"What's wrong? Are you crying?" Heath asked.
He turned on the light and saw Prisley's sad face.
"What happened? Did Steve do something to you?" Heath's voice grew louder.
"No, he was nice to me. It's just... I met her at the party." Prisley was never one to show her vulnerability in public.
It was only after saying goodbye to Steve that she dropped her facade. She walked back slowly, and tears streamed down her face.
Heath immediately called Steve.
"Got it, thanks, Steve." He got the whole story from Steve.
"I should just leave, otherwise this awkwardness will keep happening," Prisley said, sniffling. Having Heath by her side made her feel a bit better.
Heath gently stroked her waist-length hair. "You don't need to care about her at all."
"How can I not care? I'm just a fake version of her in your eyes." Prisley lay on the sofa, feeling depressed.
Heath's gaze darkened. He reached for a box on the coffee table. "Try this on. Let me see how beautiful it looks."
He took out a luxurious, intricately designed diamond necklace that was clearly worth a fortune.
The expensive necklace glittered on Prisley's delicate chest. It complemented the evening dress she was wearing, making her look stunning.
Heath kissed Prisley's neck lightly. "Beautiful, it suits you perfectly," he said with rare tenderness.
"No, I don't need this." Prisley pushed him away, taking off the necklace and putting it back in the box.
"Why?" Heath was a bit displeased. This was a new piece from a famous designer, and he hadn't expected her to refuse it.
"Heath, you can't provide what I truly need. The things you give me, I don't actually want."
Heath sneered. "Don't expect me to marry you. We agreed on that when we signed the contract." He pulled out the previous check and property documents.
"Take these. I can buy you anything, give you a lot of money. Isn't that enough?"
Prisley felt helpless. Their thoughts seemed like parallel lines that would never meet.
"Maybe I needed it before, but now, Heath, I don't care about these things. I just want a bit of respect from you, but you can't even do that."
"Ridiculous! Haven't I respected you?" Heath found it unbelievable.
"This afternoon in the meeting room, they humiliated me again. If you had stood up for me even once, they wouldn't dare to be so blatant. But you didn't."
"Filla's back, and you won't let me leave. Today I was humiliated by her once, and there will be many more times, but you don't care."
"Heath, I don't know what you're thinking. You can really watch me suffer and not feel a thing." Prisley's tears flowed uncontrollably again.
Heath sighed, thinking this was simply absurd. She was just making trouble for herself.
Maybe, as Steve said, Heath has been sheltered by wealth since childhood and can't empathize with others. What seems painful to Prisley is trivial to him. All he cares about are the company, wealth, and relationships. He was raised this way, trained to be a successful machine in a loveless wealthy family.
He's decisive and calm in business but always too cold and violent emotionally. Prisley, on the other hand, grew up in a warm middle-class family, surrounded by her parents' love. She once believed her love and care could warm Heath's heart, but she was wrong. Four years have passed, and he's still the same.
Heath bought this apartment specifically for Prisley. It's much smaller than his mansion. He spends most of his time at his own place and only comes over when he needs her.
Tonight, he just wanted to bring the diamond necklace to please her and persuade her to give up on leaving. He didn't expect not to get a single smile.
Heath's face turned grim.
He didn't want Prisley to trouble herself over those things. Having her around made him feel much better, but he never cared about what made her unhappy or why. It was always Prisley who cared about him and looked after him.
"Prisley, you're overthinking. I don't want to call you paranoid, but don't you think you're being melodramatic?"
"As for the respect you mentioned, I've always respected you. Don't make a big deal out of it."
"If you insist on being difficult, let me remind you that you’re the party B in our contract. Our contract is still in effect. The termination conditions haven't been met, so you have no choice but to fulfill it!"
Heath's eyes showed a cold, ruthless glint. He paused, maybe realizing his words were too harsh, then stepped forward, wrapped his arms around Prisley's waist, and kissed her earlobe. "Can we just be like before?" he said in a softer tone.
Paranoid? No choice?
Prisley closed her eyes in pain. This man seemed beyond help. She had thought that after four years together, Heath would show some care for her.
Suppressing her slightly trembling voice, she said, "Fine, we'll be like before and follow the contract."
She pushed him away and walked towards the bedroom.
"Where are you going?"
"To fulfill the contract." She forced a smile.
Soon, Prisley emerged from the bathroom, wearing sexy lingerie and smelling of the perfume Heath liked - in fact, it was Filla's favorite scent.
She walked towards Heath.
Heath smiled. As expected, she was still obedient and easy to please.
Prisley dimmed the lights and began kissing Heath's lips, in the way he liked.
Her lips were soft, and she knew exactly where Heath was most sensitive. She knew his body all too well.
Heath closed his eyes, enjoying the long-awaited moment of pleasure. Prisley undressed him, her soft fingers sending tingles over his skin as they moved across his chest, abs, and down to his most prized area.
Heath felt a surge of electricity through his body. His breathing grew heavier as he savored the calm before the storm.
Her fingers were soft and slightly cool, tracing patterns on his warming skin, making him feel incredibly comfortable.
His thighs tensed under her kisses, revealing their muscular lines.
Heath felt his body heat up, a powerful lust surging through him, reaching his head. He let out a low moan, impulsively threading his fingers through her hair.
He opened his eyes to kiss Prisley but was met with her blank stare.
He paused, the heat in his body fading slightly. "Prisley, what's wrong?"
