Chapter 100
Elizabeth's POV
My steps froze in place.
I could feel the chilling gaze coming from behind me—Aiden was watching me.
So, he already noticed when I had the thought of leaving?
"Elizabeth," Aiden repeated my name.
As he began moving toward me, I deliberately sat down at the dining table to eat.
I had no desire to interact with him, not even a little, so I decided to ignore him for now.
When Aiden saw that I wasn't heading for the door, his tension seemed to ease slightly.
I examined the food in front of me carefully, making sure there was nothing off about it before I began eating, taking small bites.
I avoided looking in his direction, so I couldn't confirm whether he was still standing there, watching me.
The food was fine. Since Aiden had gone through the trouble of preparing a nutritious meal, I figured I might as well eat it all.
Filling up my stomach and resting properly—those were the priorities. Only then could I preserve my strength.
With that thought, I started eating faster.
When I finished and got ready to head back to my room, I looked up—and there he was, still standing in the same spot.
"Elizabeth." Aiden met my eyes, a faint smile pulling at his lips as he pushed the door open, making a gesture to invite me in.
"Need some rest?" He asked, raising an eyebrow, that subtle expression stirring a sense of foreboding within me.
I looked at him warily, hesitating slightly before stepping past him.
And that was when Aiden tried to follow me into the room, but I blocked him at the doorway.
"What are you doing?" I snapped, glaring at him.
Aiden chuckled, reaching out as if to touch my hand. "It's late, isn't it? Naturally, I'm here to rest with you."
He said it so matter-of-factly. "Didn't we use to share a bed before? Why not now?"
The sincerity and innocence in his tone made my stomach churn. It was revolting.
So, this was how Aiden thought of things. He knew everything—how desperate I had once been to get close to him, how much I had hoped we could walk through life together.
Aiden wasn't oblivious back then. He had simply brushed me off, time and time again.
"Get out!"
My body blocked the doorway, and Aiden didn't dare to make any forceful moves.
Taking advantage of the moment, I shut the door and locked it.
Almost immediately, Aiden began pounding on the door, his voice urgent. "Elizabeth, open the door!"
Though this place belonged to Aiden and he likely had keys to every room, I hoped to delay him for as long as possible.
"Aiden, I need to rest right now. If I don't get proper sleep, you know what the consequences will be," I said toward the door. "If you keep this up, I'll jump out the window, and then you can explain to Alexander what happened."
My words seemed to strike a nerve, and Aiden finally ceased his commotion.
The sudden quiet was welcome. I turned away and headed for the bathroom, freshening up before returning to bed.
Yet, perhaps due to the lingering effects of my earlier exhaustion, I felt wide awake as I lay there, staring at the ceiling.
Was Alexander really not planning to look for me, even at this hour?
That thought brought me back to the absence of my phone. I searched the surroundings carefully but couldn't find it.
Of course—Aiden must have confiscated it long ago, cutting off my connection to the outside world.
If only I could find a way to get my phone back...
The idea alone startled me. Even though Aiden hadn't dared to touch me openly, I still didn't fully understand the reasons behind his restraint. Directly demanding my phone from him—would that even work?
That night, my mind raced with countless thoughts, and I didn't know when I finally drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, I was jolted awake by the sound of my name.
Struggling to open my eyes, I found myself staring into a face brightened by a grin.
The sight was so jarring, it snapped me into full alertness. Instinctively, I reached out to push him away.
Aiden's expression turned slightly pitiful. "Elizabeth, do you hate me that much?"
"Absolutely," I replied bluntly, making no effort to hide my disdain.
So, last night, Aiden didn't persist in harassing me because he had another way to enter the room.
This was his place, after all—no wonder he knew every detail about it.
Watching the hurt flash across his face, I couldn't help but find it utterly insincere.
I stretched out my hand toward him. "Give me back my phone."
For a brief moment, Aiden seemed genuinely shocked. Then, unexpectedly, he laughed.
"Bold enough to make demands—does that mean you think you hold at least some importance to me?" He teased, his eyes gleaming as though he were searching for confirmation.
I ignored his bait, repeating my request without further elaboration.
Aiden didn't appear annoyed. Instead, he said, "Of course. I'll give your phone back to you. It's not like I'd have any other way to contact you when I head out, right?"
'Head out?'
I regarded him carefully, keeping my expression neutral.
If I wanted to escape, it would clearly have to be during his absence.
I had no idea where this place was, but if I could get my phone back, I could call Alexander directly.
Even if Alexander didn't care for me, he'd surely consider the baby I was carrying.
He'd come to get me, and I'd be able to leave this place for good.
Although I had pieced together a workable plan, the reality that Alexander hadn't sought me out still stung.
It left me feeling strangely hollow.
Most of all, I had no grounds to confront Alexander about it—not really.
The bond between us was as superficial as it could possibly be.
"Elizabeth, I wonder what you're thinking about. Are you plotting to escape while I'm away?" Aiden asked casually, effortlessly voicing my thoughts.
But by now, I was practiced enough to remain unreadable, offering only a lazy smile in response.
What did it matter if he knew? It was already obvious—I wanted nothing to do with him.
"I'll give you one final piece of advice, Aiden," I said. "Let me leave this place."
Aiden's expression shifted, his gaze sharpening with unnerving intensity as he sat on the edge of the bed, leveling his eyes with mine.
"Elizabeth, have you forgotten you don't have a home anymore? This is the only place where you can find refuge. I brought you here for your own good."
His voice softened suddenly, taking on a tone that bordered on sentimentality. "I know the baby you're carrying is Alexander's. But back then, when you decided to have his child, wasn't it all for my sake?"
"If you can't bear to part with this baby, I'll let you deliver it. We can raise it together."
My lips twitched involuntarily, baffled by his words.
Had he lost his mind completely?