Lexie shuddered in horror and fear. Even without Rafe needing to threaten her, she still wouldn't be able to fight back and scream because she didn't have the strength to do that. She was just silent as Rafe crammed her into his car like she was a sack of potatoes. The people passing by on the sidewalks just stared at her disinterestedly. They must have thought that she and Rafe were lovers in conflict.
After the passenger door slammed violently, Lexie saw Rafe rushing around the car, then climbed into the car so fast that the interior of the car shook slightly as Rafe plopped himself onto the soft car seat.
"Please take me to the hospital."
Rafe looked at Lexie sarcastically. He didn't expect that this girl could still show such an arrogant expression after what she did. Or maybe she was just pretending to be arrogant to cover up her fears.
“You think they will accept you again after what you did? Even Wren won't accept you as his patient anymore," Rafe said sarcastically.
"Please, let me go. I will work to pay off my debts. I don't want to carry your baby."
"Too bad you can't back down. The baby is already implanted in your womb. You just have to wait until next month to have that little bulge on your stomach.”
Lexie gulped nervously. Her heart skipped a beat at the way Rafe looked at her and stared at the flat stomach beneath the sweater she was wearing. She felt naked under Rafe's intense gaze. And what's even scarier is that she will be kidnapped by that man.
"This is just the beginning. We don't know if this baby will really live or not. I might miscarry next month."
"Then we'll make it so it doesn't miscarry."
Rafe stomped hard on the gas pedal, causing their bodies to jolt hard back and then jolt hard forward. Lexie's head almost hit the dashboard of the car when the car started speeding down the busy streets of New York. He ignored Lexie's terrified look and her pale face that looked absolutely ridiculous as her hands gripped the dashboard of the car tightly to keep her body jerking forward.
“From now on you will live under my supervision. Don't try to run away."
"I'm too young to get pregnant."
Tears welled up in Lexie's eyes. Pain crept into her chest painfully. She doesn't know how her life will be after she bears this damn baby and she is just a tool to produce his offspring.
"I don't want to get pregnant. I want to find a job and build my life slowly.”
“You can think of this as a job. There will be proper compensation for you as the mother of my child. And after you give birth, I'll give you a nice apartment and job for you to start a new life. You don't have to worry."
The words that escaped Rafe's lips sounded tantalizing. But this is not the time to feel grateful for the new job she got. She didn't even expect to have a job as a pregnant woman. It really sounds ridiculous and pathetic. Even if people asked about her work and she told them, they would just think of her as a bitch.
"Don't cry. I will not hurt you. I'm sorry if I scared you while in the hospital."
Lexie turned around in surprise. She didn't expect the man to say sorry to her. She thought Rafe Wilder was just a heartless and cruel man.
“Wren rebuked me. And I realized that my attitude had gone too far. I just can't be too patient with a girl."
"What's your occupation?" Lexie asked hoarsely.
"I own an auto company and a few casinos."
"Why don't you get married?"
"Because I don't want to have a wife. Too complicated."
"Why do you want children?"
"Isn't it obvious? I need an heir to all my companies and my wealth.”
"You want a boy then."
Lexie tried to wipe her tears with the tissue that Rafe had just offered. She was even surprised, once again, that Rafe could be such a gentleman behind his cold face.
"A son would be good to inherit my entire wealth."
“What if I give birth to a daughter? You're going to throw her away?"
When the traffic light turned red, Rafe took the opportunity to turn to Lexie and stared at her puffy face intensely.
"I'm not that vile. If you give birth to a daughter, I will still love her. After all, she is my daughter."
“But girls can't live up to your expectations. You need a boy."
“I admit it's true. Girls will make it difficult for me of course. I have to always protect her from the assholes out there who could potentially hurt her. But it doesn't matter to me. My daughter will be a sweet daughter."
“What if your daughter becomes like me?”
Rafe's brow furrowed. He didn't like how Lexie turned this conversation into a conversation related to her life.
“My daughter will get great affection from me, her father. She will live well in a big and comfortable house. And my daughter will not be kicked out of her house. So she couldn't possibly be like you."
The words were clear and sharp, spoken with determination and without hesitation. Lexie felt jealous to hear how fate would bring her baby. She would certainly be luckier than her mother who was only used as a vessel instead of being a beloved wife. And she didn't want to be this man's wife after all. She has her own criteria for the man who will become her lover or husband. But after all the hassle about the baby, will she ever get the love of a man?
