"Iâll take a shower first," Stuart said while returning to his room. Edie didnât expect him to shower since she had hoped to get it over and done with as soon as possible. Her courage to "sacrifice" collapsed at once. She had no choice but to return to her own room.
The insulation of the house was really sufficient, and she could not hear any noise from the other room. She got sleepy lying on her bed and gradually drifted off into a dream.
It might have been because of her encounter with Victoria today that the nightmare that she used to have appeared. This was a recurring nightmare that she had for years.
"You donât have a Dad! Hahaha! Youâre a bastard! I heard that your mom is a mistress? Do you know what the daughter of a mistress called? A prostitute! It doesnât matter, and we will raise her as if weâre raising a dog."
"Edie! Who permitted you to touch my books? Your dirty hands donât deserve to touch anything of mine! Youâre a bastard and can never be called Greg, and you donât deserve it! Miss Lara, you should be ashamed of yourself for hurting someone as kind-hearted as Joanna?"
In the dream, she was flooded with insults coming from every direction. She ran desperately with her ears covered, but the voices would not stop. It mocked, it sneered, it wanted her dead! She fought alone, and she was so exhausted.
A bottomless gap formed under her feet. Victoriaâs screamed by her ear, "Edie! Why are you still alive? No one loves you. No one needs you. Youâre only a nuisance to others, why arenât you dead? WHY ARENâT YOU DEAD!"
No one loves her.... No one needs her. She lifted her foot up in a vacant state of mind and stepped into the bottomless pit... Suddenly, her surroundings gradually turned warm. It was as if a cloud was embracing her. The cloud smelt fresh, and it was the smell of someone who just took a shower.
The embrace was extremely gentle as if she was some kind of treasure as if she was born to be taken care of. Edieâs weak hands finally had something to grip on, and she hugged the "cloud" tightly like she was seeking redemption. If she did this, could she get away from her unbearable past?
The atmosphere slowly changed without anyone noticing. It all started from the first kiss on her forehead, then her slightly wet lashes, then her small but delicate nose, at last, her flower-like sweet, tender lips.
His lips and tongue were invasive, but not intrusive enough to harm her. The warmth of his body was enchanting, and his breathing deepened, he went further and further... The big hand fondled her waist, then gradually moved upwards and came to the most tender place on her body.
Edie gradually sobered up, discovering that someone was on top of her kissing her; she started to resist in a hazy state. When Edie began to resist, Stuart stopped all of his actions at once.
Feeling the weight on her body start to tense up, Edie finally opened up her eyes and froze. Stuartâs arms were pushing against the bed, stranding Edie in between. His bewitching black eyes looked at her condescendingly.
The muscle on his half-naked body was toned and tense. His lower body was wrapped roughly in a towel. The atmosphere between them was dangerous, nearly climaxed to the point of no return.
Edie screamed out loud, "Stuart! Why are you in my room!" Stuart stood up slowly, even without his expensive customized suit, he still had the aura of a British royal.
"It seems like you have a bad memory; let me remind you. Youâre the one who asked to help me apply the cream." Edie was nearly driven crazy by him, "Why arenât you wearing any clothes?"
"How are you going to apply the cream on me if I have my clothes on?" Edie couldnât think of a rebuttal immediately since what he said was too reasonable, and the way he said it was too confident.
"But... but why did you... kiss me...." Edieâs volume lowered involuntarily on her last two words. Stuart was still calm, "I only came to check on you, and I could see you were having a nightmare.
You were the one who desperately hugged and kissed me as if you were drowning. It was me who made the mistake of not pushing you away immediately." Stuartâs attitude was too honest, and he had no guilt in him at all.
She apparently forgot the person in front of her is the CEO of L.N. Group. What hadnât he been through on the conference table? There is a rare percentage that he would lose his manner because of this little accident.
As for his physiological reaction, under his discreet cover, Edie did not notice at all as she was immersed in her own trouble. Edie thought for a second and recalled that she indeed hugged him first. She didnât even dare to think about the kiss anymore. That was so embarrassing!
How eager was she? Hugging and kissing a gay man! "I... I was in a daze, I had mistaken you for someone else!" Edie had no choice but to give this for an explanation.
Upon hearing her words, Stuartâs face suddenly sank into the gloom, he reached his hand to squeeze her jaw and stared at her fiercely, "Mistaken? Who have you mistaken me for?"
Stuart didnât give Edie the chance to reply, he squinted and said in an icy cold voice, "Is it, Donald Lynch? Youâre still thinking about him?"
An excuse made out of embarrassment got her into trouble. He was displeased and lost control of his strength, and it made Edieâs jaw hurt, she frowned and said, "It hurts." Stuart immediately loosened his hand, Edie rubbed her stiff jaw as soon as he let go. How much strength did he use? She felt as if her jaw was broken.
Stuartâs facial expression was as bad as it could look, just like when she first saw him. He was surrounded by an aura of "donât come near me." He glanced at her and got ready to leave.
"It wasnât Donald!" Seeing him leave Edieâs heart fluttered for no reason. Stuart stopped but didnât turn around. Edie slowly opened her mouth, "It was my mother, she passed away ten years ago, and I miss her very much.
I had a terrible nightmare just then, in the dream, it was my mother who saved me." Edie didnât lie, and she truly missed her mother. For the past ten years, it was her mother who supported her when she faced obstacles.
Thinking about her mother looking down on her from heaven gave her the strength to keep ongoing. The distant aura that surrounded Stuart faded away, he sat on the side of the bed and gently hugged the woman who just woke up from her nightmare. He couldnât hide the sympathy in his cold eyes.
He was too rushed, and he knew how hard her life had been. Caution and mistrust filled her heart, but he was always so eager to please. They had only known each other for one month, and he was already so anxious to help her in any way that he could.
He shouldnât have forced her. At the instance of his embrace, Edie widened her eyes, she knew it wasnât right, but being surrounded by a fresh and warm scent made her loath pushing him away. His scent was too comforting. His chest was too addicting. He was too irresistible.