Chapter 9

She picked up the massive bouquet of red roses, glanced around suspiciously, but saw no one. Unlocking the door, she stepped inside—only to find Anthony Hayes mopping the floor right outside the bathroom. “Hey Tony, did you leave these roses at my door?” Anthony paused mid-motion, leaning his elbow on the mop handle. He looked every bit the relaxed, stay-at-home type. “Do I look that bored to you? Clearly, someone’s got a crush. You really have no idea who?” “Who’d be sending me flowers?” Alice joked lazily, brushing it off. Since Anthony seemed just as clueless, she didn’t press further. She dropped the roses on the couch and walked further in. As soon as she noticed the puddle spreading across the floor, her expression shifted. “What on earth happened here?” she called out. “Are you fixing the faucet or trying to recreate the Great Flood?” Last time he’d come over for dinner, she’d mentioned the bathroom faucet was acting up—random spurts of water whenever it was turned on. Anthony had confidently promised to handle it over the weekend. She’d been skeptical of his sudden handyman enthusiasm. Turns out, she had every reason to be. “That mystery delivery guy messed everything up,” Anthony said, still mopping. “The pipe burst while I was tightening the screws. Doorbell rang right in the middle, and… well, you see the result.” He glanced at her with a shrug. “But it’s fine now. I replaced the faucet. Just cleaning up the water.” “Let me do it. You take a break,” Alice said, setting the bouquet on the coffee table and taking the mop from him. As she leaned down to wipe the floor, she asked, “Any idea who sent the flowers?” “No clue. He was dressed sharp, though. Looked like someone important.” He rotated his wrist, stretching it, then grinned with curiosity. “Could it be that colleague you told me about?” Alice paused mid-swipe, frowning. “Doubt it. I turned him down pretty clearly.” “Then who was the guy today? He asked for you by name,” Anthony said, raising an eyebrow. “Don’t tell me scammers are doing door-to-door deliveries now?” Alice was just as puzzled. “What did he look like?” His answer: “A guy’s a guy. How am I supposed to tell?” She stared at him, speechless. Well, she had no comeback for that. Out of caution, Anthony ended up installing a smart lock with a built-in camera at her front door. It showed who came by and saved video footage, too. “If that creep shows up again with any shady ideas,” he said, “at least the camera will make him think twice.” Alice thought that made sense. After the lock was installed, Anthony headed out. —— The next day, Alice accompanied Edward to Ancorum for a meeting about the new trade zone project. William came along, too. Inside the VIP lounge, Alice quietly edged closer to William, eyeing Edward, who sat silently with a stormy expression. “William, is it just me or does the air feel dangerously heavy today?” William snuck a glance at Edward, then gave a very subtle nod. Looks like the fire in Edward’s gut from last night still hadn’t cooled down. Then again, being cheated on—especially for someone like him—wasn’t exactly easy to swallow. Even though Alice was dying to know what exactly had happened, she kept her mouth shut out of habit—less talk, fewer mistakes. She sat properly in her seat, quietly staring out the window, figuring it was safer not to draw any attention. Soon, the plane landed in Ancorum, and the group headed straight to a high-end downtown club to meet their business partners. “Mr. Hawthorne, we appreciate your investment and choosing us for this collaboration. Let me propose a toast.” Edward picked up his glass, clinked it lightly, then downed the drink in one go. “The pleasure is mine,” he said simply. Lenny, their partner representative, broke into a wide grin. “Mr. Hawthorne, you handle your liquor well! This stuff is strong! Come on, another round!” But Edward didn’t touch his glass again. Besides that first drink, he didn’t take another sip. That task fell entirely to William and Alice. This was where having Edward’s secretary came in handy—William navigated it like a pro. Alice, on the other hand, was new to the team and clearly hadn’t built up her alcohol tolerance yet. The other side had brought a whole crowd, and round after round kept coming. Before long, everything started doubling in Alice’s vision. By the end of it, her cheeks were flushed a deep rosy red, and her usually clear dark eyes had turned hazy. She held up her glass—now looking like it had four copies—swayed slightly, then knocked it back. Clink— That was the final straw. Alice went limp and collapsed onto the table. William wasn’t doing much better. He leaned over, patting her lightly on the arm. “Alice? You okay?” No response whatsoever. Lenny’s eyes flickered as he glanced at the passed-out Alice. “Mr. Hawthorne, I’ve already booked rooms upstairs. Let me have someone take you up to rest.” He shot a look to his assistant, then smiled as he placed a hand on Alice’s back. