Chapter 23

**CHAPTER 23**

**"I don't want to.** I wasn't planning to," she said in a voice stone cold.

"I still have to make a way to your heart, huh," he muttered in a low voice, and all of a sudden, he grabbed her, pulled her into his lap, and wrapped his arms around her waist, caging her. Allison was flustered, the suddenness caused her mind to fall blank. She never sat on anyone's lap before, even on Dane's. She was about to lash at him but his hand snared her nape, pulling her for a kiss.

"W... What are you doi... hmmph!!" she sniveled against his lips. How dare he!

His other hand held her wrists, preventing her from getting her hands on him. She struggled against his hold, trying to pull away from the kiss but there his grip was too strong and she was too weak out of surprise. She continued to struggle weakly until his lips continued to move, and she could feel his tongue poking on the entrance of her lips as if he was encouraging her to respond to him. She was enraged.

That was the moment she had thought of a way to pull away. She closed her eyes and kissed him back senselessly, opening her lips freely for him, welcoming his warm tongue inside her sweet mouth. A deep groan escaped from the man's throat. Allison thought his mouth tasted the same as the last time they kissed, it tasted like mint along with the strong essence of manliness. The moment she felt his strong grip against her wrists loosen, she didn't waste her opportunity any further and snaked her hands on his chest, and finally put all her strength in one push.

As soon as their lips lost contact, she jumped off his lap and scurried the furthest end of her seat. Hades was quick to recover and instinctively pounced at her but she prevented him from coming close by slapping his cheek. His face didn't budge and his expression was unchanged but his cheek was swollen and red by her raging slap.

Soon after, he slowly came to his senses. "Lo..." she slapped him on the same cheek again. This time with a harder force, with all her anger gathered. She was livid.

"Stay away from me!" she shouted with gritted teeth, glaring daggers at him like she were to murder him with it. And she wished it would.

Hades stared at her surprisingly. Allison thought it was his first time seeing her in this state, it was her first time as well. She had never gone to this level of anger before, she was always calm and was rarely furious. If she to feel that way, it would quickly subside. But those situations when she was angry before were completely different compared to the current. Those were trivial matters, the situation now was determining one thing that was important to her: her parents' validation of her worth.

"I will," he said to her in a soft voice, pacifying her to calm down. "I will, but please make yourself comfortable."

"So you can do the thing you did earlier?" she retorted that made his mouth gape open for a second then shut. They stared at each other while he slowly slumped his back on the backrest and scooted to the furthermost end of his spot.

Somehow, it made Allison's nerves calm but she remained cautious as the long ride went on. Everything was silent as time passed on and the cold blow of the air conditioner was making her shiver but she could care less, what mattered to her was when were they to arrive. The ride was taking too long. She wanted out. She wanted to be away from the man beside her. She hated him to bits back then but now, she hated him to hell.

The door suddenly opened and she yelped in surprise. "We have arrived, Master," stated the chauffeur, it made her sigh in relief. She thanked the chauffeur internally before fumbling out of her seat lap.

As soon as her feet were outside the car, a jaw-dropping façade stood before her. Lo and behold, a large estate stood proudly with full glory, bragging its modern beauty under the moon's striking light and the twinkling stars. She looked at the staircase connected to the main doors that were carved with lovely, intricate designs with a hoard of servants queueing in a straight line on either side of the staircase, waiting for their master's arrival.

"Good evening, Master Hades," all the servants greeted in unison, the men bowed while the women curtsied.

She looked at Hades who just exited the car and saw him nod in response. Suddenly, a large arm snaked around her waist and pulled her close to his bulky body, she thought of pushing him but she was too tired from what happened earlier. "Be good," he whispered in her ear then turned his head and held it high proudly, overlooking his staff.

He spoke with a deep, velvety, baritone voice. "This woman with me is Mrs. Allison Drew Taylor-de Vries, my wife-to-be. Now, as she is part of me and my life, I want you to treat her equally as how you treat me, understood?"

"Yes, Master," answered the servants. She knew he held such power that he became intimidating but she didn't expect that he would be too intimidating that his servants would shiver at the sound of his voice.

"Miracle," invoked Hades and a maid with chocolate brown hair and blue eyes emerged from the queue, walking shakily but with full grace towards her master and mistress, she curtsied before asking nervously, "Y...Yes, sir?"

He looked at her for a moment, making the poor maid cringe in fear. "Deliver my wife to my room," he instructed before looking at the other servants. "And as for all of you, go back to your work," the servant recoiled before shuffling off gracefully into the mansion.

'To his room?!' Allison thought in surprise. 'That means we will share the same bed together!' she almost cursed. She didn't want to sleep with the man she hated the most, the man who ruined her life. It felt disgusting to have his skin touch hers!

She felt a presence drawing behind her so she turned and she faced him. "I have some business to take care of, love," he said like a child that was asking permission from his mother but she remained silent and ignored him.

Hades, seeing what she was giving him, sighed and called for Miracle.

"This way, Miss," said the young maid and they began to walk into the immense estate. She turned her head and saw him stare at her intently, she immediately felt the shiver run through her spine and it made her angry. She wondered why she felt recoiling just because of his deep stare.

"Are you sick, Miss?" she heard a small concerned voice ask her as they walked the stairs. She turned her head and met Miracle's refined face, her eyes filled with worry and concern. "Y...Your face is very red. I...I should get some medici..."

Her anger immediately disappeared. "O...oh no, I'm fine, I just remembered something embarrassing," she excused that caused the maid to nod.

The estate's doors were opened by a middle-aged man wearing a tux and standing in uttered sophistication. "Good evening, Mistress. I am Richard, the estate's butler. Always at your service." He then bowed. Allison stared at his bowing figure and her eyes softened. Somehow, he reminded her of Mr. Marshall, the man who treated her like his own daughter.

"Pleased to meet you, Richard. I'm Allison," she replied, she was not really good at keeping conversations, especially with people she met the first time. She looked at the butler's old face, his brown eyes looked fine and welcoming, his salt and pepper hair was combed finely. It was clear that he was always prepared. His smile was warm and contagious, it was vivid that he was overjoyed.

"I already know you, Madame. It is surprising that the Master came home suddenly with a wife."

"O...Oh," that was all Allison could muster. She hesitated if she should feel offended or not.

"Nevertheless," the butler said with his smiling brown eyes. "I am glad that you came. The master has been unhappy since the death of his father," his words stunned her.

"I...I must deliver the Mistress to her room," Miracle interrupted. "If you don't mind," she looked at Richard.

Richard nodded knowingly. "Of course," he said.