CHAPTER 100: CHAPTER 100: POSSESSED, WILLINGLY

Chloe Preston blinked her shimmering, watery eyes. She leaned in, resting her head on his shoulder. "Don’t you like me like this?" she asked, her voice soft and laced with a smile.

Donovan Xavier’s entire body went rigid.

He stared straight ahead, not daring to spare her a single glance. Forcing himself to remain composed, he suppressed his agitation. "Stop messing around," he said, his voice tight. "Put your clothes on."

Chloe Preston leaned closer to his ear, breathing a puff of warm air. "Help me put them on, will you?"

Sweat beaded on Donovan Xavier’s forehead. He gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut.

Calm down. I have to stay calm. She’s pregnant. I have to control myself. I can’t do anything reckless!

After a long moment, Donovan Xavier’s lips moved. His voice was painfully hoarse. "Behave yourself. Put your clothes on."

"No," Chloe Preston replied defiantly.

A string in Donovan Xavier’s mind was stretched taut, reminding him not to act rashly. "Be good," he said in a low, stern voice. "Chloe, listen to me."

Chloe Preston remained on his shoulder, the corners of her lips curved into a faint smile. "Donovan, do you know the biggest difference between you before and after your amnesia?"

Donovan Xavier raised an eyebrow. "Hmm?"

"You’re so proper, just like a true gentleman," Chloe said. "Impossible to flirt with."

Donovan Xavier was silent for a few seconds, then asked, "What was I like before I lost my memory?"

Chloe Preston answered without a second thought. "Improper, no sense of propriety, and you couldn’t keep your hands off me. You were basically in heat 24/7..."

"Stop! Stop! Stop!" Donovan Xavier interrupted her urgently, his eyes darkening. "Are you praising me or cursing me?"

"I’m just stating the facts," Chloe replied.

Donovan Xavier was speechless.

He paused for a few seconds, his dark eyes lowered to mask his emotions. "Which do you prefer," he asked softly, "the me before I lost my memory or the me now?"

"Both," Chloe Preston blurted out without a hint of hesitation.

Donovan Xavier squinted. "Really?"

A smile flickered in Chloe Preston’s eyes and a faint blush crept onto her cheeks. She nodded. "Yes. Because it’s you... I like both versions."

Donovan Xavier’s dark eyes shifted slightly.

His gaze moved downward, landing on her skin that was as fair as snow, but he quickly averted his eyes and cleared his throat.

Donovan Xavier reached for the blanket and pulled it up, covering her securely.

"You’re pregnant right now. I won’t do anything out of line that could hurt you."

"We have all the time in the world. If you still want to... we can talk about it after the baby is born."

Chloe Preston reached out and hooked her fingers around his, wiggling them playfully. "It’s past the first three months. The doctor said once in a while is okay."

Donovan Xavier was on edge. He drew a sharp breath. "That’s not happening. It’s still too risky. I’m afraid."

"You’re afraid?" Chloe asked.

Donovan Xavier’s ink-black eyes gazed at her, filled with emotion. "I’m afraid something might happen to you, and I’m afraid something might happen to the baby."

"When I was little, I was outside the hospital when Simon Shelby’s wife was giving birth. She had a massive hemorrhage... it was a brush with death. She almost didn’t make it."

"So when I found out you were pregnant, I was terrified."

As he spoke, he gently pulled her into his arms. His hand slipped beneath the blanket, coming to rest on her warm stomach.

"Chloe Preston, promise me you’ll give birth to our child safely. Promise me there won’t be any accidents."

Chloe Preston placed her hand over his. She lowered her gaze, her expression softening. "Okay."

On his hand, he still wore the Buddha Beads she had given him. They felt cool against her skin, tickling her stomach but also digging in uncomfortably.

Donovan Xavier noticed, too. He pulled his hand out and glanced at the string of sandalwood Buddha Beads. "You gave these to me?" he asked in a deep voice.

"Yes, to keep you safe and bring you peace. You didn’t even want to wear them back then!"

Donovan Xavier chuckled. "Even if I was unwilling, I’m wearing them now, aren’t I?"

