cynthia? What if he hurts you? What if he forces himself on youter? What if he harms you?" My subconscious mind tries to call me to order, but am I really thinking of that now? No, I''m not. "Yes, I know," I reply to him, and he slowly nods his head.


    "What drink do you want to take? Red wine is nice, you know? Have you heard that it contains an aphrodisiac that can drive you crazy for sex just at the smell of it? I have it in stock at home, or do you know of any other drink?" He suddenly asks, and I snap my head to look at him. Wait a minute!


    "If you''re not used to taking alcohol, you can go for pomegranate juice or watermelon juice, but I don''t think they are as strong as red wine though," He shrugs, and my heart feels so swollen and about to explode. I think I''m going to lose my mindter.


    "What will you go for? We are almost at the mall. Tell me so I can drop by and get something for you," He further asks, and I sigh briefly. I think he''s going to sleep with me when we get to his house, and somehow, I''m not sad about it. I mean, I should''ve thought of it before I agreed to go to his house. And besides, I''m going to marry himter, so doing it with him won''t be a bad idea. But do we really need all that for it? I won''t be able to go to the office tomorrow if I taste alcohol. Just the smell of it drives me crazy and makes me drunk.


    "Can we do away with alcohol?" I ask nervously, and he nces at me.


    "How strong is your sex drive?" He asks, and my eyes narrow in shock as I feel my heartbeat increases rapidly. What the fuck is this guy doing to me now?


    "Excuse me?" I blink my eyes, and he chuckles softly before he nces at me.


    "Answer me, is it strong enough to match mine? If not, then I think you should take red wine. I hate weak girls in bed. It''s boring," He smirks at me, and I gulp down the lump in my throat. I think I''m done for. Is he a pervert?


    "I... don''t really know," I reply to him in a low tone, and he slowly nods his head. The rest of the drive to his house was filled with silence, and I can''t deny that I''m so scared. I don''t know what he''s going to do to me there, and I''m so freaked out. "We are here," My heart skips a beat as I pull back to reality and find him holding the car door open for me to hop out of the car. Am I really doing this?

 Chapter 36

    Cynthia POV


    Sitting on the edge of the bed and fondling with my fingers as I feel my heart pounding hard against my chest, many questions run through my mind, and I can only get more nervous. Now that I''m here, I''m kinda regretting why I came here in the first ce. Although he''s my boyfriend, I''m not sure that I want to do this with him yet, not when he told me that he doesn''t love me.


    "Should I just tell him that I want to go home?" I ask myself, but quickly dismiss the thought since it''s crazy.


    The shower suddenly stops in the bathroom, and my heart sinks into my stomach as the realization dawn on me that he will soon be out of the bathroom, and I gulp down nothing nervously. I feel like I''m going to pass outter. The door finally opens, and I stare at the ground, avoiding his gaze as I feel him walk inside his room. I can only see his hairy legs that have their hair clinging to his skin with water dripping down them. It''s literally my first time seeing him like this, and I''m already scared of raising my gaze to see what he looks like in nakedness.


    "Look at me," His domineering voice sounds through my ears, and I gulp down nothing nervously as I slowly raise my gaze to see him standing in front of me, with a ck robe on. Ah! That''s a relief that he''s not naked.


    "You look nervous. Is everything alright?" His voice sounds calm this time, and I can only wonder how he switches his mood and voice so often that they are so perfect. One minute, he''s the perfect male lead, and the second minute, he''s the viin that would send chills down anyone''s spine, no matter how brave you are. I feel like there''s something off with this young man, but what exactly it is, I have no idea of.


    "Hmm," I slowly nod my head as I stare at him. His pair of green eyes pierce at me like they are seeing through my soul and his damp hair clings to his head with some strands on his forehead. Although there''s only a small visible part of his chest, but I know he would have perfect abs.


    "Do you mind helping me dry my hair?" He suddenly asks out of the blue as I watch him walk over to the dressing table where he pulls out the chair and sits on it.


    "Hmm," I quickly stand up and walk over to the dresser, where I pick up the hand drier and set to dry his hair. All the time that I help dry his hair, his eyes never left mine as he stares at my reflection in the mirror. He looks like he has so many things running through his mind, and I can only wonder what they are.


    "Why do you love me?" He suddenly asks out of the blue, his eyes not leaving mine, which will make it difficult to lie to himter.


    "Why do you still choose to date me even after I told you that I don''t love you?" He further asks, not giving me enough time to think about the answer to his first question, and I sigh briefly. I have not really thought about it all this while. I have not asked myself why I love him, and I have not also known why I still chose to date him.


    "I don''t know," I reply to him honestly, and he scoffs.


    "Aren''t you scared of getting hurt?" He further asks, his voice hoarse this time, and I gulp down nothing nervously.


    "I... I..."


    "Why do you put me first, and not yourself? Do you love me so much to want to give up your happiness for me?" He cuts me off, and I bite my bottom lip embarrassingly.


    "Asher..."


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    "Are you hoping you would win my heart someday?" He cuts me off, and I gulp down nothing nervously. Why the hell did I even think that? He already made it clear to me that he doesn''t love me, why am I still trying? "Maybe," I reply to him honestly, and he chuckles softly which onlysts for seconds, and stops abruptly.


    "I promise you, Cynthia. I will marry you if you can make me fall deeply in love with you," He says to me, picking his words one after the other, maybe to make me realize how serious he is about this. "Huh?" I blink my eyes rapidly, and he smirks at my reflection.


    "I, Asher Williams, will marry, Cynthia and take you as my wife forever, if you can win my heart. I give you three months to do that, but if you don''t seed then, we will break up, forever," He further says, and my mouth drops open in shock as I stare at him. Is he being serious right now?


    "Asher..." My voice trails off as he suddenly stands up to his feet and turns to face me, making my heart skip. Slowly, he reaches for my hand and raises it to his chest, cing it against his heart. Strangely, I can''t feel his heartbeat. Does he not have one? It''s impossible for him not to have a heartbeat.


    "Your heart..." I mutter and pause to stare at his eyes, and he''s staring down at me.


    "If you can make it beat, I will consider giving love a chance... If you can make it race faster beyond control, I promise to marry you right away," He says with confidence, and my lips parted as I stare at him. Why is he so confident?


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    "How... can I make this happen?" I ask him, and he giggles as he moves away from me, and shrugs.


    "That is why you should try, Cynthia. I can''t tell you how, because even I don''t know how," He shrugs again as he sits on the edge of the bed, and reaches for the bottle of red wine on the bedside table. He pours some into the tall ss of wine and gulps everything down in one shot.


    "You are going to get drunk if you..." I try to stop him when he pours the second ss, but he already gulps everything down before I can talk, and I sigh briefly.


    "Don''t worry, I don''t get drunk, not with red wine," He smirks at me as he pours another ss and sips from it this time.


    "It''s gettingte, why don''t you go to bed?" He suddenly asks after he nces at the wall clock. It''s almost midnight.


    "What about you? Aren''t you going to sleep?" I ask him in a low tone, and he shakes his head as he finally gulps down the content of the ss cup.


    "I have something to take care of over the night. You should sleep first," He replies to me as he stands up to his feet. Here I was, thinking he was going to have sex with me, but turns out he''s not perverted as I''d thought. He''s really a gentleman.


    "Hmm," I slowly nod my head.


    "Good night. I will join you shortly," He says before he strides out of the room, closing the door gently behind him.


    ''You have to be careful around him'' now that I think about it, why did Adelie say that?

 Chapter 37

    Raymond POV


    I had a really tough day at work yesterday because of the appointments and everything I had to attend to, but seeing Adelie by my side made me a bit relieved.


    It''s another day to go to the office and start my usual routine. I woke up a few minutes ago after my rm rang, but Adelie is still sleeping peacefully. Having her sleeping by my side for the past two days has been the sweetest thing that ever happened to me. I feel myself falling in love over and over again, because why not?


    Stepping out of the bathroom after I spent some minutes having my bath there, I find her sitting on the bed with her fingers stuck inside her rough-looking hair. She still looks so cute.


    "Good morning, baby," I smile at her excitedly, and she tilts her head to look at me. Her eyes are a bit swollen, which means that she''s still feeling sleepy.


    "Good morning," She whines sleepily,ying back on the bed, and I sigh briefly. She must be so tired from work yesterday.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    "Did you sleep well?" I ask her as I walk over to the closet to get my neatly ironed clothes.


    "Yes, I did. Are you getting ready for work already?" She whines in her sleep, and I hum as I finally pick up the cloth and drop them on the bed.


    "Rhea already made breakfast. Do you want me to bring your inside?" I ask her as I walk over to the dresser to start getting ready for work.


    "No, I will eat in the dining room," She replies to me.


    "Come on, baby. You have to wake up so the food won''t get cold," Casting her another look, I find her struggling to wake up, and she finally did after a few minutes.


    "I still want to sleep," She whines as she drags herself from the bed and walks sluggishly toward the bathroom.


    "You can sleep all you want when you get to the officeter," I assure her before she dashes into the bathroom.


    "Ray, aren''t youing down for breakfast?" Rhea''s voice sounds from outside a few minutester.


    "I''ll be with you in a few minutes," I reply to her, and her receding footsteps echo along the hallway, which only means that she has gone back to the dining room.


    Since Adelie is not yet back from the bathroom, I pick up my phone from the dresser and walk out of the room, heading to the dining.


    "Good morning, mom," I hug my mom as soon as I arrive at the dining room, and she smiles at me.


    "Did you have a lovely night''s rest?" She asks beaming with a smile, and I know what she meant by that. She may be thinking that I had sex with Adelie over the night, but I don''t really want to rush things, so I have been really careful with her. I don''t want to make her feel like I only want her for sex. It hasn''t been easy trying to resist around her, but I''m still doing my best, because I love her.


    "Yes, mom. I did," I reply to her casually as I resume eating. I just want her to stop talking about it, and maybe change the topic but I know she would never do that.


    "Really? Tell me about it," She squeaks excitedly, and I roll my eyes at her.


    "Come on, mom. You shouldn''t know stuffs like that, you know? This is my private life, and besides, Adelie will be embarrassed if she finds out that I tell you about it," I lie to her, and she scoffs as she rolls her eyes.


    "Your sister tells me everything, why are you so different and difficult?" She huffs angrily, and I roll my eyes.


    "It''s not that I ever wanted to tell you, anyway. You literally forced me to always spill the beans, so what was I supposed to do?" Rhea chips in, and she scoffs.


    "But you enjoyed sharing it with me, didn''t you?" She says to Rhea, and I shake my head. My mom and sister are two same people that have absolutely nothing different with them. What was I expecting? She gave birth to her, so I shouldn''t expect less.


    "You should maintain table manners, you two," I roll my eyes at them.


    "Stop acting like you''re the dad of the house, and just eat," Mom says to me, and I huff. This woman is funny and crazy, but guess what? I love her so much.


    The sound of the footsteps descending the staircase pulls my attention, and as I tilt my head to find my woman there, my mouth drops open in shock at the beauty that wees me. Adelie is one woman I can never get enough of or get used to her beauty. She''s just like the brightest star in the sky that gets all the attention. She has the perfect body shape that drives me crazy and makes me so happy that she is mine. What the hell would I have done if she had rejected me then? Maybe I wouldn''t have ever remained the same again.


    "You are drooling, Ray. Mom is going to stuff something inside your mouth if you don''t close it," I hear Rhea''s faint voice, but I''m fucking long gone and lost in staring at my gorgeous woman.


    Suddenly, I feel a cold liquid substance sprinkle on my face, bringing me back to reality, and goodness! Mom just sprinkled water on my face.


    "What the hell was that, mom?" I whine at her, and she rolls her eyes.


    "You''re making me jealous. Your dad never looked at me like that," She whines as she cups her cheeks in her palms, pouting her lips.


    "Maybe because you are too annoying," I smirk at her before I quickly stand up and pull the chair out for Adelie to sit on.


    "Thank you," She smiles at me as she sits on it.


    "That''s so mean, Ray," Mom whines, and I roll my eyes as I sit back in my chair.


    "Good morning, ma''am. Good morning, Rhea," Adelie greets them politely.


