Chapter 69 OBEDIENCE
The silence between them turned heavy. Neither said a word, just glared and dark gazes. Ixora had no idea what he was thinking, but whatever it was... she was glad his ego had been hurt. Exactly what she wanted.
He can't have his way with her every time he wants. She's not his puppet.
Drexton's body pressed harder as if he was trying to join their bodies together.
"I'm going to make you wish you never said that," he whispered, releasing her hand and knees.
He placed one hand on the wall, caging her in between.
Ixora blinked rapidly, clueless about the thoughts running through his head.
"W..."
He cut her shut, pressing his palm on the belly button.
Ixora looked around, her breath turning raspy. They were outside, and anybody could come to this place unknowingly.
"Let me go," she pleaded.
"So sad Ixora had to disappear from the concert."
"Poor Blake, he even passed out."
Ixora immediately tilted her head to see the girls leaving the gate.
"Blake's unconscious," she thought, quickly coming out of Drexton's cage.
She hurriedly picked up her fallen purse and rushed out, without sparing Drexton a single glance.
Drexton watched her retreating figure, a series of unknown thoughts running in his head.
He rolled up his sleeves before striding towards his car.
\[HOSPITAL\]
Ixora ran breathlessly as she slammed her palm on the receptionist's desk.
"Blake's ward," she panted.
The receptionist eyed her, having recognized that she was the girl Blake had asked out.
"Third room to your left."
Ixora nodded and bolted to the direction.
Outside Blake's ward, Audrey, Skye and Nelly were waiting for the doctor.
Blake had caught a high fever as a result of spending too much time in the rain. The doctors were trying to cool his temperature.
Audrey was squatted, blaming herself for Blake's condition.
Skye crouched beside her. "Stop crying, it's not your fault."
"I was the one who asked him to perform in the rain. He did it to make me happy. I'm so selfish, I should have thought about his health first," she muttered, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"He'd be fine," Skye muttered. "You are stronger than this."
"When it's a matter of Blake, I'm weak. I won't be able to handle it if anything happens to him. The doctors haven't come out. What if he..."
Skye hugged her before she could complete the word. Audrey held onto him, wetting his shirt with her tears.
"Everything will be okay."
Ixora walked in, and they broke the hug.
"Blake, what happened to him? Why is he in the hospital?" she asked, breathlessly.
Nelly strode near her. "He's got a running temperature. The doctors are yet to say his situation."
Ixora glanced at Audrey before taking a step backward.
She turned and ran away.
"Ixora," Nelly called, going after her.
\--
Nelly held her hand before she could go into the taxi.
"Why did you run off like that? Where are you going?"
"Going to teach that psychopath a lesson," Ixora muttered, trying to wriggle herself out of Nelly's grip.
"Drexton? Have you gone mad?"
"Yes, I've gone mad!" Ixora yelled. "Once again, Blake is in the hospital because of me, and he's the cause of it. Why do his actions always have to hurt Blake in return? If he hadn't kidnapped me from the concert, Blake would be okay, not hospitalized."
Nelly exhaled, giving the taxi driver a sign to go.
"It's obvious you are not thinking with a clear head. Blake stayed long in the rain and developed a high fever. It's neither your fault nor Drexton's."
"It is my fault. If I had put Drexton in his place, then he wouldn't have the right to kidnap me."
"Okay, fine, let's say it's Drexton's fault for a minute. What would you have done to help Blake? Would you have accepted his proposal?" Nelly asked with a gentle voice.
"I would have..." Ixora trailed, falling speechless.
She calmed down, shifting her gaze to Nelly.
"No, right? And you think he'd be able to handle that. If you had said yes because of pressure and wanting to make Blake happy, wouldn't that hurt him more when he finds out you don't love him?" Nelly held her other hand. "I am not trying to support Drexton here, but in a way, his actions, despite not being right, did save you both. Blake wouldn't be able to handle the humiliation of getting rejected in front of millions of fans, nor would he handle you breaking his heart later on."