"Why are you just silent? What got you kicked out of your house?”
"None of your business," Lexie retorted.
-00-
She turned her face to the window and just remained silent until Rafe took her to a mansion in the Westchester area. The house building stands on a very wide land and is surrounded by giant trees on the right and left. A large black gate rose at the end of the paved road she was passing. Lexie watched the maple trees with their yellow leaves fall along the driveway to the stately house at the end of the road. Rafe made the leaves scatter in the middle of the road and became a small tornado which was quite interesting in Lexie's eyes. She was happy to see the leaves. Reminds her of her sweet childhood while on vacation at her grandmother's house who has a giant maple leaf in her yard. Every time autumn came, the yellow maple leaves would fall and make her grandmother's yard very dirty. But she always liked to play with the yellow leaves and scatter them all over her body.
Lexie blinked her eyes twice. The beautiful memories of her childhood disappeared when she heard Rafe's voice playing around her. The car stopped in front of a very large and tall black gate. Up close, the gate looks sturdier and looks taller. Lexie even had to raise her head high enough to see the pointed ends at the top of the black gate.
“Don't even think about running away. You can't. Jacob, open the gate!” Rafe shouted harshly.
Something rustled from the dashboard. A walkie talkie the size of a fist made the tenor voice of a young man who had just answered Rafe's orders. Lexie studied the object for a long time, stunned at the thought of a man named Jacob who was summoned by Rafe. She imagined Jacob's figure as a burly man with a fierce face with lips like straight lines pressed against his lips. Jacob must also be a man in an all-black suit with a gun belt around his waist. Lexie was sure the people who worked for Rafe would look like the villains in the action movies she often watched.
But all of Lexie's guesses turned out to be wrong. As the black gate swung open wider, she saw a man in a bright green shirt and khakis emerge from behind the gate. The man smiled broadly at Rafe and waved excitedly like he was a fan waiting for his idol to arrive. But Rafe ignored him. He didn't even glance at Jacob at all. He immediately drove his car to his very large yard and stopped his car right in front of his magnificent car port.
"This is my house. And from now on it will be your house too.”
"Is he Jacob?"
Rafe frowned. He didn't think that the things that had been bothering Lexie's mind for a long time were Jacob. He thought Lexie would reject the idea of staying at his house and then she would run away in the second when she jumped out of his car. But she didn't. Lexie remained where she was. Her brow furrowed and her expression showed that she was deep in thought. It's just that he didn't think that something that filled Lexie's mind was Jacob.
“He is a gatekeeper and a gardener. Why?"
"I thought Jacob was some kind of bodyguard with all black and a gun belt around his waist."
“Don't misjudge a person based on his appearance. Jacob mastered all martial techniques. He's a tough guy behind that ridiculous face."
"He's such a funny guy."
Rafe really had no idea that a teenage girl's thinking was so different from that of a grown man like him, or even a grown woman. Most women, his dates, never looked at a man the way Lexie looked at a man. All the women he met always looked at a man based on his material characteristics and how big his prospects were in the future. But Lexie wasn't like that. She judges a person based on the purity of her heart. It was the most striking characteristic of an innocent and naive woman. Yeah, she will thank Wren because Lexie is indeed the woman he is looking for and who he hopes to be the mother of his child.
“He has a stock of jokes you can listen to for three whole days. And speaking of bodyguards, don't worry."
Rafe's lips twitched into a smirk. It made Lexie, who had previously relaxed a bit, become a little wary of what would happen next.
“This place is full of burly bodyguards with gun belts around their waists. They're in there."
Lexie gulped nervously. The way Rafe spoke and nodded his head at the door of his grandiose house made her nervous. She hadn't completely forgotten her plan to escape. But if Rafe has a tough and strong henchman, she must always be on the lookout and devise a brilliant escape plan to outsmart everyone who works for Rafe.
“Therefore, don't even think about escaping from here. You won't be able to."
“About your offer, are you serious?”
"Of course. I am a reliable businessman who has been in the business world for more than twenty years. You will never lose doing business with me.”
"Then I'd like a legal agreement for our business."
Rafe grinned widely. He had to admit that Lexie wasn't just a naive crybaby, she was a smart girl full of vigilance. He probably shouldn't underestimate Lexie's intelligence and he should keep an eye on her twenty-four hours a day. What else will the mother of his child show? This woman is full of surprises, Rafe thought happily.