    "Good morning, sweetheart. You look so gorgeous as always. I''m so jealous of you," Mom whines, and I roll my eyes.


    "Thanks, ma''am," She replies to her.


    "No, call me mom, please. I''m going to be your mother-inw after all. You should start learning it now," Mom says, and I blush hard. I love the sound of that. It''ll really be a dreame true for me, having her as my wife. I''ll forever be happy when that happens.


    "Alright, mom," She replies to mom, and my heart flutters. I think I''m going to explode soon because of excitement. I feel so ted and over the moon like I''d just won a lottery. She''s so cute. "Wow! So cute!" Mom whispers as she smiles sheepishly. This woman is crazy, cute, and so loving.


    Silence assumes the atmosphere as we start eating.


    "So, when are you two getting married?" Mom suddenly asks out of the blue, and Adelie chokes on her food. What the hell did she just say? Marriage? When the hell did we start dating?

 Chapter 38

    Adelie POV


    ''When are you getting married'' her words rey in my head for the umpteenth time as Ray drives us to thepany. I have never thought of getting married to Raymond, not because I don''t love him, but it''s just that I''ve never thought of marriage. I''ve never asked myself what I really want, and besides, we just started a rtionship and shouldn''t be talking about marriage yet.


    "Are you bothered about what my mom said?" His voice pulls me out of my train of thought, and I tilt my head to look at him before I sigh briefly. Is it not worth being bothered about?


    "No, it''s not," I lie to him, even though he can read my expression that it''s the reason.


    "You don''t need to pretend, babe. It''s fine to think about it. Don''t worry, mom was just teasing you. It''s fine if you''re not ready for it now... I will make sure he doesn''t mention that again, ok?" He assures me as he ces his hand on mine, caressing it slowly while still driving, and somehow, I feel relieved.


    "Hmm," I slowly nod my head.


    Silence surges in the car as he drives down the road, and my phone suddenly beeps.


    ''Guess what, sweetie. I passed the night at your house with Asher'' my eyes narrow in shock and my mouth drop open as I read the text over and over again.


    "Shit!" I curse under my breath, mming my hand against the window ss, and I bet it would''ve broken if I''m strong enough.


    "What is the problem? Are you okay?" He pulls over at the side of the road and stares at me worriedly while having a questioning look on his face. Fuck! That bastard! I''m going to kill him if he dares to hurt my friend.


    "I''m fine. Excuse me, please. I need to make a call," I say to him before I jump out of the car without giving him the chance to permit me. Stepping out of the car, I dial Cynthia''s number immediately, but on face time. I need to make sure that she''s fine.


    "Did you call to confirm if I''m saying the truth?" She pouts her lips as soon as her face pops on the screen of my face, but my attention is on the room instead, and she''s right. She''s really in Asher''s room. Shit! Is this girl so desperate to be with Asher that she can''t even read the bold handwriting that Asher is not interested in her?


    "What the hell do you think you''re doing, Cynthia? Why are you in Asher''s room?" I know I shouldn''t be so pissed because she may feel that this is weird, but I just can''t control my anger. I don''t want her to get hurt by that bastard. I know Asher. He is my brother, and I know he''s up to something, even if I have no idea what he''s up to.


    "Why are you angry again, Adelie? Don''t you want me here?" She blinks her eyes rapidly at me, and I run my fingers through my hair frustratingly. I think I''m going to lose my mind. How can she be dumb and innocent? Can''t she see that this stupid love is not genuine?


    "You need to leave there right now. Did he do anything to you? Did he hurt you? I can call the police if he hurt you," Even though I''m being unreasonable in calling the police on my brother, I also need to protect my friend. She''s too innocent to get hurt by that bastard.


    "Why are you being like this, Adelie? Even if you have something against your brother, why would you try to destroy our rtionship because of that? He hasn''t done anything wrong to me, and..." She pauses and looks above her phone, and with the expression on her face, I need not be told that Asher is there with her.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    "Give the damn phone to Asher," I yell at her, and she sighs briefly before she put him on the phone, and as soon as his annoying face pops on the screen of the phone, I gulp down nothing as I feel my heart sinks into my stomach. As if he had just cast a spell on me, I suddenly feel my anger dissolve inside me, and my voice suddenly disappears.


    "You wanted to speak to me, Adelie," He raises one of his eyebrows as he stares at me with a smirk ying at the corner of his lips. What the hell is happening? Is Asher using ck magic?


    "Don''t be ridiculous, you don''t even believe they exist," My subconscious mind reminds me, and I scoff mentally because I don''t even know what to think anymore. I don''t believe in ck magic, I don''t even want to believe that it exists, but I can''t help it at this point. Because what the hell just happened?


    "Why are you not saying anything, Adelie?" He asks again, and I quickly end the call. Taking a deep breath, I throw my head back as a drop of tears slid down the corner of my cheeks. I think I need to stay away from home for now, until I know what exactly is happening. This doesn''t seem like it''s easy anymore. Something is wrong with Asher... He must be possessed by some demons, but what about Cynthia that is now lost in his dark world?


    "Are you ok, babe?" Ray''s voice brings me back to reality, and I turn to see him standing behind me with a worried expression on his face.


    "Did something bad happen? Why are you crying?" He asks as he quickly walks over to me and cups my cheeks in his palms while staring into my eyes like he wants to see through me.


    "I''m fine," I slowly shake my head as I turn my face away. I really need someone to talk to about this, I need to let out my burden and find a solution to it, but I don''t know how to even begin, and the fear of nobody believing me keeps making me hold back.


    "You should get inside the car and let''s head to the office," I quickly say to him before I pull the car door open and hop in, fastening my seatbelt afterward.


    The drive to thepany was boring and filled with silence as expected. Ray couldn''t stop ncing at me asionally, and I know he must be wondering what''s wrong with me.


    We finally arrive at thepany after a long ride, and just when I''m about to hop out of the car, he holds my hand, bringing me back to my seat.


    "Do you not trust me enough to talk to me?" He asks as he stares into my eyes, and I gulp down nothing as I bite my lip.


    "I told you that I''m fine..."


    "You''re not. It''s written all over you," He cuts me off, and I turn my face away as tears well up in my eyes. How do I start telling him that my brother has been flirting with me for years? How am I supposed to tell him that something is off with my brother? Will he even believe me? What if he does? Then what?


    Slowly, he ces a hand on my cheek and turns my face to look at him. He wipes the tears from my eyes with his thumb, before he gives me an assuring smile.


    "I won''t force you to talk if you don''t want to, babe. I will be here when you''re ready to talk about it. Don''t just be sad, and don''t take everything up on yourself, ok?" He says to me, and I slowly nod my head.


    "I will always be here with you, and no matter what happens, just know that someone here loves you so much and would move the mountain for you," He further says, and I slowly nod my head...

 Chapter 39

    Asher POV


    "What are you nning to do now, Asher?" Alvira asks as she walks elegantly into the living room, looking as beautiful as always in her skimpy gown that barely covers her butt.


    "Nothing, I''m just waiting for the right time to strike," I shrug as I reach out for the tall wine ss on the center table, gulping down the content.


    "I''m scared, Asher... I''m scared that you might fall in love with her. I''m scared that you might..." Her voice trails off as I suddenly crush the ss in my palm, anger surging through me. I stare at my injured hand which heals immediately in less than thirty seconds before I raise my gaze to look at her, and she steps away from me fearfully.


    "What do you think of me? Do you think that I have forgotten the pain that bastard caused me? Because of him, I have been so miserable all this while, do you think I will be so soft to fall in love with that bitch? Never! I will never do such a thing!" I thunder at the top of my voice as I m my hands angrily on the center table, and she flinches as she gulps down nothing nervously.


    "Do you know how much I hate this look? Do you know how much I hate living like this? Do you think that I will give up thirteen years just like that? I have been doing this all these years, and I won''t ever give up. Not until I make sure that bastard die a miserable death," I further say to her as I stare into space. My gums itch badly as I feel my fangs growing in my mouth, my breath suddenly bes rough, and I''m sure my eyes must''ve changed color by now. For thirteen years, I have been concealing my identity just so I could get my revenge, but I don''t have the patience anymore. I''m running out of patience, and I need to get done with everything because I hate being like this.


    "Forgive me, please. I didn''t mean to get you worked up," She quickly apologizes, and I ignore her as I stand up to my feet.


    "Let''s meet in the room. I''m horny," And with that, I teleport to my beautiful andrge room. Standing in the mirror and staring at my reflection, I slowly clench my fists as anger surges through me. I feel likeying my hands on them and tearing them apart, just like that bastard did to me years ago, but then I still have to be patient for a little more time. Just a little more time and everything will be settled.


    Still staring at my reflection in the mirror, I suddenly feel two arms wrap around my waist as her head rests on my back. My heart beats rapidly against my chest, and I gulp down nothing as I slowly turn to see Alvira standing in front of me with the ever-charming smile that always melts my heart. Her pair of rarest grey eyes pierce into mine like they want to see through my soul, and I scoff as I quickly turn my face away. Alvira is the only one that has always made me feel this way, she is the only woman that makes me know what love feels like. Yes, I love her so much with everything in me, and I will destroy the world for her.


    "Can you let this face off, please? I don''t want to see you like this," She pleads with me, but that is a wish I can''t grant now. I can''t let this face off now.


    "I''m sorry, sweetheart. I can''t," I whisper as I lean forward and im her lips, kissing her slowly like my life depends on it. How much I always feel disgusted flirting with that bitch, but I really needed to do it.


    "I have missed you so much, baby," She hushes as she wraps her hand around my waist and throws her head back as I nt a kiss on her neck, teasing the nape of her neck, and she gasps sharply.


    Finally, I sweep her off her feet and walk toward the king-sized bed where I drop her carefully before I climb her. It has been a while since I wasst with her, and I have really missed her so much. I im her lips again and caress her bare thighs with warm hand. Just as usual, her skin feels so soft and warm under my touch, driving me wild. Just the thought of what I will do to her soon makes me so excited.


    Trailing kisses down her chest, I rip off her dress, revealing her boobs which I have missed so much, and as my eyes feast on them, she chuckles softly.


    "I''ve missed you, Alvira," I mutter before I lean forward and im her nipple with my mouth while fondling the other one with my hand, and it feels so good.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    My hand finds its way to her cunt which is already dripping wet like she just fucking peed, and I groan in pleasure as I push my finger inside her after I rip off her pantie. She arches her back as I push my fingers in and out of her, and her moan sounds like the perfect music I need for therapy. You can say that I''m crazy, and I agree that I am, especially when ites to this woman.


    My phone suddenly starts ringing just when I''m about to prate her, and I groan angrily as I grab the phone and throw it across the room, not even bothering to check who the caller is.


    Barely thirty seconds after the call dropped dead, the phone starts ringing again, and this time, I know that I need to answer the call and speak to whoever is disturbing me now.


    "Excuse me," I say to Alvira as I stand up from the bed and advance toward the phone, picking it up afterward. Checking the time to see that it''s past midnight, I can''t help but wonder why the hell Adelie decided to call me at this time. Isn''t she supposed to be with her boyfriend?


    "Hey, sweetheart," I say on the phone as soon as I answer the call, and I nce at Alvira who looks so jealous. Not that I like calling her that too anyway, but I have my reason.


    "Ash... er... Please help me... They are going to kill me... Please help me..." Her voice quivers at the other end, and she sounds so scared.


    "Adelie... What happened? Where are you?" I ask as my eyes widen in shock. Where the hell did she go?


    "Someone abducted me... They are going to kill me... Please help me," She sounds teary, and I gulp down nothing.


    "Hold on, I''ll be there with you in a few minutes. Keep your phone on, don''t switch it off," I say to her, and the call drops dead immediately.


    Turning to Alvira, I can see the angry look on her face, but this is not the time to be angry now. I can''t let Adelie die, at least not now. I need to save her.


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    "Where the hell do you think you are going? Is she the one that called you?" She asks as soon as I pick my cloth from the floor and wear it.


    "I need to leave now, Alvira. I''ll be back, I promise," I say to her hurriedly, turning to leave.


