Chapter 86 Chapter 86
Grace only stayed in the hospital for two days before moving into Benjamin's apartment on the afternoon of the third day. Her mother had already called several times, and Grace dared not tell her about her suicide attempt. She would have to come up with another excuse to explain why she couldn't return home for a few days.
Benjamin
sat on the sofa by the window and listened as Grace described to her mother how she had spontaneously decided to join a colleague on a trip to Philadelphia. She added, "The internet's terrible here, so we can't video chat, but the scenery is really beautiful. You should come visit with Dad sometime.”
Benjamin couldn't help but smile, watching her with a hint of mockery. She, however, remained oblivious, fully absorbed in her phone call. "Mm-hmm, don't worry. I'll be careful. I've already booked your itinerary with Dad. I sent it to his email. Take a look, and if anything is wrong, let me know right away. There's still time to change it. Yes, I'll definitely be back before you leave. Don't worry.”
She exchanged a few more words with her mother before hanging up. Looking up, she saw Benjamin was still watching her. She raised her injured wrist directly toward him. "What can I say? It's better than having my mom see this, don't you think?"
Benjamin’s gaze swept over her wound, his expression darkening slightly. "You should've used more force. You might as well have sliced off that claw of yours.”
She didn’t seem the least bit upset. Instead, she looked at him with the same resigned expression one might use with a child. “Didn’t we agree? We don’t bring up the past anymore.”
During moments of panic, he only wished she’d survive—no matter what she did, he’d overlook it.
But once the crisis passed, how could he forget her desperate attempts to flee and the betrayals she’d concealed from him? Her threat to sacrifice her own life infuriated him beyond measure.
He'd never been magnanimous. He was cunning and vicious—he exacted revenge on anyone who displeased him. But this time, his emotions had made him lose to her. How could he accept that?
He scrutinized her like a demon, yet she smiled at him. She pulled back the covers, sat up, and ordered him with casual authority, "Can you do me a favor? Wrap this wrist in plastic wrap. I want to take a shower, but I can't get the wound wet.”
Benjamin was taken aback. After a moment's hesitation, he tossed aside the documents in his hand, stood up, and carried her like a princess from the bed toward the bathroom.
She didn't struggle; instead, she wrapped her arm around his neck and said, "Better wrap the wrist first."
"No need. Just hold it high. I'll help you—no need for you to touch it." As he spoke, he reached out to undress her. By the time he unbuttoned her blouse, he was rock hard.
She gasped in surprise, then laughed out loud. "Forget it. You should leave. I'll manage."
But he refused to leave. Expressionlessly, he stripped her naked. After reminding her to hold her injured arm high, he grabbed the showerhead to rinse her off, murmuring indifferently, "Don't worry. I can control myself."
Grace felt both puzzled and uneasy.
Truthfully, she knew he was captivated by her body. Suggesting a bath at that moment was meant to tempt him.
She knew he was still angry. Rather than letting him vent elsewhere, she preferred to resolve the issue through intimacy.
Yet, unexpectedly, he managed to restrain himself today.
This wasn't a good sign. Not being able to read his thoughts was dangerous.
After rinsing her off, he gently dried her, wrapped her in a bathrobe, and carried her back to the bed. Then he fetched a hairdryer. With remarkable patience, he began drying her hair.
Grace found him strange today and decided to ask directly, "Benjamin, are you okay? You haven't been possessed by a demon, have you?"
Benjamin paused at her words and tossed the dryer onto the floor. He lifted her chin with his fingers and studied her beautiful face. It was pale and weak, yet her eyes remained unchanged, showing no trace of fear.
He gave a faint smile. "Grace, when will you stop using these little tricks on me?"
Grace avoided his gaze but refused to admit it. "When did I ever play tricks on you? Is seducing you wrong now?"
She understood the situation perfectly. She knew that the only way to make him both annoyed and helpless was to state her thoughts directly. He pinched her chin and asked, "What do you think sleeping with me is? A way for me to vent my emotions?"
Hearing this, she had no choice but to admit it.
She watched him silently for a moment, then nodded. "Yes. I couldn't think of any other way. It's better to channel your energy into making love than to have you vent elsewhere.”
Benjamin felt helplessness. He stared at her in silence. After a long moment, he released her chin, pressing his entire body against hers step by step and pinning her down on the bed.
Supporting himself on his elbows, he lowered his head and gently bit her lip. He murmured, "You think I sleep with you just to vent, is that it?"
Her body tensed and her lips trembled slightly. She wanted to retort, "Isn't that it?" but reason made her bite her lip and remain silent.
Yet, he seemed to read her thoughts. With a faint smile, he said nothing more, only lowering his head to kiss her again.
Starting from her forehead, he moved down inch by inch, kissing every part of her body.
At first, she endured it. But when his lips reached her lower body, panic seized her. She pushed his shoulder away. "Enough! I don't like this."
"But I do." He lifted his head to look at her. Then, without hesitation, he lowered his face again and kissed her most private place.
He pleased her with the most reverent posture.
This intimacy felt wrong, not like something between them.
She could endure his brutal humiliation through sex, but she refused to accept any form of his pleasure.
Grace's body trembled uncontrollably as she tried to push him away. However, he gripped her waist tightly, leaving her powerless to resist.
In her dazed state, she changed tactics. She arched her back as hard as she could and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her voice trembled as she begged, "Alex, take me."
He finally paused and asked, "You want me?"
She nodded wildly. "Stop torturing me, you bastard."