"Have you ever been in business before?"
“This is the first time. But I know how business is supposed to work. Profits for both parties."
"Agree. In this business you and I will be mutually beneficial. I got the baby I wanted, and you'll get the money and all the amenities you need."
“You promised me an apartment and a job after I gave birth. How do I know that you're really going to give me all of that, when you already know for sure that I'm currently carrying your baby."
"You don't have to doubt me."
Rafe reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out his black cell phone. He pressed a few numbers, then put the object to his ear before speaking to someone named Jack.
“I need a luxury apartment in Manhattan with a great view. It doesn't matter how much it costs me."
Lexie prevented her own mouth from opening. Little did she know that Rafe Wilder was the most powerful and arrogant man in NYC. He can get expensive apartments easily with just a snap of his fingers. Even now he could see a sinister smile etched on Rafe's face.
“The apartment is in the name of Lexie Harlow. My assistant will take care of the payment. And I want the apartment keys delivered to my house today. Thanks. Nice doing business with you, Jack-Jack."
While talking to someone named Jack, Rafe's eyes were only on Lexie. He stared intently at Lexie's face which was filled with nervousness. He grinned widely.
“Well, I have bought an apartment in your name. I hope you won't doubt me again, Lexie.”
“Next is a letter of agreement to seal all our deals.”
"So you're really going to run this business and agree to all the terms I put forward?"
“There seems to be no way for me not to agree to this deal. But what if this baby will never live? What if I miscarry?”
"Well, we'll talk about it in my study. Now come out. I'm sure you're more than curious to see the people who have been waiting for you behind that door."
Lexie's gaze moved from Rafe's gloomy face to the majestic white door with gold doorknob. At first glance the door resembled the door of a palace from a story book she had read when she was a child. But she was sure the door didn't hide magic, or even happiness, like the door to the palaces of the princes in the princess series she'd read. Instead, the door hid her gloomy and dark future.
Sighing heavily, Lexie stepped out of the car. Then she walked steadily towards the magnificent door that was waiting for her as if she had thrown away all the doubts that had previously hung over her shoulders.
Welcome to your new home, Lexie.
Lexie was tempted to run away from Rafe Wilder's stately home when she got out of the car and Rafe was busy with his cell phone in the car. Rafe probably wouldn't have caught her if she ran through the half-open giant gate. She saw Jacob concentrating on his headset and standing with his back to the gate. The man's fingers danced in the air, like he was following the melody from his headset. Lexie was sure Jacob wouldn't see her if she tried to sneak out of the giant gate.But she was worried that she couldn't run that fast. The distance between where she was standing and the gate was about three hundred yards. Coupled with the distance from Rafe's house to the main road that is passed by vehicles is about half a mile. If Rafe realized her intention to run away, he could outrun her. Rafe will immediately pounce on her like a tiger that pounces on its prey, then Rafe will lock her in his magnificent house and punish her cruelly."Come in."Lexie flinched in surprise when Rafe suddenly
After the conversation with Rafe in his room that ended like a nightmare for her, Lexie was led to her room on the second floor. The room she occupied was very spacious and luxurious. The size of her new bedroom is three times the size of her old bedroom. The interior is dominated by a bright yellow color which gives the room a cheerful and uplifting impression. Lexie couldn't stop admiring her as Rafe ushered her into her new room. This was a room she had long dreamed of having. A king size bed in the middle of the room in a soft ivory color. The sheets are made of beautiful soft cotton with a daisy print. The blankets were neatly folded over the sheets and smelled of great laundry perfume. Lexie couldn't bear to flop down on her new bed, then let her body bounce up and down in constantly. She spread her arms wide to the right and left, her legs dangling on the edge of her bed, her head turned to face the ceiling of her room, which was lit up with beautiful neon lights. This room was
“Kyyaa… Why do you always surprise me.”Lexie hit Rafe's arm reflexively. This left them both silent for a moment. Awkwardness and guilt enveloped Lexie's body because she shouldn't have hit Rafe like that. The two of them weren't too familiar to touch each other.“What are you doing in there? You're taking too long and starving me."Rafe repeated his question again. His two eyes explored Lexie's body which emitted an alluring fragrance. The memory of Lexie's upper body covered only in a pink mini bra bothered him. He suddenly felt a sexual arousal that he had never felt before when he saw Lexie was caressing her belly in a gentle motion. The expression on her face as she closed her eyes in front of the mirror, made him feel a strange tingle that tickled all over his nerves. He was not a young man who had never seen and touched a woman's body. He has had a lot of girlfriends since he was in high school. And that's been years ago. Why was
