So, what Alden wanted was nothing more than the pride I once held high.
When I knocked on Alden's door, that laughable pride had already shattered and scattered on the floor.
He pulled me into his arms, his familiar scent, but it felt strange now:
"Brooks, your waist is still so soft."
His hot breath hit my ear, and his delicate kisses trailed down my skin.
The most intimate things — weren't they something we'd done before?
Back then, Alden always went along with my wishes, and I was the one who took the lead.
But now, his eyes were full of desire that I couldn't understand. I couldn't help but tremble inside, gripping his clothes tightly:
"Alden, I… I want to take a shower…"
He suddenly let out a low laugh, leaned down, and gently nipped the flesh of my neck, an electric jolt of sensation shooting through me:
"I'll help you."
He was smiling, but inside, I felt more and more uneasy.
The bathroom was bathed in a dim, sultry light as he pressed me against the mirror, slowly peeling off my clothes.
Behind him, he still looked impeccable, dressed in his suit.
"How long has it been? Hmm?"
"Five years…"
"It's been five years and forty-eight days."
He sneered, lifting my chin.
The mist in the bathroom made the mirror blur, just like the tremor and heat building up in my heart.
"Beg me."
His words were double-edged, laced with undisguised sarcasm.
Back then, I used to take pleasure in seeing Alden lose his cold exterior, his face flushed, his voice hoarse as he'd say, "Brooks, please…"
I looked at the reflection in the mirror, it seemed both real and surreal, like a dream:
"Alden, please, help me…"
He let out a satisfied chuckle, his icy fingers brushing behind my ear:
"One hundred million, how long will it take to pay it back?"
I shivered suddenly.
"Brooks, this time, you can't escape."
Until the last mark of his fingerprints was left on the mirror, he finally carried me into the bedroom.
As soon as I hit the soft bed, he leaned forward with intent.
He tilted his head slightly and hurriedly tore off his tie, then bound it around my wrists.
"I remember, Brooks, you love ties."
A mysterious smile tugged at his lips, and I couldn't help but feel a tremor deep inside.
The methods I once used on Alden, he was now returning them to me.
Five years ago, on the day Alden graduated, I told him I had a gift for him.
That day, he wore a suit and looked so impossibly handsome.
I hooked my arm around his neck, pulled off his tie:
"Alden, how about something interesting today~"
I raised my hand to teach him how to tie it into a bow around my wrists:
"Do you like this gift?"
The moment his gaze burned with desire, Alden eagerly leaned down and kissed me.
But just as we were tangled in an intense moment, the door to my bedroom was kicked open.
With my clothes in disarray, I cried and threw myself into my father's arms, begging him to save me.
In a fit of rage, my father slapped Alden across the face, and Mary was so enraged that she fainted and had to be rushed to the hospital.
"Why did you do this to me?"
He asked the same question again.
I avoided his gaze, which was full of cold fury.
"Brooks, why did you lie to me?"
He grabbed my neck, his eyes full of hatred:
"Why did you leave?"
I gritted my teeth, silently enduring his repeated questioning.
That night, he seemed like a completely different person, cruel and violent beyond recognition.
At one point, I thought I might die on Alden's bed in the next second.
