Chapter 71 Chapter 71
Grace walked through the door unimpeded, just as she had the last time she visited. Michael opened the door again, but this time, his expression wasn't impassive. A hint of concern flickered in his eyes. As she passed him, he murmured a warning: "Mr. Norman is very displeased."
Grace paused, then walked in as if nothing had happened. Standing in the spacious living room, she looked up toward the second floor and unexpectedly spotted Benjamin. He stood at the top of the stairs, looking down at her. His cold gaze fell on her face, revealing no emotion whatsoever.
She didn't move; she just stood there, lifting her head to meet his gaze.
After a moment, he said indifferently. "Come here."
With that, he turned and entered the room on the left.
Grace took a deep breath before stepping onto the staircase. The door on the left was open, revealing a large suite. The outer room was the same living room where she had been humiliated last time. Beyond another door was Benjamin's bedroom. The sound of running water came from the adjacent bathroom. Through the frosted glass, she could make out the faint outline of Benjamin's tall, muscular figure.
Moments later, he emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a towel and drying his hair. Glancing at Grace standing in the center of the room, he ordered, "Go take a shower."
Grace stood rooted to the spot, pressing her lips together. "I already showered at home," she replied.
His steps halted. He turned and walked toward her. Lifting her chin with his fingers, he scrutinized her face. A mocking smile touched his lips. "Is that so? But somehow, I still think you're a little dirty. Go wash yourself. Scrub off every trace of another man's scent."
Her lips pressed tightly together and her body trembled faintly.
He chuckled lightly and rubbed his thumb hard across her lips, wiping away the bright red lipstick. Disgustedly, he smeared the color all over her face. Speaking slowly and deliberately, he asked, "Did you wear such heavy makeup when you were with Adrian? Could he even bear to kiss you? Didn't it feel disgusting?"
She remained silent, standing motionless and allowing his insults to wash over her.
Her impassive demeanor only fueled his rage. His feigned composure shattered. He let out a low, cold laugh, then suddenly grabbed her wrist and dragged her toward the bathroom.
He shoved her into the shower stall, turned on the faucet, grabbed the showerhead, and began spraying water relentlessly at her head and face.
Unable to dodge in time, she was instantly drenched and disheveled.
The icy water quickly soaked through her coat and sweater. The once-warm garments instantly became cold prisons, weighing heavily on her. Within seconds, it felt as though her blood had frozen solid.
At first, she struggled a few times, but she soon stopped moving altogether and stood there, letting him run wild.
Fortunately, his frenzy didn't last long. He quickly tossed the showerhead to the floor, then shoved her hard against the wall. His hand clamped around her neck as he sneered, "Well? Do you know what I want now? Do you think I want to date you?"
Grace couldn't answer; she couldn't speak. With her makeup washed away, her face was pale and bluish like a corpse's. Her teeth chattered incessantly—a rattling sound she couldn't stop. Yet she forced a stubborn smile at him, her mouth twisted in defiance. As she smiled, her body slowly began to collapse.
Benjamin froze, staring blankly for a few seconds, before snapping back to reality. Only then did he realize what he had done to her. He hurriedly spread his arms to catch her and called her name. "Grace?"
She couldn't answer. Her head fell limply onto his shoulder, and she remained utterly silent.
Startled, he reached out to feel her breath. Feeling the faint flutter of life, his heart eased slightly. He swiftly carried her into the bathtub, turned on the hot water, and began undressing her while the water flowed over her. After finally removing her clothes, he froze upon seeing the sanitary pad she had been using and the jarring red stain. Only then did he carefully cradle her in his arms and use his body heat to warm her.
The hot water, combined with the warmth of his body behind her, slowly softened her stiff, cold form. She finally let out a pained moan, grasping the bathtub's edge with her trembling hands as she struggled to sit up, desperately trying to distance herself from him.
He gently pulled her back into his embrace and whispered softly in her ear, "Be good. Don't mention other men in front of me again."
Her body stiffened, and she shielded her chest with her hands in defiance. She trembled and said, "Bastard."
His anger had dissipated long ago, replaced only by exhaustion. Hearing her words, he gave a low "Mhm" and unexpectedly murmured in agreement, "I am a bastard."
She was momentarily speechless. After a long pause, she murmured, "Yes, Alex is a bastard."
He smiled and forcefully pulled her hands away from her chest, replacing them with his own. Yet, instead of caressing her recklessly as his desire demanded, he rested his hands lightly on her, embracing her from behind. After a moment's hesitation, he asked softly, "The night before last... Did Adrian touch you?”
She stiffened. "Benjamin, do you think everyone is as much of a bastard as you?"
"Not exactly," he chuckled softly. Her anger seemed to amuse him greatly. His hands grew restless, ignoring her feeble resistance, and began to gently knead and caress. His lips trailed along the side of her neck, teasingly close yet distant. Seeing her struggle, he held her tighter and murmured, "Stop fussing. I won't fuck you."
She demanded angrily, "Then what are you doing right now?"
"I'm just rubbing against you. I'm not going inside," he replied in a hoarse voice.
Such words only served to coax the innocent girl. His desire would only burn even hotter. By the time it erupted, he wouldn't care about anything else. Grace could feel the hardness pressing against her. With a sigh, she closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. "Benjamin, you could have any woman you want. Can you just let me go now?"
"I don't want them," he replied, burying his face in her shoulder and letting out a groan. He'd been holding back for days, and the pressure was unbearable. Yet, he didn't want anyone else. It was useless. They couldn't quench his hunger.
Grace sensed that the man behind her was nearly at his limit. She took a deep breath; her voice trembled. "I'll use my mouth for you. Is that okay?”
"Really?" His heart leapt with joy. He lowered his head to kiss her cheek and then turned her face to kiss her lips. As he kissed her, he realized she offered no response. Slowly, he stopped.
He lifted his head and studied her. "You don't want this, do you?"
"Yes." She stared back at him, her expression a mix of anger and resignation. "But does it matter? You need to release it. I can't refuse you. I can only choose the path that hurts me less."
Unexpectedly, he didn't become angry. After a moment of silence, he pulled her back into his embrace.
Surprised, she was suddenly shifted from in front of him to beside him. He held her tightly with one arm while dipping his other hand into the water and grasping his lower body.
She could hardly believe it.
Under her astonished gaze, a rare blush spread across his handsome face. He glanced at her sideways, his voice deep and husky. "Either come kiss me or come help me."