Rough breaths erupted from his mouth and nostrils after he slammed her bedroom door with a bang. Anger was at the peak of his head, he felt like getting angry and exploded. At the end of the hall he saw Kaella standing by the railing, her face strained when she saw him staring at her. Then she walked hurriedly down the stairs with a tray and glasses in her hand. It was probably the pregnant milk that Lexie was supposed to drink tonight. But his anger messed everything up. He made the girl cry again and be scared again. He turned into a monster again.Rafe turned to Lexie's bedroom door which had just been slammed. His anger felt irrational. He shouldn't have been so angry just because Lexie was trying to be haughty in front of him. He could probably just ignore her and let her roam around until she was exhausted and then go to her room on her own. But he didn't let Lexie do that. Instead of ignoring her arrogance and a hint of rebelliousness, he let out a tantrum that he shou
The doctor standing beside Wren looked at Rafe with a strange look of wonder and admiration in Rafe's eyes. He knew that the doctor was looking more at the bloodstains on his shirt than at his worried face."Lexie will be fine. Doctor Herman Jose has done a great job." Wren tapped the doctor on the shoulder a few times.“You're lucky that he's in charge of ER tonight. He's one of the best doctors here. And he handled Lexie's bleeding well.""Thank you very much, Doctor Jose.""You're welcome. You managed to get her to the hospital in time. The bleeding isn't too bad and we don't need to give her a blood transfusion.""I thought she was bleeding a lot.""Well, this time Lexie was lucky that you brought her here so quickly." Wren takes over, and he suddenly turns to Herman for a subtle eviction.“Thank you very much for your help tonight, Herman. I will take over Lexie after this.”"Sure. I will return to my pos
His steps were heavy down the lonely and gloomy hospital hallway. Lexie's treatment room felt very far away, even though it was only twenty yards in front of him. But because his footsteps were too slow, he felt the room was becoming too far to reach.Rafe was feeling really messed up today. Especially tonight because all the past that he had been trying to forget came back to the surface and hit him hard. Every place in this hospital gave him a bad effect. He repeatedly lost the people he loved here. And tonight he lost his baby.Rafe exhaled loudly and tousled his hair in frustration. He must be cursed to face all these things for the rest of his life. Wren's words disturbed him. He couldn't possibly get that damn mental illness again. He didn't want to see Doctor Liberton again. He'd had enough of the therapies he'd been on over the years and the sickening drugs to get him to sleep more. He's cured right? He didn't need to torture his body with those drugs right?
Lexie became even more awkward when Rafe wiped the spilled water from her lips to her neck with a tissue. She had never been treated this special by anyone. Especially a foreign man who just hours ago had yelled at her. "Would you like another drink?" "Not. My throat is not dry anymore. You been here all night?” “I haven't moved anywhere since you were transferred to this room. I haven't even changed my shirt yet." Lexie was stunned to see Rafe's appearance which was very messy and covered with blood. Rafe's face was gloomy and filled with tired lines. Seeing Rafe's condition made the guilt she tried to forget to surface again. She failed to keep the baby alive. "You okay? You suddenly became silent.” Lexie glanced at Rafe, then she lowered her face again. This time it was deeper until her chin was almost pressed against her chest. "He's gone. Your baby dead." "Don't think about it. He's still blood. He's not even a fet
Rafe slams the documents on the table and releases the anger that has been boiling over his head on his assistant, Matthew Brunwick or Matt, for all the mistakes he made today on his precious projects. “I told you two weeks ago that I don't agree with the price proposed by Wilcox, I want the funding report amended, and you type the amounts I gave you. Why do you still maintain the same nominal?” "Sorry, but Mr. Wilcox said—” "Who paid you, huh?" Rafe shouted angrily. He didn't like that his assistant took his marketing manager's words more than his. “Wilcox is an idiot and has no confidence in my company's capabilities. He thought that by lowering the price of my parts, he could attract more clients to earn more turnover. But no, my price will bring in more clients and profit. I'm pretty confident with my factory made parts. We have been producing the best parts for many years. You understand that, Matt?” Matthew nodded stiffly then walked out