Chapter 4 4

Chapter 4

...

After some time...

The black sedan finally pulled through the towering iron gates of an estate so grand that it seemed to loom over the night itself. It was the residence of Alexander De Graham.

Magnificent. Luxurious. Yet strangely devoid of warmth.

Alexander trusted no one outside his inner circle.

Because of that, not a single ordinary servant worked inside the mansion. Every person who maintained the estate was one of his own trusted men.

Among them was the head butler.

"Mr. Alexander."

Mr. Collin stepped forward the moment the car came to a stop, greeting his master with a respectful bow.

The sight before him left him momentarily stunned.

Alexander stood in the pouring rain, his white shirt soaked through, carrying an unconscious young woman in his arms. It was something Mr. Collin had never witnessed before.

"Hm."

Alexander acknowledged him with nothing more than a brief nod before continuing toward the mansion.

Without another word, he climbed the staircase leading to the second floor and entered his private bedroom.

The room was silent. Only the soft sound of rain tapping against the windows accompanied him.

Walking over to the sitting area, Alexander carefully lowered Anastasya onto the long sofa before straightening once more.

For several long moments...

He simply stood there. His piercing blue eyes remained fixed on her sleeping face, studying every delicate feature as though she had cast some invisible spell over him.

"What is it about this woman...?" He frowned almost imperceptibly. "Why am I so drawn to a complete stranger?"

"This doesn't make any sense." His voice was little more than a murmur, spoken only to himself.

Snapping himself out of his thoughts, Alexander turned away. His clothes were still dripping from the rain. He needed a shower.

...

A short while later...

He emerged from the bathroom wearing nothing but a white bathrobe loosely tied around his waist. The fabric hung open just enough to reveal the broad planes of his well-built chest, while damp strands of black hair fell carelessly across his forehead.

Without thinking, his gaze drifted back toward the sofa.

"Hm?" His brows lifted ever so slightly.

Anastasya was still unconscious. Her dress remained completely soaked, clinging to her slender figure after being caught in the downpour.

"This woman's drenched." A faint crease appeared between his brows. "And since she's under my roof..."

"...her safety is my responsibility."

"Hm..." For the first time in years, Alexander found himself strangely flustered. An unfamiliar warmth crept across his cheeks, even reaching the tips of his ears, as the realization slowly settled in.

If he wanted to keep her from getting sick... He would have to change her clothes.

He cleared his throat, almost as though trying to convince himself. "Don't get the wrong idea."

"I'm only doing this for your own good."

It sounded less like an explanation for her... And more like an excuse for himself.

With that thought firmly planted in his mind, Alexander reached toward the fastening of her dress.

His movements, so calm and decisive in every other situation, slowed almost imperceptibly.

One layer at a time, he carefully removed her rain-soaked clothes, taking care not to jostle her sleeping body.

The moment his eyes fell upon her... A slow, crooked smile spread across his lips.

"Gorgeous..." His voice came out as a quiet murmur. "Absolutely perfect."

She was exactly his type; graceful, delicate and breathtakingly beautiful.

Something fierce stirred deep within him. A heat unlike anything he had ever experienced spread through his chest, surging through his veins with startling intensity.

He wanted her.

This woman...

This complete stranger he had met only hours ago.

The realization alone was enough to make him laugh at himself.

Even so... Alexander De Graham had never been the kind of man to take what wasn't willingly given. No matter how overwhelming the temptation was, he refused to cross that line.

If he was going to have Anastasya one day... He wanted her to choose him of her own accord.

Only then... Would it truly be worth it.

Even so, he couldn't deny the thoughts quietly invading his mind. Far too many sinful fantasies had already begun taking shape, each one revolving around the unconscious woman lying peacefully before him.

"Damn..." He let out a quiet, disbelieving laugh. "I've completely lost my mind."

"This is the first time something like this has ever happened." His blue eyes never left her face. "I've only just met you..."

"...and yet you've already managed to make me want you this much." A dangerous smirk slowly curved across Alexander's lips.

The strange excitement coursing through his body refused to fade.

Instead, it only grew stronger.

The instant his fingertips brushed against Anastasya's cool skin, an unfamiliar sensation raced through him—a subtle shiver and a strangely intoxicating thrill. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before.