    "Is she now more important than me? Do you now love her?" She sounds jealous, and I stop to look at her.


    "I told you that it''s not like that. I need to get her out of there..."


    "Then fucking do whatever you want! I don''t care! You love her so much that you now choose her over me, then just go for her. But if you step out of that door, then consider this over forever," She yells at the top of her voice, and I sigh briefly. "I''lle back to see you," I know I shouldn''t leave her, but I need to. I can''t let Adelie die there. I will sort it out with herter.


    Finally pulling the door open, I storm out of the room and m the door close behind me, before I walk away briskly. I know I have hurt Alvira, but this needs to be done. I will make up for thister...

 Chapter 40

    Asher POV


    Driving down the road crazilyter like a maniac, I can''t even bring myself to think about what I''m doing right now. I know there''s more to this, but bear in mind that I need to save her because she can''t die now. Things will be messed up for me if she loses her life now.


    I keep ncing asionally at the screen of my iPad that I''m using to track her location, and I have about fifteen minutes before I get to the ce. I wonder how she was abducted, and who the hell was behind it. After driving for what seems like forever, I finally arrive at the warehouse in the middle of the deserted area where no one can easily locate it, and once I step out of the car, I check the screen of the iPad to see that her location has changed again.


    "Shit!" I curse under my breath and run my fingers through my hair. I''m starting to get pissed, and I''m not going to spare the bastard that''s messing with me like this.


    Hopping inside my car, I turn the car swiftly, and just when I''m about to leave, I sense something. Her scent is still around here, which means that they mustn''t have gone far. I stop the car abruptly and hop out of it. It''s hard tracing her scent since it''s mixed with some other peoples'', so I have to be extra careful.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Trailing the scent, I keep going farther into the deserted area until I arrive inside the woods which I''ve never been to, and the scent suddenly disappears. Since I''m still holding my iPad, I check the screen to find her location again, but thework here is bad and even her location can''t be found anymore. I think I''m losing my mind.


    Standing in the middle of the woods with many thoughts and questions running through my mind, I suddenly feel the movement of someone from a very far distance, and I quickly teleport to the ce to find Adelie tied tightly to the tree.


    "As... Asher..." Her voice quivers as she stares at me, with fear written all over her. Seeing her tied to the tree like a goat, anger surges through me for some unknown reason, and I slowly clench my fists and gulp down nothing. "Where are those bastards? Show yourselves to me?" I roar at the top of my voice, and soon, the rustling sound of leaveses behind me, and I slowly turn around to see three hefty men standing behind me. "Who are you? What the hell do you want from her?" I thunder angrily, and they all nce at each other.


    "Come on, don''t be like that..."


    "Don''t waste my time, why the hell is she here?" I yell for the second time, but instead of answering me, they only giggle like they''ve lost their minds. What the fuck is this? If only they know who they are dealing with, then I''m sure they wouldn''t want to mess with me.


    "Isn''t it nice that the two of you are here? I knew you woulde," I quickly recognize the feminine voice to be from the bitch that bullied Adelie at the party the other time. Wow! What a nice y. But calling me here is the worst mistake of her life.


    "You shouldn''t have done this... You just shouldn''t have," I slowly shake my head as I turn to face her, and she giggles.


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    "Why? Are you scared that I will kill her?" She giggles again, and I tilt my head to see someone holding a gun to the scared Adelie, and I scoff angrily.


    "Why don''t you try your luck?" I smirk at her, and without waiting for her to say anything, I teleport to the one holding a gun to Adelie''s head, and knock the gun from his hand, kicking him to the ground afterward.


    "I want to sleep," Turning to face Adelie who is terrified, I mutter to her, and her head slowly drops down as she falls asleep. It''s going to be dangerous for her to see me, at least not now.


    Turning to face the bastards that now look like they''d just seen a ghost, I smirk at them. It has been a while since Ist tasted blood, and it has been so annoying having to drink red wine in recement for blood, so it won''t be bad sucking their blood dry, right? They smell delicious, anyway.


    I advance toward the men who are now frozen on the spot because there''s no way I was going to allow my meal to run away from me. One after the other, I plunge my fangs in their necks and suck their blood dry until they slump to the ground and die, leaving the bitch conscious so she can be so scared of the nightmare in front of her. Nothing is more fun than making a prey so scared before killing them. It gives this satisfaction that nothing else matches.


    "Who... who are you?" She stutters as she falls on her butt and draws back from me, her forehead covered in sweat. I roll my eyes and smirk as I watch her attempt to run. If only she knows that she can never outrun the devil, then she wouldn''t have even thought of running from me, because I won''t have to move an inch before I catch her.


    "Somebody help me!" She screams at the top of her voice that I''m sure someone would hear her even miles away from here, but too bad that even if someone was sitting next to her, they wouldn''t hear her scream. Yes, that is how dangerous I am, so that is why no one should ever mess with me, or get on my bad side.


    "I told you that you shouldn''t have done this... Why did you invite me here? Now I''m scared that I can''t spare you..." I pause to observe her reaction, and it''s quite satisfying, to see her so terrified.


    "Please... Please don''t kill me," She pleads for her life, and I chuckle softly as I finally squat in front of her, and twist my neck making a cracking sound.


    "Why should I spare you? Why should I not kill you? Would you not have killed me and Adelie if I was weak?" I ask as I cup her cheek in my palm, staring into her eyes with a smirk dancing at the corner of my lips.


    "I won''t tell anyone, I promise... Please don''t kill me. Nobody will ever hear about it..." She pleads as she moves away from me, and I roll my eyes.


    "I don''t care even if you tell the whole world. Nothing will happen. Too bad that I can''t spare you," My smirk suddenly disappears, and I stand up to my feet.


    "Get up," Imand her, and she springs up to her feet immediately.


    "Take the knife," I point toward the knifeying beside her, and she slowly bends down and picks it up, holding it firmly like her life depends on it.


    "I want to stab myself," I mutter as I stare into her eyes, and just like that, she raises the knife and stabs herself deep inside her stomach.


    "I want to stab myself," I repeat for the second time, and she removes the knife and stabs herself again. I watch as she chokes on her blood until she falls to the ground and breathes herst. That is what she gets for messing with me...

 Chapter 41

    Asher POV


    Arriving at where I parked my car earlier, I drop the unconscious Adelie in the back seat before I hurry over to the driver''s seat before I drive out of the ce. She''s burning up, and I need to get her to the hospital immediately so she can get treated.


    Driving down the road a few minutester, I keep checking on her through the visor, and seeing her lying there with her eyes closed, I feel a bit angry. I shouldn''t be feeling this, considering that nothing happened to her, but I can''t help it. Would that bitch kill her if I hadn''t shown up? Would she have hurt her if I wasn''t there to save her?


    Taking a deep breath, I finally take the route that leads to the hospital, and after about twenty minutes of driving, I finally arrive. The door has been closed, so I had to bang on it hard until they opened it for me, and I rush her inside. "You need to stay back here. We will take it from here," One of the nurses stops me when I want to break into the ward she was just rushed into, and I sigh briefly as I run my fingers through my hair.


    Standing in the hallway and pacing restlessly like a maniac, the phone in my pocket suddenly starts ringing, and when I bring it out, I figure that it''s Adelie''s phone, and it''s her so-called boyfriend calling.


    "This bastard!" I scoff angrily. Where the hell was he when she was abducted, and why the hell is he just calling now? I thought she was supposed to be with him.


    I watch as the phone ring and the call drops before I switch the phone off, because why should I answer his call? I''m not the one that''s his girlfriend, right? So why should I talk to him?Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    The door finally opens, and I rush over to the doctor that just came out of the ward.


    "How is she, doc? Is she ok?" I ask him, a bit worried. It''s the first time I''m feeling this way, and it''s so weird. I can''t even stop to think about what the hell I''m doing right now.


    "Yes, she''s out of danger now. It''s not that serious. It''s just a fever," I sigh in relief as the doctor reveals to me.


    "Can I go see her now?" I ask him, and he nods his head before he walks away.


    Taking a deep breath, I push the door open and walk inside. There she is,ying on the bed with her eyes closed and looking so pale. I feel my blood boiling like it''d just been set on fire. I don''t understand why I''m feeling this way, but I can only conclude that I''m only protecting her for my own sake.


    Taking a deep breath, I walk over to the chair beside the bed and sit on it, before I take her hand in mine, giving it a light squeeze.


    Her phone starts ringing for the second time, and I check the screen to see that it''s Raymond. What the hell does that bastard want now?


    "Where are you, babe? I''ve been searching for you everywhere," His irritating voice sounds through the phone, and I roll my eyes sarcastically.


    "If you can''t protect her, then fucking let her go," That is the only thing I say to him before I end the call, and drop the phone on the bed, running my fingers through my hair afterward... I have no idea why I''m feeling this way, but all I know is that I''m so pissed right now. I don''t know if it''s about the situation she''s in right now, or if it''s because Raymond called. I don''t just know what the hell is wrong with me.


    My phone suddenly starts ringing in my pocket, and when I see Cynthia''s name disyed on the screen, I sigh briefly and drop the phone on the bed. I don''t know, but I just want to be alone right now, I don''t even want to receive any calls. My phone starts ringing again, and I answer the call this time.


    "Hey, Asher. Where are you? I''ve been trying to reach you but couldn''t. Are you okay?" Her worried voice sounds through the phone.


    "Yes, I''m fine. Adelie got a fever and I had to rush her to the hospital. We are at the hospital now," I reply to her because she deserves to know what''s wrong with her friend.


    "Is it that serious? Where is the hospital? I wille over right away," She replies to me, and I scoff silently.


    "You can''te now, it''ste. You should leave it till morning," I reply to her and end the call immediately, knowing she won''t listen to me.


    ''Alvira'' her name rings in my head, and I take a deep breath as I throw my head back and shut my eyes tightly. How will she feel right now? Is it really over between us?


    Pushing all the thoughts to the back of my mind, I intend to stand up and leave the ward, but she suddenly holds my hand, and I raise my gaze to see her eyes slightly open.


    "My head hurts," She whimpers silently as she touches her forehead. The way she stares at me, I know her vision is not yet cleared.


    "I will go call the doctor," I remove my hand from her grasp gently before I stand up and stride out of the ward to get the doctor.


    Heading to the doctor''s office a few minutester, I stop on my track when I spot Raymond walking briskly down the hallway, probably looking for the ward Adelie is in. He stops abruptly as soon as he sights me.


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    "What are you doing here?" I ask him as I slowly clench my fists. I hate him so much with everything in me, and just the sight of him makes me feel like throwing up.


    "Where''s she, Asher?" He asks, ignoring my question.


    "I ask what the hell you are doing here?" I snap at him angrily, forgetting that I was on my way to call the doctor.


    "Let''s not do this now, please. Is she okay? Where is she, please?" He pleads with me. I can see through him, I know he truly loves her so much, I can read his mind and I know how worried he is at the thought of her being in danger, and guess what? The thought of him being so much in love with her makes me angry instead that I so much want to break his bones and suck his blood dry.


    "If you are so much worried about her now, why the hell didn''t you protect her in the first ce? Where the hell were you when she was in danger and needed you the most?" I yell at him, angry about everything. Maybe I''m angry because she was in danger, or because he''s in love with her, but does that really matter now?


    "I... I can exin..."


    "You have to break up with her," I cut him off, and he raises his eyebrows as his face dtes in shock.


    "Are you kidding me? Who the hell are you to tell me that?" He scoffs, and I bite my bottom lip as I throw my head back, trying so hard to control my anger, because I may end up killing this bastard if I don''t control this anger.


    "If you can''t protect her, then let her go," I say to him calmly, picking my words one after the other to prove to him how deadly serious I am right now.


    "I''m never going to break up with her!" He fires at me, and I smirk as I shake my head.


    "You will eventually have no choice, Raymond. I told you no man can ever love her the way I do, right? Take note of that," I say to him before I walk past him, leaving him there. It didn''t take me much time to destroy her rtionships in the past, and with the way this dude is giving me a problem, I may just have to kill himter if he''s not careful enough...