"Nothing," Prisley continued her actions. "I'm just fulfilling the contract." Her voice was cold, her gaze equally devoid of passion.
The next morning, Prisley had barely gotten out of bed when a wave of nausea hit her.She rushed to the bathroom, throwing up violently into the toilet. Heath, hearing the commotion, quickly came over. Seeing her kneeling on the floor, vomiting fiercely, his heart ached."What's wrong?" he asked."I don't know. Maybe I ate too much last night..."Prisley cleaned herself up and came out, her face a little pale. Heath was incredibly concerned. He gently scooped her up, carrying her horizontally, and laid her on the bed.Suddenly, Prisley asked, "What's the date today?""The 5th. Why?"She shot upright and dashed back into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.Heath followed, but the door was locked. "What's wrong?" he asked, knocking. Prisley didn't answer, leaving Heath even more bewildered.After a long moment, the door opened. Prisley, tears in her eyes, threw herself into his arms. Heath, momentarily flustered, held her tight. "What's wrong? Don't panic, tell me, I'm here."Pri
Soon after the wedding, it was little Lucy's third birthday. Heath decided to throw a birthday party for Lucy, and he and Prisley were busy for a while, arranging all sorts of small activities.Relatives and friends arrived, and the house's yard once again buzzed with excitement.The maids, dressed as cartoon characters, bustled in and out of the house. Lucy excitedly grabbed different characters, urging them to play with her."Mommy, Mommy, why is my favorite Twilight Sparkle at home?""Because it's Lucy's birthday today, sweetie. Twilight Sparkle came specially to celebrate with you.""Is Fluttershy here? I love her the most!"Prisley gently kissed her chubby little cheek. "Fluttershy is waiting for you in the yard."Lucy happily scampered towards the yard but bumped right into Spencer's leg as he entered. Spencer picked her up. "Oh, my little darling, what are you rushing off to do?"Lucy stared at him with wide eyes. "Who are you?""I'm Uncle Spencer, your Mommy's brother.""Hello
Prisley leaned into Heath's embrace, their naked bodies intertwined on the broad office desk."Did you ever think, when you were signing documents here, that you'd be making love to me on this very table?" she asked, still catching her breath.Heath chuckled. "No. But I imagine I'll be thinking about it quite often from now on."Prisley's face flushed to her ears. She turned away, muttering, "I was supposed to go back to my own company. You wasted so much of my time bringing me here."Heath carried her to the bathroom, and under the warm spray of water, gently kissed her. "Which is more important: work, or accepting my proposal?" he asked."Do you know how long I prepared for today? I considered so many venues and plans, but ultimately chose here, in your most familiar environment, surrounded by the people closest to you. That way, you wouldn't be affected by the shadow of the past. And only this way could I guarantee your absolute safety."Prisley pressed her face tightly against his
A wave of enthusiastic applause erupted from everyone. Prisley covered her mouth, her eyes brimming with tears. She accepted the bouquet, tears in her eyes as she responded, "Yes! I will!"She had answered that question two years ago. To say it again now brought a different surge of emotions: trust, gratitude, love... a myriad of feelings. After going through life and death, she simply couldn't refuse.Heath smiled, pulling her into his embrace and gently kissing her lips. Cheers and applause burst through the hallway.Then, someone shouted, "Let the celebrations begin!" and the employees surged towards tables laden with champagne and delicacies.Prisley playfully chided, "Why suddenly do this at the office?"Heath leaned in and whispered affectionately in her ear, "The proposal two years ago cast a shadow over both our hearts. I know you never forgot it."He continued, "I want to pierce that shadow with a beam of sunlight so we never have to remember it again. You're surrounded by fa
Days later, Jennifer received a call. The moment she saw the screen, she smiled. "Boss, if you're calling me, it must be good news, right?" she teased, smiling coyly.Heath's magnetic voice came through the phone. "Yes, I need your help with something."Jennifer's lips curled upwards. "Let me guess? Hmm... I see happiness." She couldn't resist playfully teasing Heath.Heath chuckled on his end. "I'm planning to propose to Prisley and then give her a grand wedding. These are things I should have given her two years ago."Jennifer's smile softened. "Prisley came to see me a few days ago. She's doing well, but it seems she has some PTSD from that night.""Is that so..." Heath's voice deepened. "She never mentioned it to me. Perhaps she didn't want me to worry about it."He felt a pang of annoyance; how had he not noticed any signs? After a brief pause, he continued, "So, I want her to accept my proposal in a familiar, secure place, not in a new environment like last time. I want her to b
"Prisley's forgiveness is a testament to her generosity and compassion. But I am not so quick to forgive," Heath stated, his voice firm."I will formally demand that you surrender all your shares in the family business. You and your mother will leave this city. You may not return until I deem it appropriate."Prisley started to speak, but Heath silenced her with a gesture. "He must also pay a price."Tears welled in David's eyes. "Heath, I accept your terms. I will find a proper job at a company, and if you don't allow me to return, I swear I won't step foot in this city."Prisley's shoulder had mostly healed. She rotated it gently, then, with her daughter, drove to an office building.She called the company's reception, announcing that someone was waiting in the lobby.A few minutes later, a familiar face emerged from the elevator. Prisley smiled at her. "Jennifer, long time no see."Jennifer shrieked, rushing to embrace Prisley. Though Prisley had kept in touch, this was their first