Ixora couldn't talk.
Nelly was right. Drexton's selfishness unintentionally saved Blake. None of them got hurt.
"So you see, the rain is to blame for making him sick."
Ixora nodded, releasing her hand from Nelly.
"I wanted to act without thinking. We should go and check on him."
They both went in.
They got to the ward and saw everybody was inside the ward.
Audrey was not crying; she was sitting beside Blake and holding his hand.
"What did the doctor say?" Ixora asked.
"They were able to reduce his temperature. He's sleeping for now, but will be under close observation for the next twenty-four hours," Skye replied.
Audrey sighed and faced them. "It's late, you should all leave now, I'll stay with him."
"Are you sure?" Ixora asked. "I can stay here with you."
Audrey nodded.
Ixora and Nelly bid her goodbye before leaving.
"You should leave as well," Audrey told Skye.
"If you aren't leaving, then I'm not doing the same." Skye folded his arm above his chest, turning his back to her.
Audrey exhaled. "I'm being serious."
"Same here. If you aren't going, so am I." He went to the couch in the ward and lay on it.
Audrey shook her head, facing Blake.
Skye smiled.
\[CASTELLAN'S MANSION\]
"Hey, mum, dad," Ixora said tiredly, closing the door behind her.
They nodded in response.
Ixora started heading upstairs when Georgia's voice stopped her.
"We saw what happened at the concert. You did a good thing by not accepting him."
Ixora halted, turning to him. "Why? I didn't even give a response."
"It doesn't matter. The relationship would never work," Georgia replied.
"By the way, you disappeared from the hall. What happened?" Smith asked.
Ixora's heart skipped a beat. Why did they have to ask her that? She dragged her gown a little bit in case the hickey was exposed.
She let out a nervous laugh. "It's nothing, Dad. Just a silly friend pulling a prank on me."
They narrowed their brows, obviously not buying her lie.
Georgia lifted a fork lit. "You must be tired. Freshen up and come down for dinner." She ate the food.
Ixora continued her way, dragging her feet sluggishly.
She got to her room, closed the door and rested her head on it, sighing.
"Isn't it too early to get tired, baby?"
Ixora staggered, almost falling if not for the door. She spun around, panic flashing in her eyes... only to see him. Drexton. Sitting on her bed, as though he had been waiting for her all night long. His clothes still clung damp to his chest, and his hair, messy.
He snapped his gaze at her— burned with darkness.
Ixora couldn't move, speak or blink. It felt like everything around her turned static. He was in her room at this time of night.
Her heart did countless skips. Her parents were downstairs. She wouldn't dare think of screaming because—
Ixora clenched her fist. "What are you doing here?"
"Feisty," he smirked, standing.
In a blur, he crossed the door, slammed her back to the wall and pinned her wrist above her head.
"What are you doing? Let me go!" She glared.
He leaned near, pressing his body against hers so the only thing she could think of was him. The heat radiating from his body and his scent that wafted into her nose were beyond her control.
"Little liar," he muttered, dragging his thumb across her lower lip.
"Haven't you done enough for one day?" Ixora asked, almost inaudibly.
Her parents coming in to meet her like this was something she wouldn't want.
He leaned near, letting his breath fan over her face. "I haven't even started."
Ixora shut her eyes, feeling the intoxicating effect of his breath.
"Fireflies don't lie, but you did."
"You can't keep having your way every single time." She glared, twisting her wrist.
He pressed the wrist, deliberately hurting her.
She winced sharply, stopping her struggles.
"We'll see about that." His voice was smooth, like a silk wrapped around steel.
Before she could protest, he spun her around and pushed her to the bed, making her go on all fours, one hand pinning her wrist above her head while the other slid down the curves of her spine until it landed on her hips.
She gasped when he raised her gown, exposing her bare ass since she was wearing a G-string.
"What are you doing?!" She said, almost shouting.
She twisted her neck to see his face.
"Obedience... is the first rule of my design."
Then came the first strike.
Slap.