 Chapter 42

    Adelie POV


    My body feels much better now as I woke up this morning. Forcing my eyes open about two minutes ago, the blurry figure of Asher wees me, and I close my eyes back again.


    I try to recall what happened yesterday night, but the only thing I could remember was going back home in a cab in the evening after work, and someone covered my face from behind, which made me pass out. After work yesterday, I decided to go home since I had something to pick from the house. Raymond was going to drop me off, but he got a call that his mom copsed again, so I told him to go ahead and that I would take a cab home. Turned out that I was abducted, but how I ended up here is what I have no idea about.


    "Are you awake?" I quickly recognize the voice to be Asher''s, and I snap my eyes open to find him sitting on the chair beside me. Memories of yesterday night came flooding my head, and my heart freeze in my chest as I stare at him. Although I was half asleep yesterday, I can still remember clearly everything that happened. How he sucked their blood dry, and how hemanded Le to stab herself until she died yesterday.


    I gulp down nothing fearfully, my blood suddenly stops pumping, and my body stiffens as I stare at him. Suddenly, the voice from the television in the room pulls my attention. The news of the death of those people is over the inte, and they are saying that they must''ve been attacked by wild animals since it was in the bush, but here I am in the same room with the murderer of those people. My brother killed all of them, and I don''t even know what to think anymore at this moment.


    "What? Are you scared? At least you should say thank you for showing up to help you. Who knows, maybe you would''ve been the oneying there lifeless now," He says to me with a nk expression on his face as he stands up to his feet. Yes, he''s right, but that still doesn''t change the fact that he killed those people. He murdered them, and the terrifying part was him sucking their blood. Who the hell is he?


    "You... you... you are not Asher, are you? You... you are not my brother, are you?" My voice quiver as I fidget on the bed, hoping that the ground swallows me because I''m so scared now.


    "Why are you so scared? Of course, I am your brother," He pulls the usual innocent face as he smiles at me like he used to, but I won''t be fooled by his smiles because I already know who he is. There are only two definitions of this. Either he was possessed, or someone is impersonating my brother.


    "Get away from me, you monster! Don''t touch me," I scream at him as I move away from the bed, but my voice only bounces back at me, and I know that I''m doomed.


    "You will only get yourself exhausted, Adelie. Nobody will hear you scream," The corner of his lips twitches into a smirk as he slowly reaches out for my face with his palm, and I cringe as I shut my eyes.


    "Don''t be scared, sweetheart... I won''t harm you," He whispers as he cups my cheek in his palm, rubbing his palm gently against it, and I feel my breath hooking in my neck. Now everything is bing clear and understandable to me. I was right all along to think that he was hypnotizing me all those time. He was really doing it. He was controlling me all this while.


    "Stay away from me, Asher... Who the hell are you?" I whimper fearfully, and he rolls his eyes.


    "I am Asher..."


    "You are not Asher... You... you are... not Asher..." I shake my head as more tears stream down my cheeks. I wish I can disappear from here, but sadly, I can''t. Will he kill me? Who the hell is he?


    "Yes, I am not Asher. You are right about that. Why don''t we strike a deal?" I watch as he pulls out the chair and sits confidently on it.


    "Wh... what do you want?" I ask him, and he shrugs.


    "It''s very simple. I want your parents'' lives, and I want to make you suffer for the rest of your life," His eyes suddenly darken as he stares at me with that deadly look, and I gulp down the lump that forms in my throat. "Vengeance... That is what I want," He further says, picking his words one after the other, probably to tell me how serious he is about this, who knows?


    "Why?" I manage to ask, and he shrugs.


    "Why?" He repeats my question before he giggles loudly as he throws his head back, and this time, I cringe when I see the long sharp fangs in his mouth. Now looking at me with his eyes as red as blood, I shiver as my forehead bes sweaty.


    "I think your dad is in the position to tell you that, Adelie," He replies to me in his cold and domineering voice.


    "For now, let''s pretend nothing happened," He whispers, and just like that, I feel my eyes suddenly heavy and I fall back on the bed since I can''t control the full force which sleep attacks me.


    I have no idea how long I''d been asleep, but I woke up to the bright sunshine which means that it is afternoon already.


    "Oh my goodness, you''re awake, babe? I''ve been here all day," I tilt my head tiredly in the direction of the voice to find Raymond looking at me worriedly while holding my hand in his.


    "Are you okay? How''re you feeling now?" He asks worriedly, and I smile weakly before I manage to sit up on the bed with his help.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    "Yes, I''m much better. What happened? How did I end up here?" I ask him after I look around the ce to find myself on the hospital bed. Thest time I remember was being in the cab, and now I woke up in the hospital. What happened? "You need to get some rest first, please," He replies to me instead, and I slowly nod my head. I try to recall what happened, but my head suddenly starts hurting, and I give up.


    "Where''s Asher?" I ask him, and he sighs briefly.


    "Your brother was mad at me that I couldn''t protect you, so he left since he couldn''t stand my presence," He replies to me sadly, and I sigh.


    "I''m sorry about what happened... I wouldn''t have left you alone to go home at that time of the night if my mom was not sick. I''m so sorry," He apologizes to me sincerely, and I slowly nod my head. The question is, what the hell happened after I left him and boarded a cab yesterday? Did I hit my head on a stone that made me forget what happened? Even if I was to lose my memory, why that part alone?

 Chapter 43

    Cynthia POV


    Walking down the road with Asher after we left the hospital, I keep ncing at him asionally, thinking of how to get rid of this dead silence. He hasn''t said a word since we left the hospital, and it''s already driving me nuts. I understand that he is worried about his sister, but he should at least talk to me, right?


    "Aren''t you supposed to be in the office now?" He suddenly asks as we stop at the side of the road, and I turn to face him.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    "Hmm. I had to rush down here to check on Adelie. Uhm... Are you okay?" I ask him, and he nods his head.


    "Yes, I''m fine," He replies to me casually, but I can see through his eyes that he''s not fine. Could it be because of what happened to his sister?


    "Are you hungry? Do you want us to go to a restaurant and get you something to eat?" He suddenly stops and asks me, and I quickly nod my head since I really want to hang out with him.


    "I think there''s a restaurant close by here, I''ll check the Google map," He says before he brings the phone out from his pocket, but his countenance changes to a deep frown the moment he sees the screen of the phone. "What happened? Is everything alright?" I ask him worriedly, and he tilts his head to look at me as a smilece up his lips.


    "Yes, everything is fine. Come on, let''s go already," He suddenly holds my hand and starts leading the way, while I trail behind him even if I''m not convinced yet.


    After strolling for about five minutes, we finally arrive at the restaurant which I must confess it''s really nice for a mini restaurant, and when I finally get to taste their food, I must confess that their food too is nice and delicious. Silence assumes the atmosphere, and I can feel his gaze all over me, making me wonder why he''s staring at me.


    "Uhm, Asher..."


    "Hmm?" He raises his eyebrow, and I bite my bottom lip.


    "If you need anyone to talk to, I''m always here, ok?" I say to him, and he nods his head after staring at me for a few seconds.


    "Sure," He replies to me.


    "Uhm... Ourpany''s end of the year party ising up in a week. I am officially inviting you to the party. Will youe?" I ask him, and he nods his head.


    "Why not? Of course, I will be there," He replies to me sharply, and I slowly nod my head. The way he talks to me is pretty weird, but I just have to go with the flow for now.


    "Uhm... Asher... You haven''t really asked much about me. Don''t you want to know much about me? Like what I like and also my dislikes?" This isn''t the time to ask him this, but I just want to talk about something so the atmosphere won''t be boring.


    "I''m not really interested in them, but if you wish to tell me, then it''s fine," He shrugs, and I feel like a hot coal was just ced on my heart to burn it. He could''ve said something else and not sounded like that, right? "Hmm," I slowly nod my head and take a sip from the drink we were served.


    "Uhm... Don''t you think we should take our rtionship to the next level? I know it has not been long since we started dating, and it may too early for you, but I just want to be sure of everything, and I hope you understand how I feel," I say to him, but he stares at me nkly like he didn''t understand anything about what I just said.


    "Uhm... What I mean is that you can actually tell one of your family members about us. Maybe telling Adelie won''t be a bad idea. I''ve also told my cousin about you, and he''s looking forward to meeting you soon," I further exin to him, and he throws his gaze away.


    "I''m not ready for that now. If you are not fine with my decision, then I think we should quit being together," He says before he stands up to his feet, and I stand up too


    "No, that''s not it, please. I didn''t mean to put pressure on you, so it''s totally fine if you don''t feel like it. You can do it at your convenient time. You don''t need to ask for a breakup," I quickly say to him, and he nods his head.


    "I need to leave now. I have something to attend to," He says to me, and walks away before I can say anything again. Did my words get him pissed?


    "Shit! Why did I even say that?" I mumble as I p myself slightly.


    I finally leave the restaurant after spending a few minutes there. The rest of my day was boring, but I finally arrive home in the evening.


    "What took you so long toe back home? You told me you weren''t going to the office," Nathan asks me once I step into the living room and slump on the chair.


    "My sister-inw wasn''t feeling too well, so I had to rush to the hospital to see her, and I went out with my boyfriend after I left the hospital," I reply to him tiredly, and he scoffs.


    "You could''ve just said your friend, right? You are unbelievable," He rolls his eyes as he slumps on the chair too.


    "Whatever! What have you been doing all day?" I ask him, and he shrugs.


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    "Nothing, I''ve just been here, watching TV to while away time since I had nothing much to do," He shrugs, and I sigh briefly. Nathan is temporarily living with me until he can secure a job. Was thinking of helping him talk to my boss so he can be employed since he qualifies to, but I haven''t had the chance yet, since Mr. Raymond has been busy recently.


    "You don''t look happy. Is everything alright?" He asks, and I nod my head even though I''m not feeling good deep inside me. I thought I would be able to do this even after he told me he doesn''t do love, but now I don''t even know what to think anymore. I wanted to ept my fate of unrequited love and live with it, but now it''s hurting me. I can''t help it, even if I don''t want to get hurt.


    "Come on, talk to me. You don''t look happy," He urges me, and I sigh briefly.


    "It''s Asher..." I pause when he rolls his eyes. From the first day I told him about Asher, he hasn''t had any good feelings about our rtionship, which I never even cared about, because I don''t really need his opinion to make my decision. "I told him today to tell his sister about our rtionship, but he got pissed and asked for a breakup," I exin to him sadly, and he leans forward.


    "Have you broken up with him now?" He asks, and I scoff.


    "Is that even a question? Why should I break up with him because he asked me to? I told you I love him, and..."


    "You have to pull yourself together, Cynthia. Why would he ask for a breakup just because you asked him to tell his sister about your rtionship with him? Ande to think of it, shouldn''t his sister be the first one to have known about your rtionship? I mean, she should''ve been the first person he should tell about what''s going on between you two," He pauses and scoffs as he runs his fingers through his hair.


    "Let me get this straight... Does he have another girlfriend, or doesn''t he love you? Because I don''t see any reason why he would put that up if he truly loves you. And wait a minute, are you sure he has not been looking for a way to break up with you?" He bombards me with questions, and I bite my lip sadly. As much as I want to tell him about this unrequited love, I can''t bring myself to tell him. Nathan is thest person I would reveal my pain to because he would do anything to take it away. He may end up confronting Asher if I tell him about my troubles, and that will make matters even worse.


    "Come on, you overthink things. He doesn''t have a girlfriend, and I know he loves me. It''s just that I asked the question at the wrong time. You know, his sister was sick and he had a lot going on in his mind, so I shouldn''t have brought that up today," I defend him immediately, even if I know that wasn''t the case.


    "But..."


    "Just let this go already. Did you make something? I''m famished," I drag myself from the chair and head toward my room. I close the door behind me and break down in tears as soon as I step into my room...

 Chapter 44

    Rhea POV


    I can''t believe that I just got recruited into the team of Police and investigators in the city, and the first case I was weed with was a murder case.


    Ever since I was a child, it has always been my dream to be a police officer in the future, and here is the future I have waited so long for.


