Chapter 50: Chapter 50 His compensation
When Alana awoke, her entire body ached and felt weak.
Particularly between her legs, a certain spot throbbed intensely.
A thin white blanket covered her, revealing she wore nothing beneath it.
The scenes from last night surged back to her like a tidal wave.
How she’d been drugged, how Dane had lured her into the room, and...how Stephan had appeared to save her.
Even the tangled moments she shared with him in this very room last night played back with startling clarity.
Gosh, she had been so wanton.
She would never accept that was her.
She chose to alter her memory and pretend Stephan had been the most wanton one among the two of them last night.
Gritting her teeth, Alana clutched the quilt and struggled to sit up.
The room felt empty now. Besides her, no one else seemed to be there.
Had he left?
Her gaze suddenly swept across the floor.
Several pairs of men’s boxers lay tangled with women’s underwear. Nearby, a torn dress and a man’s shirt lay scattered, buttons strewn across the floor.
This...
Alana flushed at the sight. Last night had been...
Her thoughts were interrupted by the creak of the door opening. A tall, sharp figure entered at a leisurely pace.
His gaze fell on the bed. The girl, ravaged all night, now sat pitifully on the headboard, looking at him like a frightened little rabbit.
“Awake? These are clothes I just bought for you. Put them on later.”
Stephan walked to the bedside and tossed the bag he was holding in front of Alana.
Alana glanced down at the plastic bag.
Inside was a brand-new dress, a beige style, along with matching underwear in the same color. Her cheeks flushed again. He’d even bought underwear for her.
It seemed he’d become addicted to buying clothes for her.
Stephan watched the girl’s bashful reaction, his gaze softening involuntarily.
“Go put it on. Once you’re dressed, we’ll talk.”
Biting her lip, Alana still picked up the bag and slipped out from under the covers.
Her legs, however, felt weak and wobbly.
The moment her feet touched the floor, she nearly stumbled.
Stephan caught her waist in time. The tender warmth beneath his palm made his throat tighten again.
He murmured, “Why are you so delicate?”
Alana murmured a complaint, “It’s all your fault...”
“My fault?” He sneered.
Not wanting him to tease her, she quickly let out.
“Let go of me...”
He let out a low chuckle. “Since your legs are too weak to walk, why not just change in bed? I’ve already seen every inch of your body. There’s no need to hide anything from me now.”
“No!”
Alana’s cheeks flared crimson. Without hesitation, she pushed him away and scampered awkwardly into the bathroom.
Fearing he might burst in, she even locked the bathroom door from the inside.
After getting everything ready, she stared blankly at the clothes in the bag.
Now that she’d had that kind of relationship with him again, how was she supposed to handle this?
Last night, after all, he had come to save her just in time...
Forget it. Thinking about it just gave her a headache.
She’d cross that bridge when she came to it.
Alana slipped into the dress.
An off-white, strapless maxi dress.
Two thin straps hung from her rounded shoulders.
Her slender neck and beautiful collarbone were fully exposed.
One strap even featured an off-white rose, adding a touch of playfulness to the girl wearing the dress.
Alana stared blankly at the girl in the mirror.
Inside, she wondered, How could a man have better taste in dresses than she did?
She shook her head and pushed open the door to step out.
The moment she emerged, her gaze locked with the man seated on the sofa.
He wore a gray shirt and black dress pants.
His hands rested on the sofa, one leg crossed over the other.
His posture was arrogant and cold.
His direct gaze made Alana feel thoroughly uncomfortable.
Biting her lip, she walked slowly to his side. “The dress is beautiful. Thank you.”
Stephan’s appraising look was unapologetic.
Alana’s features were delicate, yet carried a hint of coolness.
Perhaps it stemmed from her quiet, ladylike demeanor.
Worn by her, the dress, with its rose pinned to her rounded shoulder, added a touch of sweet charm, radiating brightness and freshness.
Once again, it proved his excellent eye for selecting dresses for women.
Moreover, he realized he truly enjoyed picking dresses for her. Every time he saw her wear one he’d carefully chosen, he felt an indescribable sense of accomplishment.
He beckoned her with a flick of his finger. “Come sit with me.”