"Then you’re not allowed to take them off for the rest of your life!"

"Alright, whatever you say."

Donovan’s eyes were full of adoration as he smoothed her hair. "Have I ever given you any gifts?" he asked.

"This," Chloe Preston said, shaking the jade bracelet on her wrist with a dazzling smile. "I love it."

He had always doted on her; she never lacked for cars, houses, jewelry, or money. She could earn her own money and would buy the things she liked herself, never actively asking for anything, but he always gave them to her anyway.

Donovan Xavier watched her quietly without saying a word.

After a moment, he leaned in, resting his forehead against hers. His voice was husky but pleasant. "Chloe Preston, I’m going to give you something else soon. I think you’ll like it."

Chloe was curious. "What is it?"

"I’m not telling you yet."

"Alright." Chloe Preston didn’t press him. A smile played on her lips, her eyes crinkling. "So, are you still going to sleep in a separate room tonight?"

"And you?" Donovan Xavier retorted, raising an eyebrow. "Are you going to stop talking about leaving me?"

Chloe Preston fell silent.

At her silence, Donovan Xavier’s expression changed drastically. "You’re still thinking about leaving?"

His gaze suddenly turned icy. Chloe Preston didn’t dare to meet his eyes. She looked down, pursing her lips. "Donovan, I just feel like I’m being too selfish, making you... with the Xavier Family..."

Before she could finish, Donovan Xavier caught her chin and lowered his head to kiss her.

It was a tender, soft kiss, yet tinged with a cool chill.

Chloe Preston’s heart skipped a beat.

The kiss lasted for a long, long time.

The night was deep.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the cold wind howled as rain began to fall, pattering against the glass.

Donovan Xavier finally released her, suppressing the wildfire raging in his heart. His Adam’s apple bobbed. "Chloe Preston," he said, his voice low and raspy, "so what if you’re a little selfish? Even if you’re just claiming me for yourself, I’m more than willing."

"I’m sure the me from before my amnesia placed you in the most important position in his heart, too."

"Don’t think about leaving me ever again, alright?"

A faint mist clouded Chloe Preston’s eyes. She nodded. "Okay."

Donovan Xavier was very satisfied with this answer and smiled slightly.

He guided her to lie down and tucked the blanket in around her. "Go to sleep. From now on, I’ll never mention sleeping in separate rooms again."

Chloe Preston blinked. "What if we argue?"

"Even if we argue, we’ll sleep in the same bed."

A wave of sweetness washed over Chloe’s heart.

She snuggled closer. "Does your wound still hurt? Is it uncomfortable sleeping like this?"

Donovan Xavier was lying on his side so he wouldn’t put pressure on his back. He stroked her hair. "It doesn’t hurt. It’ll be fine in a day or two."

Chloe Preston leaned gently into his embrace. "Donovan," she said softly, "it feels like you’ve become even gentler with me since you lost your memory."

Donovan Xavier raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

Chloe Preston tilted her head up and kissed his chin. "Mhm. Keep it up."

"Actually, I still really hope you can recover your memory. After all, we have so many memories between us."

"There are good memories and bad ones, sweet moments and painful ones. There are the four years we were apart, and then us meeting again... there’s just so much. I don’t want to be the only one who remembers."

CLICK. The room was plunged into darkness as he turned off the light.

Donovan Xavier took one of her hands and intertwined their fingers. "Then let’s start now," he said, his voice laced with a gentle fondness. "Tell me everything, bit by bit. I’ll remember it all again."

Chloe Preston’s eyes crinkled into a smile. "Alright. But you’re not allowed to fall asleep."

「Meanwhile, at Rowan Villa.」

Inside one of the rooms, Rosalind Rowan was wearing a black camisole nightdress. Looking elegant and regal, she was lounging lazily on the sofa, comfortably applying a face mask.

She whined, "Mom, Donovan has amnesia now, but he’s still so fond of that Chloe Preston."

"Mom, I don’t care! You have to find a way to get rid of Chloe Preston for me!"