    Just yesterday night, we found four dead bodies in the woods along the desert ind down in the secluded city of New York, and guess what! They all seemed weird. Three of the victims who were all men, had their blood sucked dry, and the fourth female victim was stabbed. No, she stabbed herself multiple times ording to the posture she was found in by the time I and my team arrived at the scene.


    We rushed them to the hospital that night even though they were already dead. We needed an autopsy report of them, so we can know what exactly happened. The news is everywhere on the inte, and I''m scared of people out there. I feel like the city is no longer safe for us. I mean, how could four people die at a spot?


    "Aren''t you going to get some sleep? You''ve been up all night," Lieutenant Dave, my colleague says to me as he walks over to the lobby of the hospital where I''ve been standing for hours. "I''ll be fine..."


    "That''s what you''ve been saying since yesterday. I understand that you need to do your best in this case, but can you just rest already? You are going to pass out if you continue like this," He urges me, and I sigh briefly before I sit on the long bench, burying my face between my hands. The image of the corpse keeps popping up in my head, and the only thing I can think of is to catch the culprit and make him or her pay for the crime. I need to get the credit for this, and also find justice for the dead.


    "Lieutenant Rhea," The doctor''s voice brings me back to reality, and I quickly stand up to my feet to find him standing in front of me.


    "Yes, doc?" I wait for him anxiously to say something to me.


    "The autopsy result for the female victim is already here, and it doesn''t shed enough light. She wasn''t touched but stabbed herself. I think it''s a case of suicide," He concludes, and I shake my head because that''s not the case. "Who knows, maybe she was abducted by those men, and she decided to kill herself," He shrugs and hands me the file before he walks away, but there''s no way I''m going to ept that.


    "You have to stay around the hospital, Dave. I need to go back to the station for something important. I''ll be back soon," I quickly say to him before I hurry away, not waiting for him to give his permission.


    Stepping out of the hospital, my phone suddenly starts ringing and I stop to answer the call that''s from Raymond.


    "Hey, Ray. Can I call..."


    "You didn''te back home yesterday and didn''t even answer any of my calls. When did you start work that you want to start making troubles for us? Mom is sick, have you forgotten that?" He snaps at me angrily from the other end, and I sigh briefly.


    "Can I call you back, please? I need to attend to something," I plead with him.


    "You need toe to the hospitalter. Mom Wangs to see you," He says before I finally end the call.


    I saunter toward my car that''s just parked at the parking lot and hop in. I start the car and try to move it, but it seems like it''s stuck here I quickly hop out of the car to check what happened to it, and damn! I have a t tyre. "Shit!" I curse under my breath, ruffling my hair crazily. I need to get to the office early, and I can''t even take a cab because they may get stuck in the trafficter.


    "Excuse me, miss. Are you ok?" Hearing a deep masculine voice behind me, I turn to see a young man in his early thirties, hopping out of a ck shiny car. He''s graced in all-ck attire that makes him look extremely handsome. He''s the most handsome man that I''ve ever set my eyes on after my brother. Yes, I can''t ept that anybody is more handsome than Raymond. He has a sunshade on, and as much as I want to picture what exactly he looks like, I have no time for that now. "Is everything alright?" He asks again, and I shake my head.


    "Look, I think I have a t tyre. I have somewhere urgent to be, and I don''t know what to do now," I reply to him, and he raises his eyebrows.


    "You can take a cab and get the car fixedter. Do you want me to order Uber for you if you don''t have the app on your mobile phone?" He asks, and I scoff unbelievably. I''m already frustrated, he should not try to add salt to the injury. "I can''t take a cab there. There may be heavy traffic ahead, and I don''t want to get stuck there," I reply to him, and he nods his head as he tucks his hands in his pockets.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    "Alright. You just wait here, while I go get you a spare tyre. I know a ce they are selling it around here," He utters, and I sigh briefly.


    "Look, I''m in a hurry, and I don''t think I have all the time to wait for you, okay? Can I borrow your car, please? You can have my keys if you think I won''t return it. You know my car is more expensive than yours, and..."


    "I have somewhere to be, and..." I snatch his keys, then push him out of the way, and hop inside his car before he can say anything else. I know this is wrong, but I have no choice at this point now.


    "Hey, miss, where the hell do you think you are going?" I heard him yell after me, but there''s no time to wait and batter words with him, so I drive away. I will apologize to himter when Ie around... chapter 45


    rhea pov


    i drove roughly to the hospital, and thankfully, there was no heavy traffic jam that could''ve kept me on the road.


    "here you are, lieutenant rhea. there''s a problem," sergeant james says as soon as i barge into ourrge office, his face holding confusion.


    "what is the problem, sir?" i ask him as i walk over to where he''s sitting and staring at the desktop in front of him, but the sight only confuses me more.


    "there are no records of the victims anywhere on the inte. the footage of the crime scene has disappeared, and also the photos we took at the scene," he releases the bombshell to me, and i squint my eyebrows confusingly because i don''t seem to understand what he''s saying. thest time i checked, the photos and videos were saved in the system for evidence, so how the hell did we lose everything?


    "what are you saying? excuse me," i quickly lean forward and start to search all the hidden files in theputer, but everything is empty. there''s no trace of either the videos or the photos, which means that there''s a problem. i quickly pull away and dash toward my desk to check the photos i kept there. i took the hard copies for personal investigation.


    i pull out the cab of my desk as soon as i get there, but my mouth drops open in shock as an empty space wees me. there''s no sign of the pictures there anymore.


    ''the female victim may have been abducted by the male victims, and she may have taken her life'' recalling the doctor''s words, i slowly clench my fists and stares into space as anger and confusion spur through me. this is evidence that it wasn''t an animal attack or a suicidal case. someone perpetrated the attack, and whoever the person is, was the one that took out all the evidence for investigation.


    "shit!" i curse under my breath and m my hands on the desk, but i rake my hair with my fingers frustratingly. my blood boils in rage, and my forehead is suddenly covered in sweat. it''s frustrating and embarrassing that the first case i was to handle after i was recruited turned out bad. i won''t ever let that happen.


    "sir, i need to check thetv footage of the station. i need to know if someone was here earlier to carry out this act," i quickly say to him, but he only sighs and reclines on the chair.


    "don''t bother yourself. i already tried to check the footage after i found out about the disappearance of the evidence, but there was nothing in the footage. it didn''t show that someone was here," he utters in frustration, and i stomp my feet on the ground angrily.


    "there has to be a way to get them back. the doctor gave me the autopsy report of the female victim, and he was suggesting that she must''ve been abducted, and ended up taking her life. i don''t believe that," i say to him as i ruffle my hair crazily.


    "that''s not the case. they were all murdered, and it didn''t look like a suicide or animal attack. someone did that," he replies to me, and i sigh briefly.


    "sir, can you still show me the footage of the station? i may be able to get something. i''m sure someone was here, if not, all the evidence wouldn''t have disappeared just like that," i suggest, and he nods his head as he stands up to his feet. "this way," he finally leads me out of the office, as we all head to the camera manager in the station.


    arriving at the office a few minutester, i set to check the footage, and just as he said, there was nothing here.


    "wait!" i suddenly say to the manager when i spot something on the screen of theputer. it''s the time frame. there was a time jump.


    "rewind, please," i say to him, and he rewinds the footage, and just as i suspected, there''s a time difference. the person came here around 3am, and while he or she was here, the camera jumped for five minutes, which only means that he or she was here for five minutes.


    "damn it!" i m my hands on the desk and take a deep breath afterward.


    "what do we do now? we have to prove to everyone that they were murdered, we have to..."


    "the inte, let''s check if there''s still news about the incident there," i cut him off as the idea struck my mind, but when i check my phone, there''s nothing of such on the inte. the news has been taken down, and there''s no single picture or video of them there.


    "this is crazy," sergeant james mutters, and i sigh.


    "at this point, i think we should drop this case since there''s no evidence. nobody is going to believe us anyway," he utters as he stands up to his feet, and there''s nothing i can even say as i watch him walk out of the office. he is right, nobody is going to believe us because we no longer have the evidence, but there''s no way i will ever give up on this. it''s the first case i''m going to handle, and i won''t let it slide.


    i finally stride out of the office and drag myself outside the building where i hop in the car and set to drive back to the hospital, so i can return the stranger''s car to him.


    as i drive on the roadter, my phone suddenly starts ringing, and it''s raymond. can he just understand that i''m busy with work and leave me the hell alone? i''m frustrated right now, and can''t even think straight.


    "hey," i finally answer the call after i pull over at the side of the road.


    "what the hell happened, rhea? i can''t find the news of the murder on the inte again. who took it down?" his voice rings through the phone, and i sigh briefly.


    "we will talk about it when ie hometer. i need to attend to something now. i''ll see youter," i end the call immediately, and throw my phone on the passenger''s seat.


    the rest of the drive to the hospital was fast since there was no traffic jam, and i arrived in less than ten minutes.


    as i hop out of the car, i spot the guy i took his car earlier, standing in front of the hospital, the same way he was standing since i left. wait! don''t tell me he has been standing there.


    "finally! i thought you were not going to return my car to me," he sighs briefly as he walks over to me, once i hop out of the car.


    "I''m sorry. have you been standing there since i left?" i ask him curiously, and he shrugs.


    "what was i supposed to do? a stranger took my car and ran off with it, so the least i could do was wait here for a miracle to happen, and it already happened since you came back now. i would''ve reported you to the police, but you are a police yourself, so it''s gonna beplicated. anyway, thanks for returning my car," he rolls his eyes, and i sigh briefly.


    "I''m sorry about that. here are your car keys," i hand them to him.


    "wait a minute! how did you know i''m a police officer?" i ask him, and he scoffs.


    "it''s obvious on your id," he raises his eyebrow, and i realize that i have my id hanging around my neck.


    "alright. thanks again. bye," i walk past him, heading to the hospital.


    "don''t you think you should make it up to me? you just dyed me from going to the ce i intended to go," he utters, and i stop on my track.


    "i would''ve loved to, but i''m sorry, i don''t have the time to spare for anything else except work," i reply to him, and walk away, not sparing him another nce.


    "hoping to see you again," i hear him yell after me before i step into the hospital building...

 Chapter 46

    Rhea POV "What happened, Rhea? Like how the hell did it happen?" Ray asks after I narrate everything to him. When I arrived at the hospital earlier, I was shocked to have found out that the mark on the male victims'' necks had disappeared, and the injury inflicted on the female victim too. I checked the CCTV footage of the hospital immediately to see if there was someone at the hospital earlier before I came, and I saw nothing. I also asked Dave if anyone came by while he was there, but he said no one.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    "I don''t know. I''ve been trying to figure out what happened, but nothing is justing through for me," I hit my hand on the desk slightly in frustration. After I got off work earlier, I went out to the restaurant with Raymond after we went to the hospital to see my mom.


    "Wow! This is just like a movie, and I''m starting to get confused. How could someone have gone to the hospital, the station, and yet they didn''t appear in the CCTV footage?" He mutters as he picks on his food, and I sigh briefly. "What do you n to do? Whoever the perpetrator is, seems to be dangerous, so why don''t you just drop the case? You don''t even have the evidence again. Just give it up, and let them bury the corpse," He sighs briefly as he reclines on the chair.


    "I can''t. It''s the first case I was going to handle after I..."


    "After you got recruited, I know that. Bute to think of it, don''t you think this might put you and your colleagues in danger if you decide to press on with this?" He asks, and I nod my head. He''s right, but a part of me wants to continue this, maybe because I just started this and want the credit, or maybe I just have a tinge of hope left in me that I''ll find the person, sooner orter.


    "I understand, Ray... But I''m sorry, I can''t give up on this..."


    "Are you kidding me, Rhea? Because it''s your first, doesn''t mean you will get scoldedter. Do you know you could put your life at risk? Who knows, maybe the person is even stalking you and you don''t know it? I told you that this whole police idea of a thing wasn''t a nice one in the first ce. I didn''t like you going into it, but you didn''t listen to me..."


    "I believe I will catch the culprit..."


    "Are you crazy? Do you think this is a movie where the female lead always gets what she wants in the end? Come on, this is reality, Rhea, and not those novels you do read. Wake up, and just give up while it''s still early. I don''t want anything to happen to you," He leans forward and utters.


