Ronan's hand, the one holding his cigarette, trembled slightly. Was I really so frightened that I'd turned into a complete idiot? I couldn't believe I had actually said I missed President Anderson was I not afraid of dying? He probably wondered how long someone like me could survive under President Anderson's hands.
But my face… apparently it was beautiful enough that no matter how many times he looked at me, he still found himself enchanted, especially by the little beauty mark under my right eye. Ronan shamelessly thought about that as he turned the steering wheel. If I had known what he was thinking, I would have wanted to slap him to death.
When we returned to the villa, Captian wasn't there. Nanny Alley said he had business outside and might return very late. Hearing that, joy burst inside my chest. Life at the Bailey family's house had drained me, so I really didn't want to come back only to face Captian immediately.
I went upstairs to my bedroom and emptied my bag. Inside were my medical-grade silver micro-needles and modern medication bottles everything was still intact. I hugged them to my chest, and for the first time that day, a genuine, radiant smile bloomed on my face, warm like a bird returning to its nest, finally touching something familiar. These were the things my grandfather from my hometown had given me. He had passed away now, leaving only these items behind as keepsakes. No matter what, I would always keep them with me.
After looking at them several times, I carefully put everything into a pouch, then hid the pouch among my clothes inside the wardrobe—hopefully no one would find it. After finishing, I grabbed some clothes and went to shower. When I came out, I lay on the bed, and before long, exhaustion pulled me into sleep. Too much had happened today. I was utterly drained.
Half asleep, half awake, I suddenly felt something touch my face. The cold sensation made my skin crawl with discomfort.
"What is that…?" I mumbled and swatted at it. But a moment later, the touch returned more boldly this time.
A horrible realization struck me. My whole body trembled, and I jolted awake, the drowsiness instantly gone. I opened my eyes and immediately met a pair of deep, sinister eyes staring straight into mine, stealing even the air from my lungs.
My pupils shrank. My entire body shook uncontrollably.
"P-President Anderson…?"
Captian let out a soft "Mm," his hand still stroking my face without pause. Terror flooded me what if he strangled me again in the next second?
"P-President Anderson, you're already back? Have you finished your work?"
"Mm." His nasal voice answered. He stopped his hand and stared at me as if searching for something on my face.
"How was it, going back to the Bailey family?"
I forced down the fear suffocating my chest and smiled. "Going back to my birth family, of course it was pleasant."
I had just woken up, so my whole body carried a soft, sweet warmth, especially my bright eyes. Captian said nothing and gently moved off of me. I didn't dare move a muscle.
"Besides going to the Baileys, did you go anywhere else?"
He lowered his gaze slightly, and it felt as though a faint amusement flashed through his deep eyes, full of curiosity.
My heart tightened. His words sounded like a simple question, but his tone hinted at something else entirely. I rolled my eyes subtly, trying to figure out how to answer.
A moment later, I relaxed my shoulders and lightly grasped the front of his shirt with my small hand, speaking in a soft, sweet tone:
"I originally wanted to eat at a Sichuan hotpot place down the street, but there were too many people, and it was too noisy, so I didn't like it. I just came home instead."
"Really?" Captian asked again, his eyes dropping to my hand.
My pale hand, my thin fingers like scallion stalks.
Feeling his heated stare, I curled my fingers and stiffened.
"It's true. If you don't believe me, you can ask Ronan. He'd know best."
Captian said nothing. Instead, he leaned down, and his hot breath brushed against my face. A strange tingling sensation spread across my skin, making me unbearably uncomfortable.
"P-President Anderson… maybe you should get up first… you're pressing on me. I can't breathe… I might die…"
His Adam's apple bobbed. His eyes darkened further, terrifyingly deep as if he wanted to swallow me whole.
I froze, instantly shutting up. I could feel it clearly: something inside him had changed after hearing what I'd said. Only then did I realize my words had been far too ambiguous. Would he really let his beastly instincts take over because of that?!
Just as panic overwhelmed me, Captian suddenly grabbed my wrist and wrapped his other hand around my waist.
"Ah!" I screamed. When I regained my senses, our positions had swapped, I was now sitting on his lap, while he lay on the bed beneath me, his gloomy eyes locked on me without blinking.
My mind blanked. I stared at him and forced a clueless tone:
"P-President Anderson, what are you doing?"
"Please me."
He held my hand, stroking it carefully. The smoothness of my skin made him half-close his eyes in satisfaction, though his gaze remained dangerously deep.
I blinked, my eyes hazy with moisture. I was already beautiful seductive like a temptress. But now, mixed with confusion and softness, it only made me more dangerously alluring, impossible to look away from.
"I… I don't know…"
I was genuinely terrified my hands didn't even know where to rest.
"No one in the Bailey family taught you?"
He gently brushed my beauty mark, his deep eyes enough to drown someone.
My lips trembled. I didn't know what to say. Whether the Bailey family taught Rose or not wasn't something I understood but I truly didn't know what to do.
Seeing that I didn't understand, Captian grew impatient.
"Hurry up."
I resisted internally, pursing my lips, my fingertips twitching. I hesitate was I supposed to press a pressure-point-like nerve cluster to stop him? But suddenly, the ringtone of his phone exploded in the room.
Captian's face darkened. He answered.
I couldn't hear what the person on the other end said, but when the call ended, his expression grew even colder, sending chills across my skin. Without speaking a word, he stood up.
"Wait here obediently."
He threw the sentence at me and walked out.
Then I heard the car engine outside.
He left?
When the sound of the car faded completely, I felt like I had been resurrected. I leapt out of bed, rushed to the window, pulled the curtains closed, and immediately locked my bedroom door. After thinking it through, I slid one of my sterile medical needles under my pillow.
If he tried anything when he came back, I'd stab him.
When Captian left, he brought his whole group of men with him, leaving only two guards outside the door. The entire villa turned silent like a haunted house.
I'd always liked noise, so the stillness felt unsettling. But soon, something else flashed in my mind. My eyes lit up like precious pearls.
Captian wasn't here. Nanny Alley wasn't here. No servants were watching me. This was a rare opportunity.
I quickly grabbed my cloth bag, gently opened the door, and peeked into the hallway. Silence. The living room empty.
I smiled, gaining confidence, slipped past the cameras, and headed toward the backyard.
Yes, just now I had suddenly remembered the king cobra living in the snake pit behind the villa. Its patterns and colors were perfectly pure…
If Grandfather were still alive, he would have loved it.