Chapter 71

Chapter 71

Ella's POV

In this unfamiliar Esmere City, I checked into the Azure Palace Hotel.

In the evening, Kai accompanied me to dinner at the hotel restaurant, then walked me back to my room.

The moment I stepped into the room, I quickly locked the door, checking several times to make sure all the locks were securely fastened before I felt a bit more at ease.

Kai didn't seem to have any intention of leaving—I could sense him standing guard right outside the door.

I must have been a bit greedy at dinner, eating too much of Esmere City's specialty fried pork cutlet and potato salad. Now sitting on the edge of the bed, I gently rubbed my slightly bloated stomach.

Suddenly, I realized I hadn't been in touch with Lucy for quite a while.

I pulled out my phone and sent her a message, then lay on the bed casually scrolling through videos.

However, half an hour passed and still no reply from Lucy.

I frowned, exited the video app, found Lucy's number, and called her, but all I heard was "temporarily unavailable."

How could this be? Maybe her phone died?

I tried calling several more times, but got the same response each time.

A trace of worry crept into my heart.

Just then, a dull pain suddenly came from my lower abdomen. I realized my period had started.

Oh no, I didn't think I brought any pads.

After coming out of the bathroom, I rummaged through my suitcase for a while. Sure enough, nothing.

With no other choice, I grabbed a few tissues to put in my underwear temporarily, thinking I'd have to go downstairs to buy some pads.

When I carefully pushed open the door and poked my head out, I saw Kai standing at the entrance.

"Ms. Thorne," Kai looked at me and asked, "Are you going out?"

I unconsciously pressed my legs together and said in a low voice, "I want to go downstairs to buy something."

Kai said sincerely, "What does Ms. Thorne need to buy? I can get it for you."

I quickly shook my head in refusal. "No, no, I can go myself."

"It's getting late," Kai tried to persuade me. "Mr. Smith instructed that since you're unfamiliar with this place, you should stay in the hotel and not go anywhere. Besides, the security situation here at night isn't very good."

"But..." The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed them back.

Left with no choice, I took a deep breath and had to turn back into the room, locking the door tightly again.

Back in the room, I thought for a moment, picked up the phone on the nightstand, and called the front desk.

I asked them to help me buy some pads.

Just after I hung up, I heard the door being pushed open. I hid behind the door, feeling worried.

Was the security in Esmere City so bad that criminals would break into five-star hotel rooms in the middle of the night?

"Ella, open the door," James called out in a low voice from outside.

Hearing James's voice, my tense nerves relaxed slightly.

Well, it wasn't a criminal—it was James, who was like a bandit himself.

Not much better, really.

I looked through the door crack but didn't open it, saying quietly, "It's late, I need to sleep. Go back to your own room."

James pressed his tongue against his cheek, a dangerous smile curling on his lips. "Ella... don't make me say it again. Open the door."

His voice was louder than before, his tone clearly not good.

I could tell he seemed angry again.

I sneaked a glance at him through the crack. "Do you... do you need something? You can say it from there."

James's silver-gray eyes stared at me intently. "Ella, don't you understand what I'm saying? I told you to open the door."

Being stared at as that gave me goosebumps all over. After swallowing hard, I shakily unlocked the three chains.

James pushed the door open and grabbed me, pulling me back and pushing me down to sit on the bed.

His tone was heavy. "Ella, when did I ever say we'd sleep in separate rooms?"

What did he want to do?

Was he going to... do that to me again like before?

My eyes involuntarily glanced toward his abdomen. Oh my God, he seemed to be... aroused again.

I frowned helplessly, full of resentment.

He came to Esmere City on business and insisted that I take leave from school to drag me along.

Was it just so he could satisfy his desires anytime, anywhere?

Did staying by his side mean I had to cooperate with him endlessly like this?

Thinking of this, I reflexively pressed my legs tightly together.

Just then, James suddenly reached out to touch me. That intensely aggressive move terrified me. I pushed him hard. "James, let go of me first. I got my period!"

James leaned closer to me and said, "Ella, are you doing this on purpose?"

As he spoke, he rubbed my head. "It could come any other time, but it has to be now!"

I turned my head away and replied stubbornly, "No, it's not."

How could I possibly control something like that!

The doorbell suddenly rang. I instinctively wanted to get up and check, but James grabbed me and said, "Sit here and be good."

I had no choice but to obediently sit on the edge of the bed.

James opened the door, and a sweet female voice came from outside. "Hello, I've brought what you ordered."

I could tell it was Emily, the girl from the front desk.

James took a black plastic bag from her and handed over a bill, saying coolly, "Thanks."

"You're welcome." Emily smiled brightly. She took the change out of her pocket and handed it over. "Here's your change." As she spoke, her eyes curiously peeked into the room and spotted me sitting on the bed.

James glanced at Emily expressionlessly, his gaze not lingering, and said, "Keep it. It's your tip."

Emily withdrew her gaze, pressed her lips together, and said, "Thank you very much."

James nodded and closed the door.

He walked to the bed and tossed the plastic bag to me, asking, "If you needed to buy something, why didn't you tell me?"

Hearing him say that made me feel even more wronged.

He dragged me to Esmere City for no reason.

Now I got my period, and somehow it seemed like it was my fault, and I was being scolded even for this.

Seeing how wronged I looked, James sighed, his tone softening a bit. "Ella, there are some things you don't understand yet. Your life is no longer as simple as you think. From now on, you can only trust me."

Hearing him say this made me even angrier.

The anger I'd been forcibly suppressing finally exploded. I said furiously, "Isn't it your fault that I've become like this?"

James looked at me, a flash of complex emotion in his eyes. "You'll understand later. For now, go take a shower."

I glared at him resentfully, then grabbed the clothes I'd found earlier and the black plastic bag he'd just tossed over, and went to the bathroom.