    "I will think about it," I mumble, and he stares at me for a few seconds, before he sighs and leans back again.


    "I''m working overnight today. I should get back to work now," I say to him after I check my wristwatch for the time, and I hear him scoff.


    "Are you kidding me? You''ve barely slept at home since the past weeks you started this. You can''t sleep outside now, it''s dangerous out there..."


    "I have to go to work, Ray. We have to work overnight..."


    "I heard when you said that, and I just said that I won''t allow you to go to that station to sleep there. What if the culprit barge in thereter and attack you? I can''t let you leave, Rhea," He shakes his head, and I sigh briefly.


    "I understand you are worried about me, but I really have to go. I promise you that I''ll be safe," I plead with him, and he sighs deeply, rubbing his forehead.


    "Why are you so stubborn?" He mutters, and I bite my bottom lip.


    "Alright, fine. I will drop you off at the station then. I can''t allow you to leave alone," He utters as he stands up to his feet.


    "You don''t have to, Ray... My car is here, and..."


    "I insist," He cuts me off, and I nod my head. Not that I can say no, anyway.


    He leads me out of the restaurant, and to his car. He drives us out of the premises of the restaurant afterward.


    As he drives us to the station a few minutester, I stare out of the window as many thoughts flood my mind. Who the hell is that person? Is he invisible? Why was he or she not caught on camera? Just who the hell is he or she? Those are the questions that keep haunting my mind.


    "Are you ok?" I tilt my head to see Raymond''s gaze focused on the road. He must''ve nced at me earlier and found out that I was lost in thoughts.


    "Yes, I''m fine," I reply to him, but I know that I can''t deceive him with just that, since it''s already written all over me that I''m not fine.


    "You don''t look like you are anyway. You don''t really have to think about it, Rhea. If you can''t change the situation, then don''t think about it," He utters, and I nod my head.


    The rest of the drive to the station was filled with silence, and we finally arrive after a few minutes.


    "Take care of yourself, and don''t forget to call me if anything happens, ok?" He says to me before I step out of his car, not after assuring him that I will be fine. As his only sister, I can understand how he feels now.


    "Aren''t you going?" I stop on my way to the building, turning back to look at him.


    "I want to watch you go in first," He replies to me, and I nod my head before I proceed toward the building, and once I step in, I turn back to see him driving away.


    I walk briskly toward our office, and once I walk in, I find my other colleagues, all discussing something serious.


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    "I guess I camete. I''m sorry everyone, my brother wouldn''t let me leave, because he was worried about me," I exin to them as I slump on my seat.


    "It''s fine," My team leader, sergeant James replies to me.


    "What did I miss?" Turning to Dave, whose seat is just next to mine, I ask him.


    "I think the investigation team wants to drop the case since there''s no more evidence," He releases the bombshell, and my mouth drops open in shock, and my eyes slowly narrow at the news I just heard. Is this some joke or something? "You should give up trying, Miss Smith," Sergeant James says in conclusion, and I quickly stand up to my feet.


    "No, Sir. We can''t do that until we find the culprit. We still need to investigate..."


    "You think I also want to drop this? We don''t have any choice at this point! I know you want to work hard because it''s the first case you were going to handle, but we can''t force things, so you just have to let go of this," He cuts me off, and I sigh deeply as I fall back to my seat.


    My phone beeps immediately, and I quickly check the screen to see that it''s a message from my brother.


    ''Let''s talk tomorrow morning when you''re free. It''s important'' I read his message, and sigh deeply. What could be so important?

 Chapter 47

    Adelie POV


    "What exactly happened to me, Asher? Why did you take me to the hospital?" I ask him when we are having breakfast together in the dining room, causing him to raise his gaze to look at me.


    "You came backte from work, shivering, and suddenly passed out," He exins to me, and I slowly nod my head, even though I''m feeling a bit difficult to believe this. At least if that happened, I should''ve been able to remember something, right?


    "But... I can''t remember that happening to me," I further say to him, and he shrugs.


    "I don''t know why. Should you be worried about that now? The doctor already said that you''ll be fine if you take your medication the way he prescribed," He utters casually, and I slowly nod my head. I was discharged from the hospital yesterday afternoon, and Asher has been strangely nice to me since then. He hasn''t tried to flirt with me, which is already rming. Or has he changed?


    "He can never change, Adelie. Just snap out of it," My subconscious mind reminds me, and I sigh silently.


    Silence creeps in as he watches me eat slowly, not touching the food in front of him.


    "Thank you," I mutter, not looking at him.


    "For?" He inquires.


    "For taking care of me," I reply to him in a low tone that''s almost impossible for him to hear me, but he still did anyway.


    "You are my woman, so it''s fine," His reply sends chills down my spine, and I stop eating abruptly. I feel my heart frozen for seconds, and when it finally starts pumping again, it''s racing fast this time. Although the atmosphere is in perfect condition, I suddenly feel my body radiating heat. Slowly, I raise my gaze to find him staring at me with that usual smirk dancing at the corner of his lips.


    "Hmm..." I nod my head as I clear my throat.


    "So, what do you n to do today? I already told your boss to give you some days off work, so you can focus on getting better. I also told my manager to take care of thepany on my behalf, while I stay at home to take care of you," He utters, and my eyes slowly widen in shock.


    "You didn''t have to," I almost stutter nervously, but I manage to hold my bnce. I didn''t ask him to do that for me for goodness sake. Does he think that I''mfortable staying with him alone in the house? "You need the rest," He shrugs.


    "I don''t really need it, Asher. I''m perfectly fine now, and I can handle work..."


    "Is it about work, or do you just miss him?" He suddenly ms his hands on the desk and scoffs.


    "Asher..."


    "I am trying hard to take care of you here because you are sick, and all you can think of is seeing that bastard? If he had not left you to go home by yourself, this wouldn''t have happened to you!" He yells at me angrily, and I flinch fearfully. "You are scaring me, Asher," I stutter nervously, and gulp down nothing.


    "You know what? Just fucking do whatever you want to. Go ahead and see him if you want to," He snaps at me before he stands up and heads to the living room. Although I have seen him angry before, but he has nevershed out at me like this. What the hell happened to him? Is he mentally stressed?


    Pushing all the thoughts to the back of my mind, I continue to eat my food, and I finally leave for my room once I''m done eating.


    I meet my phone ringing as soon as I walk inside the room, and I quickly pick it up, before I swipe the answer button.


    "Hey, babe. Good morning," Raymond''s voice sounds from the other end, and I feel my heart fluttering at the sound of it. "Good morning," I smile sheepishly as I throw myself on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.


    "Did you sleep well? How is your health now?" He inquires.


    "I''m much better now," I reply to him, and I hear him hum.


    "Asher said that he asked for leave for me. I told him that he didn''t have to..."


    "You need it, babe. You are not fine yet," He cuts me off, and I sigh briefly.


    "Hmm. How about your mom''s health? What about Rhea? I haven''t heard from her in a while now," I ask about them. I haven''t been able to speak with Rhea since she started working as a police officer. I know how tight their schedule is always, so I understand.


    "Mom is fine. She should be discharged today or first thing tomorrow morning. Rhea has been busy with worktely, and I''m hoping we could schedule a time in the future to have lunch together," He exins to me, and I nod my head as if he


    can see me.


    "I wille over to see you after I leave the office. I have an appointment at the office in thirty minutes, and I don''t think I can see you before then. I''m sorry, baby," He whines, and I giggle loudly as if someone is tickling me. "It''s fine, I understand," I reply to him.


    "Thanks, babe. Let''s talkter, please. I love you," He says to me.


    "I love you too," I reply to him before the call hangs.


    I release a deep breath as I sit up on the bed, and drag myself into the bathroom afterward. Maybe having a long and rxing bath will make me feel better. Well, I make sure that I lock my door before I went into the bathroom. I don''t want toe back and find Asher in my room. He is crazier than that.


    ''Is that how much you miss that bastard?'' recalling his words as I soak myself underneath the soapy water that fills the bathtub, I sigh briefly. I have never seen Asher like that, and it''s crazy how he was so angry earlier.


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    "Did someone get him angry? Is he mentally stressed? No... Is he mad at me because he can''t go to the office?" I keep muttering to myself, but none of my thinking seems to make any sense.


    After spending almost forever in the bathroom, I finally head back to my room and take my time to get dressed, before I head downstairs to watch a movie in the living room. It''ll be so boring to stay in my room all day.


    Descending the staircase a few minutester, I stop on my track when I find Asher sitting in the same spot with his legs crossed, as he stares into space. He seems to be lost in thoughts, but what the hell is he thinking about? I have never seen him like this.


    "If you''re noting down, then go back to your room and rest. The doctor said you need it," He says, and I flinch. My shoes didn''t make noise while I wasing down, so how did he know that I am here?


    "I''m fine now," I finally proceed toward the living room, and I slump on one of the couches once I step in.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    "Are you ok, Asher? You don''t look fine," It has been years since Ist asked him that question ever since he started acting up, but I feel the necessity to ask him now because I''m not understanding what is wrong with my brother. "Yes, I''m fine," He tilts his head to look at me and shrugs.


    "Why?" He further asks, his gaze piercing at me like he wants to see through me, and I feel my heartbeat stops for seconds. His eyes look a bit scary and charming at the same time, and even if I want to look away, I still find myself staring and getting lost in them.


    "Nothing. I just asked," I reply to him nervously, and he rolls his eyes as he turns his face away.


    "Uhm... Do you want to y video games? The loser will buy lunch for the winner," I don''t know what suddenly came over me and I blurt out before I can control myself. When the hell did we get so close that I want to y video games with him? I must''ve lost my mind.


    "I''m not interested. Those games are for kids," He utters as he stands up and walks away, not sparing me another nce. Wait a minute! Did he just say that?


    "Are you kidding me? Adults y video games too," I yell after him as I watch him climb the staircase, but he didn''t even stop to look at me. I think I''m going to die of boredom today...

 Chapter 48

    Rhea POV


    "Are you kidding me?" I shriek after Raymond released the shock to me. He told me that the female victim was his girlfriend in the past. This is crazy. "I''m not," He shrugs, and I scoff.


    "Why didn''t you tell me this all these while?" I ask him, and he rubs his forehead.


    "Nothing, I just feel..."


    "And you think it was ok not to tell me? Why did you do that?" I ask him angrily, and he sighs.


    "We broke up long ago, so I didn''t see the reason I should..."


    "Are you kidding me, Ray? Do you even know the situation at hand now? Who knows, maybe I could''ve gotten some information from you that will help in the investigation," I cut him off.


    "What information could you possibly get from me? We dated in college and broke up during thest year in school, and I haven''t seen her since then, until some weeks ago at Alex''s birthday party," He shrugs, and I sigh briefly. He''s right, I can''t get any information from him.


    "I need to get back to work. I''ll talk to youter," I utter as I stand up.


    "You''ve not touched your food," He reminds me, pointing to the food on the table. We went out to have breakfast in the restaurant close to hispany.


    "I don''t have an appetite to eat," I reply to him


    "Come on, Rhea. You are going to lose weight, and probably fall sick if you continue like this. Can you please eat something? Mom is really going to be worried about you if she finds out about this," He tries to convince me. "That''s why you shouldn''t tell her about it. I will be on my way now..."


    "Do you know that mom is going to be discharged today? She will feel sad if you''re not there with her," He reminds me, and I sigh deeply.


    "I will try toe by the hospital during lunchtime. I should have some minutes to spare then," And with that, I walk briskly out of the restaurant, and head to my car. I zoom off afterward.


    The drive to the station didn''t take me much time before I arrived in less than ten minutes, and I walk briskly to my office. As I walk in, I stop on my track when I spot a familiar young man sitting in the office with his legs crossed. He''s the same man that I snatched his car two days ago. What is he doing here?


    "Here you are, lieutenant Rhea," Sergeant James says as soon as he spots me, and the young man turns to face me. A thin appears between his eyebrows as he stares at me, maybe trying to recall where he knows me from.


    "Yes, Sir," Turning my gaze away from him, I reply to sergeant James.