Alana hesitated. “No need. I’ll just stand.”
“I don’t like chatting with people while standing.”
Alana bit her lip, thought for a moment, then walked over and sat down on the sofa.
However, she positioned herself quite a distance away from him.
Stephan snorted. What was she playing at?
Sitting so far away, as if she wanted to completely distance herself from him. After last night, did she really think she could cut ties with him?
Not a chance!
He stared at the stiff girl and spoke slowly, “Last night... I saved you.”
Last night, he’d been out with his crew when her desperate call came through unexpectedly.
She hadn’t even finished her sentence before the line went dead.
He’d told her clearly, if he helped her again, he’d be a dog!
But hearing her tearful plea over the phone, the urge to save her overwhelmed all reason.
He’d practically floored the gas pedal, running several red lights before reaching the Spring clubhouse to rescue her from that bastard.
Thankfully, he’d arrived in time. Had he been a moment later, he might have regretted it for the rest of his life.
The sight of Alana being manhandled by that old man was etched into his memory forever. He’d wanted to kill the man on the spot.
In his memory, this was the first time he’d ever lost control like this.
The reason for that loss of control stemmed from the woman before him.
Alana sensed the man’s intense, unflinching gaze and couldn’t help but lower her eyes, unable to meet his stare.
“I... I know. So thank you. Thank you so much.”
Stephan frowned. “Thanks. And then?”
Alana’s voice was faint. “Nothing... nothing else...”
Didn’t they already had countless rounds of sex?
What more did he want? Alana wondered.
Stephan laughed bitterly.
He wondered why he was so furious, turns out he’d tangled with an irresponsible, shameless woman!
“Alana, you really take the cake! So you just love using men’s bodies?!”
Alana’s eyes widened in disbelief.
What did he just say?
He called her a user?
Last night, he was also...
“You... don’t try to play innocent after getting what you wanted! Before last night, you wanted to sleep with me again! Don’t think I’m that naive and so you took the opportunity last night and...”
Stephan pinched her chin between his fingers, his dark eyes fixed on her as his voice dropped low. “Where did I get what I wanted? I didn’t want to do it last night but you came onto me! And you were quite insatiable too! Exhausting the hell out of me! It was you taking advantage of me.”
“You...”
Alana was speechless, unable to find a rebuttal.
Plus, she really didn’t want to think about how wild she had been last night.
After a long pause, she stammered out,
“Then... then what do you want?”
Stephan’s thin lips curved slightly. “Take responsibility for me.”
What?
Taking responsibility for him again?
Her eyes widened in shock. “You...you want me to...spend another night with you?”
“No.”
“Then what is it?”
“Be my woman.”
Alana instinctively refused. “No, I can’t!”
Stephan gritted his teeth. “We’ve done it so many times already. Why can’t you just become mine?! Still thinking about that scumbag boyfriend of yours?”
He couldn’t think of any other reason.
Alana shook her head. “It’s not about my boyfriend. It’s just... I don’t want to be with you without any commitment.”
Being his woman felt no different than being his kept mistress.
Stephan spoke up, “Then marry me.”
Alana stared at him in shock. Marriage was a lifetime commitment, and he just casually tossed it out like that?!
Was marriage really that simple?
After a moment’s thought, she still refused. “That... that’s not possible either...”
Stephan laughed bitterly. “Alana, you keep rejecting everything! What exactly do you want?”
Biting her lip, Alana replied earnestly, “I feel we don’t know each other well enough. I’m unfamiliar not only with you, but also with your family. Would your family approve if we get married? Most importantly, I believe marriage should be mutual consent, both parties must genuinely love each other to marry. I...” Alana glanced at the man, hesitated, then said, “I’m not interested in you right now.”
Stephan’s eyes almost shot out of their sockets.
After all that time together, she still didn’t feel anything for him.
Was he lacking in charm?
Couldn’t he even attract her affection?
But over the years, countless women had thrown themselves at him, some he couldn’t even shoo away. That proved he wasn’t completely devoid of appeal.
The only possibility was that he simply wasn’t her type.
Stephan took a deep breath, suppressing the irritation rising in his chest. “Then try harder. Try to develop feelings for me.”
What?
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