CHAPTER 68: CHAPTER 68: DON’T COME TO ME, GO FIND YOUR GIRLFRIEND

"Didn’t you let me come here just to humiliate me? Your girlfriend is here too, right? Do you want me to meet her? Fine, let’s meet and then I’ll leave immediately, I won’t stay here to disturb you!"

Annelise Winter’s lips twitched; every word she uttered was like a dagger, stabbing into Elias Warner’s chest over and over.

Elias Warner’s dark eyes encompassed her as he laughed coldly, "You want to see her, then come upstairs with me!"

With that, he got up and walked upstairs.

Annelise stood there, staring at his tall and straight back, without moving.

So, his fiancée was still upstairs.

Was he unwilling to let that woman come downstairs? Was he expecting her to go upstairs to see her?

Thinking about it made her heart ache again for a second.

"Follow me!"

Seeing her remain unmoved, Elias Warner stood at the top of the stairs, looking down at Annelise.

Annelise clenched her fingers, looked up, and involuntarily wanted to back away, "I won’t go up! Just let her come down, if it’s not convenient, then another day."

Clenching her fists, Annelise turned to leave, the panic-induced suffocation making it impossible for her to stand firmly.

But to her surprise, Elias Warner didn’t give her a chance to escape.

"If you dare walk out that door, Uncle Ford will deliver you to Herbert Alden. Chase Perry will have to leave Kybourne South Air tomorrow!"

Annelise was forced to stop, comparing the humiliation she would suffer from Herbert Alden, and the potential collapse of Chase Perry’s career, to simply going upstairs to meet his fiancée.

Why not?

Just grit her teeth and close her eyes; she could get through it.

This was her punishment for something that happened five years ago, anyway.

Steadying her emotions, Annelise stubbornly turned and walked to the foot of the stairs, holding onto the railing, the journey felt as long as a century.

She climbed the stairs, turned left, and followed Elias Warner into his bedroom.

The room, decorated in deep gray tones, had a huge double bed in the middle with an upscale mattress and soft down duvet.

Surprisingly, the room was clean and tidy, without any sign of the woman of the house.

So where did she go?

Elias Warner walked into the room first, grabbing her slender waist with one hand, guiding her into the bathroom.

The bathroom showed no signs of a recent shower, nor any feminine scent.

He took a white shirt inside and forced her, "Do you need my help to change, or will you do it yourself?!"

The dress she wore was soaked, the curves of her body visible.

She had gotten caught in the rain; what if she caught a cold?

With no more pretense, Annelise said, "I’ll change myself!"

Elias Warner left the washroom and closed the door for her.

He sat in a single chair in the room.

Waiting for her to come out after changing.

"Come over here! Sit here!"

Elias Warner sat with a domineering posture, bending over to look at her, pointing to his long legs.

Annelise felt a wave of humiliation, stubbornly mocking him, "What does this mean? Do you think it’s appropriate for me to sit on your lap?"

Though his fiancée wasn’t present now, they had just been in this room, rolling on the sheets.

She could suffer humiliation, but she didn’t want it now.

She also didn’t want another woman’s scent lingering on him.

Most likely, she wouldn’t be able to withstand it.

Not knowing what she might do.

Moreover, that woman was there, though she wasn’t in the room now, she could appear at any moment.

Annelise stood at the bathroom door, refusing to take a step inside, "Where is she? You want me to meet her, right? Where is she?"

Elias Warner’s heart roiled with emotions, his face calm, as he simply stepped over to Annelise.

He scooped her up in his arms.

"What are you doing! Elias Warner, put me down, I don’t want this!"

Annelise slapped Elias Warner’s shoulder fiercely.

Those broad shoulders, so familiar.

But they no longer belonged to her alone.

Annelise’s eyes reddened.

"You choose, you’re free to leave now, but the consequences are yours to bear!"

His deep voice, repressing anger, had a smoky undertone yet felt like a blade pressed against Annelise’s throat.

Ahead lay a cliff; behind, a steep descent.

"No, don’t!"

Elias Warner threw Annelise onto the soft chaise, which formed a deep imprint and bounced Annelise back up.

She tried to press down, but was restrained by Elias Warner’s hands.

Her resistance seemed tiny and weak under his strong form, like an ant.

This bed, he had just been with another woman.

She didn’t want to touch it!

"Elias Warner! What are you doing? Haven’t you had enough with your girlfriend!?"

Annelise, with reddened eyes, forced herself to keep her emotions in check.

"Yes, so I figured I’d come to you! Ready and waiting, I didn’t want to exert any effort!"

Annelise pushed him away.

"Isn’t this line of work your expertise? Rather than finding other sponsors, why not cling to my leg?"

His mocking, deep voice lingered at her ear.

Her feelings of despair exploded instantly.

Was that really how he saw her, so worthless?

Was it really fun to humiliate her this way?

"Not saying anything? No words mean you’ve agreed! Ten thousand per session, until the debt is cleared!"

Elias Warner leaned back against the headboard, "Get started! Show me your skills!"

Motioning for Annelise to sit on him.

Every word felt too painful, Annelise never imagined, reaching this point, it would hurt this much.

In the past, it was never this way between them!

Though cold and proud, after being together, he was especially gentle with her, never letting her suffer an ounce of grievance.

Shamefulness took over; since he thought of her this way, she might as well meet his expectations.

The sooner she repaid her debt to him, the sooner she could escape, treating it as a form of farewell.

Annelise slowly got up, lowering her head, suppressing her emotions.

Although she once kissed those thin lips.

And today, facing him again, after so much time had passed, her heart still fluttered,

She closed her eyes, leaned down, and kissed him.

But the next second, Elias Warner grasped her chin, stopping her lips from meeting his.

He resisted, his face unchanging, "Didn’t you like clinging to men while dancing? Dance to your heart’s content tonight!"

Annelise’s face turned pale instantly.

Bitterness spread, the pain was overwhelming, but she forced a carefree demeanor, treating him like a pole she tried to dance upon.

She half-closed her eyes, unable to see the depth of the man’s gaze beneath.

The phone’s ring shattered it all at that moment.

Annelise opened her eyes, just ready to get off him, when a strong force pulled her, causing her to stumble, fall on top of him, her thin lips brushing against his jawline.

"Mmm!"

She acted as if it was her first time, lost and unsure.

Her cheeks reddened instantly.

"Your skills are terrible!"

Elias Warner said coldly.

Annelise, at a loss, tried to get up, "Your phone is ringing!"

Elias Warner hung up directly, tossing it to the foot of the bed.

"Continue!"

His icy demeanor, stripped of all emotions.

As if he was merely watching her embarrassment.

Annelise finally couldn’t hold it in, tears welling in her eyes.

Before, Elias Warner couldn’t resist her teasing.

Had he truly lost all feelings for her?