    "You should attend to the man. I need to be somewhere urgent," He says to me before he stands up and strides out of the office, not even waiting for me to say something.


    "Why are you here?" I ask the young man as I walk over to my seat and make myselffortable on it. It''s only the two of us in the office, since my other team members went out on either patrol or maybe on an investigation, I don''t know. "They said that I vited the traffic rules," He shrugs sarcastically like what he just said isn''t a big deal.


    "Did you, or was it an usation?" I ask him after I take out the file to scribble down his statement.


    "I was in a hurry to get somewhere, how could I have known if I vited the traffic rules?" He shrugs again as he rolls his eyes, and I sigh briefly.


    "What''s your name?" I ask him.


    "Asher..."


    "With your surname," I cut him off as I raise my gaze to look at him, but I find him staring at me instead.


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    "Williams... Asher Williams," He replies to me, and I squint my eyebrows as I stop to think about the name he just called. It sounds familiar.


    "Asher... Asher... Wait, are you rted to Adelie?" I stop to ask him, because I remember Ray''s girlfriend told me her brother''s name was Asher, and this can''t just be a coincidence, considering their surname being the same.


    "Yes, she is my sister," He replies to me, and I can''t help the ''wow'' that escapes my lips, because why not. I have always asked to meet her brother because I wanted to just see him, and I''ve met him like two times without knowing that he''s the one I''ve been wanting to meet.


    "Wow! I thought as much," I mutter.


    "How did you know my sister?" He asks, a bit confused.


    "I''m her boyfriend''s sister," I reply to him, and he raises his eyebrows. I''m sure he must be surprised. What a small world.


    "You shouldn''t have said that, anyway," He scoffs, and I narrow my eyes.


    "Excuse me?"


    "I don''t really like your brother and my sister being together, and I''m still nning to break them apart," His words make me shocked.


    "Why?" I find myself asking him, but he sighs as he crosses his arms on his chest.


    "Because I''m the only one that can love her the way she deserves, and she also loves more than any other man, even more than your brother. You can ask her that," He exins to me, and I scoff.


    "That''s a normal thing. I mean, you are her brother, and it''s only right that you two love each other more than outsiders does, so I don''t think that''s enough reason you should hate my brother, or want them to break up," I reply to him honestly. "Am I free to leave now?" He suddenly asks.


    "I''m not done yet," I reply to him.


    The rest of the interrogation went smoothly, and I finally free him to leave, not after warming him to be careful next time so he won''t have to show up here again.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    "Can we have lunch together? You still haven''t made it up to me aboutst time," He asks once he''s about to leave.


    "I''m sorry, but I don''t have the time..."


    "I will pick you up on Sunday. Make sure you don''t keep me waiting," He says before he finally strides out of my office, and I sigh briefly.


    "Are you ok?" Lieutenant Dave''s voice brings me back to reality, and I tilt my head to see him sitting beside me in his seat.


    "When did you get here?" I ask him.


    "Just now. You don''t look fine. Is it because of what happened?" He inquires, and I smile at him forcefully.


    "No, I''m fine," I shake my head, and he shrugs after he stares at me for seconds, not looking quite convinced.


    "Alright. Have you eaten something yet?" He inquires, and just then, my stomach grumbles in response to his question. I haven''t really been eating good food ever since I started working here because of my busy schedule. I barely even have time to have my bath because of one investigation or the other, but this murder case has been the major case.


    "Do you want to eat out?" He inquires, but I shake my head.


    "I''m fine. I will..."


    "Don''t worry, I will get you the food," He cuts me off before he stands up and strides out of the office, and I sigh briefly. Dave has been nice to me since I started working here, and he has been my guidance here since he started before me. Although we haven''t known each other for long, the little time I have spent with him, he already proved to me that he is a good friend.


    Pushing all the thoughts to the back of my mind, I pick up the file on the table and open it to the page where I kept a pen. ''Asher Williams'' staring at his details, I sigh briefly as the thought of what he said rings in my head. He looked dead serious about it, the expression on his face meant another thing, but I can''t seem to figure out what exactly it was.


    "Is there something he''s hiding?" I ask myself as I close the file and recline on the chair while staring into space...

 Chapter 49

    Cynthia POV


    "Why don''t you just give up on this guy already, Cynthia? You have been calling him nonstop, and he hasn''t answered his phone. What is wrong with you?" Nathan groans angrily as he throws himself on the couch, and I sigh briefly. The past three days have been difficult for me since I couldn''t speak with Asher. I have tried to call him several times, but he didn''t answer his phone, and I haven''t seen him. I have dropped messages for him and pleaded with him to forgive me if he is angry about me saying he should introduce me to his sister earlier, but he never replied to any of my messages.


    ''I don''t do love, Cynthia. Will you be able to handle that?'' his words repeat in my head as I throw myself on the couch frustratingly. He warned me beforehand, but I was so blinded that I couldn''t even think straight. I thought I would be able to handle it but turns out that I was mistaken. I can''t take this one-sided love, no matter how much I try to endure the pain.


    "Are you even listening to me at all, Cynthia?" Nathan snaps at me, bringing me back to reality, and I sigh briefly.


    "Can''t you see he doesn''t love you? I mean, who ignores the one they im to love, huh?" He scoffs, obviously angry.


    "Tha... that''s not true. Asher loves me. Maybe he has just been busy," I quickly defend him, even though I know deep down that he doesn''t have any feelings for me. It hurts, but I love and want to be with him.


    "Oh my goodness! What hase over you, Cynthia? You don''t even want to see the truth even when it''s so obvious," He shakes his head before he stands up and walks away.


    Tears well up in my eyes as I bury my head between my palms. Should I break up with him for my mental health? Can I cope without him?N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    "It doesn''t change anything, Cynthia. It''s still the same thing. He doesn''t even give you attention," My subconscious reminds me, and I gulp down nothing nervously.


    The knock on the door pulls my attention, and I snap my head up to look at the closed door. ''Is he the one?'' I ask myself as I quickly stand up and advance toward the door, but my face drops disappointedly when I pull the door open and find Alex standing there.


    "Cyn..." I m the door in his face without allowing him to finish whatever shit he wants to say. What the hell! Who gave him my address, and what is he doing here at my doorstep?


    "Can you please let me in and let''s talk, please?" He yells from outside as he bangs on the door, and I feel like screaming my lungs out. He came at the wrong time, and I won''t hesitate tosh out at him if he doesn''t leave this minute. "What do you want? Wait a minute! How the hell did you get my address?" I snap at him once I pull the door open, but he sighs briefly.


    "Uhm... Can you let me in so we can talk?" He asks politely, and I scoff.


    "Are you kidding? Let you into my house? For what? I am not in the mood for that, so get the hell out of my house, and never show your face to me, ever again," I snap at him before I m the door hard, and head to my room afterward. Shit! Why the hell is my life getting soplicatedtely? I think I''m going to pass out.


    Since I took a day off work today, I have my bath and get dressed, before I leave the house. I want to go check on Adelie, and maybe use the opportunity to see Asher. I have really missed him so much.


    As I walk out of the house, I stop on my track when I see a familiar car parked at the side of the road, and I squint my eyes to be sure that I''m not dreaming. I can never mistake Asher''s car for anyone''s.


    The door finally opens, and he steps out of the car, finally clearing my confusion. Seeing him adorned in the ck dress as usual, I feel my heart flutter especially when he smiles at me, but recalling that this man hurt me, I quicklyport myself before I walk over to him.


    "I didn''t know you still know your way here," I sigh once I stop in front of him.


    "I''m sorry, baby..."


    "Why have you been ignoring my calls? Are you seeing another woman?" I ask him, and he shrugs.


    "Maybe," His reply hurts me a lot, and I scoff.


    "Good luck then," I reply to him, ready to leave.


    "I''m just kidding. Get inside the car. I will take you to wherever you want to go," He offers as he pulls the car door open for me, and I scoff.


    "You think it''s fine to show up and offer to take me out after ignoring me? When was thest time we talked or even see each other? You ignored me, and..."


    "I just told you I''m sorry," He cuts me off sarcastically like this is not a big deal.


    "Thank you. I''m not interested. I''ll just take the cab," I turn him down, but deep inside me, I want him to beg me and convince me to enter his car. I''m not mad at him, but I have to pretend to.


    "Should I carry you in, huh?" He suddenly hold my hands and pull me back,nding me on his hard chest. My heart skips, and I gulp down nothing as I suddenly be nervous. My heart beats rapidly against my chest, and I gulp down another lump that forms in my throat.


    "Hmm," I quickly pull away from him and hop inside the car.


    "By the way... You look sexy this morning," He winks at me once he steps inside the car, and I gulp down nothing...

 Chapter 50

    Adelie POV


    "I told you that I''m fine already. I can resume work," I whine to Raymond. I have been at home for the past two days, and all effort to convince him that I''m fine and can go to the office has proven abortive.


    "I told you to rest, baby," He utters as he strokes my hair, and I sigh briefly, knowing he won''t listen to me no matter how much I try to convince him.


    "When should I resume then? I can''t keep staying at home like this. Asher is going to the office every day, and I''m bored being the only one at home," I whine to him. Talking about Asher, he has been avoiding me and acting weird ever since I got back from the hospital. He hasn''t flirted with me the way he used to, and as much as I want to assume that he already changed, something keeps telling me otherwise. Something must be wrong with him which he''s hiding from me. "Do you want toe over to my ce and stay..." He pauses and sighs briefly.


    "I forgot Rhea has been busy with work, and won''t be able to spend time with you. Maybe you should resume work tomorrow," He utters, and I smile excitedly. I can finally leave this house.


    "So, how are you preparing for thepany''s end-of-the-year party?" I inquire since it''ll be taking ce a few days from now.


    "Everything has been nned, and it''s hosting in five days," He replies to me, and I nod my head.


    "I already ordered the dress you will be wearing then. It''ll be delivered soon," He further says, and I smile excitedly. It''s always amazing to have someone so sweet as my boyfriend.


    "Thank you," I hug him tightly, and he giggles.


    Her phone suddenly starts ringing, and he excuses himself to answer the phone.


    "What happened? Is everything alright?" I ask him once hees back about five minutester with a deep frown on his face.


    "Everything is not fine. Rhea is disturbed about the incident that happened three days ago," He sighs briefly as he throws himself on the couch, and I squint my eyes. What incident is he talking about? "What are you talking about?" I blink my eyes rapidly as I stare at him, waiting for an answer.


    "You didn''t know about the three dead bodies that were found in the bush days ago? Actually, one of the victims was Le... My ex-girlfriend that harassed you at my friend''s party that night," He exins to me and raises my eyebrows. "Wh... what happened to them?" I ask because I never knew something like that happened.


    "They were found dead. Autopsy report proved that Le stabbed herself, and the two other victims were injured in the neck, like something bite them there," He exins, and I gasp as I quickly cover my mouth.


    "The problem now is that all the evidence has disappeared, including the marks on their bodies, the videos and photos shot at the crime scene, and even the footage in the station. Rhea is really stressed and disturbed since it was her first case ever," He exins, and I gulp down nothing. My heart thumps heavily against my chest, as everything came ying in my head. Now I can remember what happened that night. After I hang out with Raymond, he got a call from home that his mom copsed, and I had to go home by myself. Yes, I remember boarding a cab since I didn''t have my car with me, and... and...


    "No!" I gasp sharply and my eyes widen as I remember everything clearly now. The culprit... It was Asher! I saw him killing everybody... I saw him suck their blood dry, and the way hemanded Le to stab herself multiple times. I know all of it.


    "Are you okay, babe?" I snap my head to look at the person sitting beside me, but I shriek when I see Asher. I was sitting with Ray minutes ago, howe it''s Asher now?


    ''You developed a fever and I rushed you here. You didn''t see anything, Adelie'' yes, that was how he made me forget everything. He hypnotized me.


    "Ge... get away from me..." I stutter as I suddenly jerk up to my feet and step away from him.


    "What? Do you want to tell him what happened? How about I kill your mom and dad?" He grins at me, revealing the sharp-edged fangs in his mouth, and my heart froze for seconds.