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure both William and Alice get back safely.” With that, he barked orders to the staff, having William and the other passed-out colleagues carried out, leaving Alice completely alone. Lenny was more than a little buzzed himself, swaying slightly. But what was truly disgusting was the way his fat hand started roaming across Alice’s back—right there in front of Edward. The touch made Alice frown uncomfortably in her drunken daze. She feebly swatted his hand and mumbled, “Go away… don’t touch me…” Edward’s gaze turned icy—his deep eyes frosty. “Lenny, I suggest you move your hand.” Lenny chuckled like he’d heard a joke. “Mr. Hawthorne, you must’ve been out of the country too long. You know, some of our dinner habits here can be pretty… entertaining. How about we call it a night and continue tomorrow?” Edward remained silent, just tapping his index finger lightly on the table. A minimal gesture, but enough to show he wasn’t amused. Lenny gave a theatrical shake of his head. “Oh, right—silly me. You grew up here, totally familiar with our ways. My bad, I thought you weren’t into this type of scene.” He grinned with faux sincerity. “Anyway, sorry about the mess—everyone’s kinda out cold. How about this: I’ll take care of Alice tonight, make sure she’s looked after. Tomorrow, I’ll even send over someone even prettier—my own assistant. She’s only twenty, fresh as they come.” Before Edward could respond, Lenny was already reaching to scoop Alice up, eyes glinting with sleaze. “Well, sweetheart, you really are a stunner. Tonight’s gonna be…” —— Before he could lay a hand on Alice, a loud bang! echoed through the room. Edward suddenly stood up, eyes cold as ice and glinting with menace. With a swift, forceful kick, he sent Lenny flying to the floor. Lenny curled up, clutching his stomach and whimpering, “Mr. Hawthorne, what... what are you doing?!” Edward’s face was calm, but his gaze was deadly. He stepped forward, his expensive leather shoe pressing hard on the back of Lenny’s hand. The scream that followed could’ve woken the dead. Head slightly lowered, Edward’s voice was low but chilling. “Didn’t I tell you not to touch her?” With every word, his foot pressed harder. Lenny was in so much pain he was dripping sweat, his bloated body shaking uncontrollably. Only now did he realize—Edward wasn’t joking. “I-I’m sorry, Mr. Hawthorne! I didn’t know she was yours, I swear! If I had any idea, I wouldn’t have dared, not even with ten lives!” “Please... have mercy, Mr. Hawthorne!” His crying was so over-the-top it jolted Alice partly awake. She tried to figure out what was going on through her hazy vision—only managing to make out two blurry figures. She pushed herself up, but her legs gave out immediately. Edward’s eyes narrowed. He stepped forward and scooped her up without a word, carrying her bridal-style straight past Lenny, crushing his hand under his shoe in the process. Lenny screamed again, this time deafeningly loud. —— Edward carried Alice all the way back to the hotel room and gently laid her on the bed. Just as he was about to leave, she suddenly grabbed his wrist. “Don’t go.” Her hands clenched tightly around his arm, eyes shut, murmuring in her sleep. He tried to free himself, annoyed. “Let go.” “No… please don’t…” “Mama, Papa… don’t leave me…” In that moment, the confident, collected version of Alice was gone. Her drink-flushed face was streaked with tears, and the way she hugged his arm—like she was drowning and he was the only thing keeping her afloat—was utterly vulnerable. She curled into herself, brows scrunched tight. Her long lashes trembled slightly against her cheeks, and her whole body looked small and fragile. Edward stood still, surprised, staring at her delicate features. She looked exactly like she had that night. The night he’d pushed her too far. Even then, she’d cried softly like this, begging him to stop. After that, he’d had her background investigated. Turns out, both her parents had passed away. She’d been raised by her grandfather, worked her way into a top university, and had relied entirely on her own strength to get where she was. Edward’s usual frigid expression softened slightly. A girl like her—persistent, hardworking, fighting her way through life—shouldn’t have to go through this kind of crap. What happened tonight was on him. He reached out and gently patted her arm. “It’s okay now. It’s over.” The tension on her face eased a bit. She scooted closer, her lips brushing against the back of his hand—soft and warm. Edward’s eyes darkened. He quickly pulled his hand away with a frown. Alice suddenly panicked, grabbing for him again. “No, don’t go!” “Mama, Papa, please... don’t leave Emily—she’ll be good, she promises. Don’t leave her all alone…”