Even so...

Alexander kept his promise to himself. He did nothing beyond what was necessary.

After removing her soaked clothes, he carefully dressed her in one of his clean shirts before pulling a warm blanket over her sleeping body.

Completely unaware of everything around her... Anastasya continued sleeping peacefully. She had no idea that she was resting inside the private bedroom of the most feared, and most powerful man she would ever meet.

...

After that, Alexander stepped onto the balcony outside his bedroom, lit a cigarette, and answered the call from one of his men.

There were only three people Alexander trusted completely, and he had long since stopped thinking of them as mere subordinates. To him, they were brothers.

Kai specialized in field operations and handled every mission that required combat or tactical execution. Sin was the genius behind Alexander's cyber intelligence, capable of hacking into almost any system and uncovering information through advanced technology. The last was Fred, Alexander's personal assistant at De Group, who oversaw everything related to the company's operations.

The one calling him now was Sin.

"Boss, I've sent you our enemy's identity. I've confirmed he's the mastermind behind the deaths of several of our men."

Sin had finally identified the man responsible for the attack on one of Alexander De Graham's hidden bases.

"Good," Alexander replied. "I'll look into it right away."

He ended the call and immediately opened the encrypted report on his phone.

The moment an elderly man's name appeared on the screen, his expression hardened. His breathing grew heavier, and the warmth disappeared from his piercing blue eyes, replaced by a chilling calm.

"So... you've got the nerve to provoke me." A dangerous smile slowly spread across his lips. "You dared to kill my men."

"Fine."

"I'll make sure you experience hell for it."

"Just wait." Alexander's voice remained frighteningly calm, but anyone who knew him understood exactly what those words meant.

Alexander De Graham wasn't a man who believed in forgiveness. Anyone reckless enough to cross him would be made to suffer until they begged for death.

For Alexander... Revenge wasn't simply a choice. It was the way he lived.

...

By the time morning arrived, the storm had completely passed, and warm sunlight poured through the windows, replacing the darkness of the night.

"Mmm..." Ana stretched lazily, still feeling a slight ache in her head. As she shifted beneath the blanket, however, she frowned.

"This is so soft..." she murmured drowsily. "This doesn't feel like my bed." She slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was an elegant, unfamiliar ceiling.

Her eyes snapped shut again.

"Oh my God..."

"Am I still dreaming?"

"Where am I?"

Panic crept into her voice. Just then, a quiet chuckle broke the silence. Ana immediately opened her eyes again and turned toward the sound.

She froze... A breathtakingly handsome man was sitting on the sofa across from her, dressed in nothing but a white bathrobe.

He had been reading a book, but the moment he noticed she was awake, he calmly placed it on the coffee table before folding his arms across his chest. A teasing smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"So you're finally awake, little one?" His deep, velvety voice made Ana's heart pound uncontrollably.

She squeezed her eyes shut. Then opened them. She repeated it several times, desperately hoping everything around her would disappear. It didn't.

This wasn't a dream. It was real.

"What happened last night...?" she whispered, knitting her brows together. "I was on my way to see Damian, and then..."

The memories rushed back all at once.

The sadness she had been trying to suppress returned in an instant. She climbed out of bed with sluggish movements before lowering her head respectfully.

"Sir, thank you for saving me last night. I think I fainted because I was feeling dizzy." Her voice was soft and polite. "I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble. As a way of thanking you, I can clean your room... or anywhere else in the house."

She smiled awkwardly.

"I don't have any money to repay you, and judging by this place, you probably don't need mine anyway. So... please let me do something before I leave. It's the least I can do."

Alexander stared at her without saying a word. Then one of his brows lifted slightly. "So you're quite the chatterbox."

Ana blinked in confusion.

"If you really want to repay me," he said casually, "then work for me."

"Become a maid in this house."

"I'll pay you a proper salary."

The offer left his mouth almost on instinct. The truth was... He simply wasn't ready to let her leave.

For reasons even he couldn't explain, he wanted Anastasya to stay close to him.

"Huh?" Ana slowly raised her head, her eyes widening in disbelief.

She had been desperately looking for another job, yet somehow, a job had found her first.

...

To be continued...