    "No... No... Don''t hurt them, please. I won''t say anything," I shake my head as I slowly step away from him, but I stop when I crash against someone behind me, and I turn sharply to see Asher standing behind me.


    "Are you ok?" He asks once I snap out of my trance, and it dawn on me that I''ve just been hallucinating and mistaking Raymond for him, but I know it''s his handwork. Just who the hell is this young man tormenting me?N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "Baby... What happened? Are you okay?" Raymond pulls me into his arms, and hugs me tightly, while I shut my eyes.


    "He is the one... Asher killed them... I saw him do it," I wanted to scream and tell everyone, but I''m scared they won''t be able to catch him, which means death for me and my family.


    "Adelie... Are you ok?" I tilt my head to find Cynthia standing in front of Asher, and I slowly nod my head. I didn''t know she came here.


    "You don''t look fine. Should I take you to the hospital? What is wrong with you, Adelie?" Asher asks, maintaining an innocent and worried look. How the hell is he still able to make that face even after what he did? How is he still able to act like nothing happened, even as he knows what he did?


    "I''m... I''m fine," I stutter nervously, even though it''s written all over me that I''m not fine. How the hell am I supposed to be fine when my supposed brother is tormenting me?


    "Uhm... Ray... Can Ie with you to your house?" I turn to Raymond and ask him because there''s no way I will stay here after I recalled everything that happened. What if he decides to kill meter?


    "You don''t need to go with him. I''m here," He utters as he stares into my eyes, and I find myself nodding my head.


    "Alright. Uhm... Ray, I will stay back at home. Asher is here to take care of me," It''s as if someone else is talking through me because that is not what I wanted to say. It seems like I''m in trouble right now, and can''t even get out of it. Maybe today will be myst day here on earth, who knows?

 Chapter 51

    Asher POV


    It''s finally the two of us at home after Cynthia left, and I can see the fear in her earlier before she left for her room. As much as I want to go talk to her, I feel like it''ll make her feel ufortable and scared, so I decided to just take a walk to the garden and clear my head.


    My phone starts ringing once I arrive at the garden, and I check the caller to see that it''s from Alvira. She has been calling me nonstop for days now after the day I left there, but I have been ignoring her calls. I haven''t been feeling welltely. I know I should never allow myself feel anything for Adelie, but I think thatw has been broken, considering how jealous I feel whenever I see her with Raymond.


    I watch as the call rings and finally ends after a few seconds. A message pops on the screen after, and I open it. ''Let''s talk tonight''. I sigh briefly and slid the phone into my pocket after I read the message.


    "Have I fallen in love with her?" I ask myself the crazy question, but I can''t even provide answer to it, since it''s so obvious.


    Pushing all the thoughts to the back of my mind, and remembering that I have something to take care of, I turn to go to my room and get ready to leave the house, but I stop on my track when I find Adelie standing behind me. "Adelie?" I call her surprisingly.


    "Who... who are you?" She stutters as she steps away from me, fear written all over her. How much courage has she gathered to ask me that question?


    "What do you mean?" I raise my eyebrows, pretending to be clueless about what she''s saying. The look on her face earlier showed that she already remembered everything, although I have no idea how she was able to get the memories back, when I already wiped everything out. It''s rare, honestly.


    "Don''t ask me that question... It''s driving me crazy!" She snaps at me as she suddenly grabs her head and rake her hair with her fingers.


    "I feel like I''m going insane... I feel like I''m seeing things that are not real... Is this real, or am I hallucinating? Just who the hell are you, Asher?" She screams at the top of her voice, and I gulp down nothing. I feel my heart thumps once against my chest, and I gulp down nothing as I suddenly be nervous. This is strange! The only person that makes me feel this way is Alvira, howe she just made my heart move?


    "What are you saying? Are you still feeling sick?" I try to go close to her, but she takes a step back and slowly shakes her head, giving me the ''don''te close to me'' look.


    "You were this calm little boy that would protect me at the expense of your life... You were one best brother all my friends were jealous of... What happened to Asher? What did you do to him?" She screams again, and I bite my bottom lip. It''s not time to tell her the truth... I want to see the fear in her dad''s eyes when I finally reveal who I am. I want them to crawl on the ground and beg for their lives, but what is she doing to me now? Will I still be able to take the revenge I want so badly now that I don''t even know what I''m feeling toward her?


    "Adelie..."


    "You wiped my memory at the hospital... You didn''t want me to remember anything... You killed those people, didn''t you? You removed all the traces so you won''t be caught, didn''t you?" She inquires, and I sigh briefly. Yes, I did everything. I couldn''t have left it like that, knowing it''s dy me, right? I didn''t want the police to get on my way, which was why I did that.


    "I am right, I guess," She scoffs as she slowly nods her head.


    "Have I been living with a stranger? What the hell do you want? Why have you been giving me the impression that you are my brother, when you are just a stranger? I knew it... Asher would never do everything you have done to me... He would never..."


    "I want to sleep," I whisper, and her voice trails off as she staggers back. I quickly rush to hold her before she would slump on the floor, and she doze off in my arms.


    After Iy her on her bedter, I leave to meet Rhea, since I asked her to have coffee with me during her lunch break. I just want to toil with her, and nothing serious.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    The drive to the police station didn''t take me much time since I sped my way here. I wait for her outside once I arrive, and in less than five minutes, I spot hering out with one of her colleagues. "Hey," She flinches when I greet her.


    "What the hell! What are you doing here?" She blinks her eyes rapidly as she stares at me, and I shrug.


    "I told you to make it up to me for the other day. Why don''t we have coffee together? I guess it''s your lunchtime already," I ask her as I nce at my wristwatch, and she scoffs.


    "I''m busy, as you can see," She replies to me sarcastically before she walks away, but there''s no way I''m leaving here without her.


    "Come on, it''s just coffee. And besides, the ce is quite close by. There''s a cafe in the neighborhood, and you will love their coffee, I promise," I try to convince her as I trail behind her, and she stops. "Who takes coffee for lunch?" She turns to me and rolls her eyes.


    "Let''s have something else then. There''s also a restaurant nearby, we can go there if you want. Their food is really worth it, and..."


    "I told you I am busy, Asher. I will contact you when I''m less busy," She replies to me before she walks away, leaving me here like a fool. Wow! Did I just get rejected?


    "Honey, did youe here because of me?" I snap my head back to see Cynthiaing out with a young man trailing behind him.


    "Cynthia? What are you doing here?" I ask her surprisingly, and she sighs briefly.


    "My cousin got into trouble, and he was taken here. It has been resolved now, anyway," She replies to me, and I slowly nod my head after I nce at her cousin. "What are you doing here?" She asks me after she looks around.


    "Nothing," I reply to her sarcastically, and she pulls a puzzled look.


    "I will be on my way now. I have something to take care of," I further say before I turn to leave, not even bothering to say hi to her cousin, because why the hell should I? "Let''s have dinner together tonight, Asher," I stop on my track.


    "I know of a restaurant where we can have hotpot, and you will love it," She further says, and I turn to face her.


    "I have something to take care ofter. You should go alone," I reply to her casually before I turn to leave.


    "You are such an arrogant jerk! Do you ever love her?" I guess that came from her cousin, and I stop. Did he just insult me?

 Chapter 52

    Asher POV


    "You arrogant jerk! Do you ever love her?" I guess that must be her cousin''s voice, and wait a minute! He just called me that? "What did you say?" Turning to face him, I ask to be sure he wasn''t referring to me.


    "What are you going to do about it, huh? All you ever did was hurt her. Are you kidding me? Who does that?" He snaps at me like he would hit me anytime soon, but I bet that is one thing he would never want to do because he won''t even spend another second here on earth if he dares toy his hands on me. I mean, does he want to write his death wish?


    "Stop, Nathan. Just stop!" She turns to him and tries to stop him. Isn''t it time I just end this shit once and for all? I mean, I have been doing this all along because she was desperately crazy over me, and not that I ever wanted this rtionship. "Love? Do I ever love her? No, I never did," I reply to him sarcastically, and I watch as he balls his fists, and wait a minute! Who does he want to use that on? Me? Definitely not me. "You!"


    "Love doesn''t exist in my world, and I told her that. I told her to never expect anything in return... I do things based on my mood. I show her love when my mood tells me to, and..." "You are nothing, but a bastard!" Her cousin must like her so much to be fighting for her like this.


    "Yeah, I get that a lot. I told her to never expect me to love her, but she insisted. Why is she hurt now?" I raise my eyebrows before I nce at her, and she''s already in tears.


    "Why are you crying? Are you hurt? I told you who you were dealing with before you started this. I warned you... Are you thinking that I''m the bad guy here?" I turn to her and ask, but she only throws her gaze away.


    "Is that true? Did you lose your mind, Cynthia? How could you throw yourself at someone when you were even sure he had no feelings for you? What the hell did you think you were doing, gambling your heart?" He snaps at her, while she just cries her eyes out like someone that''d just lost a loved one.


    "No, I didn''t. I did that because I love him. I love Asher," Oh, poor Cynthia. I wonder how she still manages to love me even after all these.


    "What the hell are you saying? How can you still say that even in this situation? Have you lost your mind?" The Nathan guy scoffs at her. "Yes, I have lost my mind, Nathan. I have lost everything... He is my happiness..."


    "But he doesn''t love you..."


    "That doesn''t matter!" I watch the interesting drama they are acting in front of me, and I think it''s quite worth watching.


    "Let''s break up, Cynthia," I finally say to her after a long silence, and I can see the shock in her eyes as she stares at me with her mouth agape.


    "Huh?" She blinks her eyes rapidly.


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    "You are going to get yourself hurt if you continue to see me. Not that anything good is ever going toe out of this rtionship, anyway. I mean I can''t ever marry you, because I''m already in love with someone else from the start," I utter, and she scoffs.


    "Are you kidding me?" She scoffs again.


    "No, I''m not. I wish you all the best in life... And one more thing, let''s not talk again..." I pause and reach out for my phone. I scroll through it, and once I am able to find the number, I block it and show her before I delete it from my phone. I mean, why should I have her number on my phone?


    "You are going to end things just like that? You gave me three months to make your heart beat... I promised that I would do it..."


    "There''s no point in trying to, Cynthia... Someone already did, and I can''t go back to you," I reply to her before I turn and walk out of the station, ignoring all her cries.


    "Now, I feel relieved," I sigh deeply once I hop inside my car. Since it''s still afternoon, I decide to hang around somewhere until it''s time to see Alvira.


    It''s finally evening, and I head to the bar she asked me to meet her.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    The drive to the bar didn''t take much time since it''s close by, and I arrive in exactly ten minutes. I find her sitting alone in the bar once I arrive, and I need no one to tell me that she must''ve booked the whole ce for us. That is what she does often.


    "Did I keep you waiting?" I inquire as I walk up to her, and pull the chair across from her, before sitting on it.


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    "Yes, you kept me waiting a bit," She replies to me after she takes a sip from the red wine I met her drinking.


    "Should I say sorry about that? I don''t think it''s necessary. Why do you want to see me?" I ask her, cutting to the case.


    "Why haven''t you reached out to me since then? It has been four days already," She inquires.


    "You told me that it was over between us," I shrug, and she scoffs as she throws her gaze away.


    "Are you kidding me?" She scoffs.


    "No, I''m not. Do I look like I am?" I ask her since she should know that I''m not used to joking around like that.


    "You ran out like that while we were in the middle of..." She pauses and grabs a handful of her hair like she wants to pull it out. She looks extremely angry.


    "You ran out, even though I told you it would be over between us if you stepped out of the door... You left, and you think it was alright to not reach out to me since then? I thought you said you love me?" She snaps at me angrily as she ms her hands on the table, not even giving a damn about the waiters listening to our conversations. She knows too well how much I hate to be yelled at, but she should thank her luck that I have a lot of things going on in my mind now, and can''t even think of anything else.


    "What do you want to talk about with me, Alvira?" I ask her, and she takes a deep breath.


    "I want you to mark me, Erubas," She releases the bombshell to me, and my eyes slowly widen as I freeze in my seat. Is she kidding me now or is she serious? This isn''t happening, please...


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