Chapter 10
Given Scarlett's current physical state, she couldn't put up much of a fight against Alexander.
She had no choice but to let him place her in the passenger seat and drive her to a small villa.
Scarlett knew this villa all too well. It was the love nest she had painstakingly chosen and bought when they first got together.
The surroundings were peaceful but not too isolated.
Inside, every corner of the villa was a testament to their past romance, designed by Alexander with Scarlett's input.
If their relationship had smoothly led to marriage, this would have been their coziest home.
But now, it was just a place of heartbreak for her.
Scarlett had no idea how the house ended up in Alexander's hands.
She had left in a hurry back then, and the house was quickly sold through a friend.
The buyer's offer was decent, helping her alleviate her immediate financial crisis.
Even when she returned to the Phoenix City later, she never thought about this place again.
Scarlett looked at Alexander, her gaze heavy.
Alexander didn't intend to get out of the car. He turned on the headlights, illuminating a corner of the yard where a cluster of flowers bloomed, though it was hard to see clearly.
If her memory was correct, that spot should have the roses she planted.
Scarlett took a deep breath, steadied her heartbeat, and reached to unbuckle her seatbelt. "Thanks for the ride, Mr. King. If there's nothing else, I'll be going now."
She had no intention of reminiscing with Alexander.
Alexander grabbed her hand.
His voice was cool, "You're running a fever."
Scarlett wanted to say something, but Alexander had already gotten out of the car.
Even though they had broken up, they had once been the closest of people. Scarlett instantly understood Alexander's intention.
She hurriedly unbuckled her seatbelt and quickly got out of the car while Alexander was rounding the vehicle.
But as soon as she stepped out, her legs gave way, and she nearly fell to the ground.
Fortunately, Alexander was quick to catch her by the waist.
His cold expression finally softened a bit, and he chuckled, teasing her, "Throwing yourself into my arms?"
Without waiting for Scarlett's response, he lifted her and carried her into the villa.
Scarlett was unwilling.
She struggled in Alexander's arms, but he didn't take her small resistance seriously.
It wasn't until they were inside that Scarlett's feet finally touched the ground.
Everything looked just as it did three years ago.
Scarlett's eyes stung. She instinctively wanted to escape but was pinned against the door by Alexander.
He pressed close to her back, his hot breath almost burning her.
She had nowhere to retreat.
Scarlett's breathing quickened, her eyes stinging.
Alexander's right hand moved to her back.
Scarlett was wearing a tight black dress today, with lace fabric on the back, featuring a small cut-out design.
His warm palm against her skin made her shiver.
Alexander gritted his teeth behind her, "Scarlett, are you afraid to face this place?"
It took all of Scarlett's strength to maintain her outward calm.
Of course, she was afraid to face this place.
She felt guilty.
But what did Alexander mean?
Buying this place, pretending to be sentimental?
After being hurt by her, he couldn't possibly still be hung up on her, right?
She wasn't that self-centered.
Scarlett curled her lips in mockery, "Mr. King, why did you bring me here? To relive old memories?"
Her tone successfully angered Alexander.
He grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to face him.
Scarlett refused to look at him and simply closed her eyes.
This defiance made Alexander even angrier.
Since seeing Scarlett almost get bullied by Zack, his emotions had been a mess.
Anger, fear, dread...
He had almost beaten Zack to death at Pulse Society.
He was still furious, barely holding onto his sanity, constantly reminding himself that Scarlett was sick, and he might scare her.
But that last bit of sanity was gradually fading in Scarlett's silent defiance.
Alexander's grip on her waist tightened, causing Scarlett pain. She frowned but still refused to open her eyes.
Alexander's lips curled in a mocking smile, "Not opening your eyes, huh? Want me to kiss you?"
The woman in his arms immediately opened her eyes.
Did she hate him that much?
Alexander's expression grew colder.
His right hand moved to the cut-out part of her dress, teasing her smooth skin.
Scarlett struggled again, but he ignored her resistance, treating it as a playful gesture from an ex-girlfriend.
He asked Scarlett, "Where did he touch you?"
Scarlett didn't react immediately.
Alexander repeated, "Zack, where did he touch you?"
Scarlett's expression changed.
No wonder he brought her here.
To mock her for falling so low?
The hurt in her eyes flashed by so quickly that Alexander missed it.
Scarlett raised her hand to hook around Alexander's neck, leaning close as if intimate, but her words were full of thorns, "Mr. King, where do you hope he touched me?"
"A woman like me, with poor taste, Mr. King must think it's lucky for me to get involved with Zack, right?"
"What if I told you, he touched everywhere you did? Would Mr. King find me disgusting and throw me out of your house?"
Scarlett decided not to care.
What did it matter? She had been slandered countless times over the years.
Alexander's reaction was already quite mild.
But despite all her mental preparation, she couldn't help but feel her nose sting in front of Alexander. In the blink of an eye, tears started to fall.
Alexander's throat tightened.
He had made Scarlett cry many times before, but during sex, she was always the most delicate, with tears in her eyes, begging him to be gentle, or clinging to his chest, crying from the pleasure, even her nose turning red.
But outside of sex, he never wanted to make Scarlett cry.
Scarlett cried harder, her frail shoulders trembling.
Alexander's eyes darkened, his heart feeling like it was soaked in Scarlett's tears, swelling painfully.
Usually composed and effortlessly navigating the business world, Alexander was at a loss in the face of a woman's tears.
He closed his eyes, pulling Scarlett into a tight embrace, wishing he could crush her so she could never leave him again.
Scarlett refused to be held, using all her strength to push him away, but Alexander remained unmoved.
He opened his eyes, staring at Scarlett with a blank expression, trying to suppress the tumultuous emotions in his chest.
"Scarlett, what if I hadn't shown up?"
"What if Mike hadn't run into you, what if I hadn't arrived in time, what if you had been hurt..."
Scarlett interrupted him, her eyes swollen, "That has nothing to do with you!"
He suddenly grabbed her shoulders, suppressing a roar in his throat, "Scarlett, do you want me to be in pain for the rest of my life!"