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35. A Deal

Author: Rose
last update publish date: 2026-02-11 20:43:12

“I refuse to be treated like this, Grandpa!”

Sandra’s voice echoed through the grand family room of the Clayton residence. Her face was still swollen from crying, her eyes red—caught somewhere between fury and humiliation.

Henry sat in his usual armchair, his expression calm despite the deepening lines across his forehead. Across the room, Alice stood with her arms crossed, while Lucas remained seated in silence, his gaze serious. Jonathan stood near the window, his jaw tight as he listened to
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  • Under His Control   57. Make Me Your Home

    After the kiss, the atmosphere turned awkward.Emma was still sitting on Alex’s lap. Her body was stiff, her breathing still uneven. Her fingers clutched the hem of her shirt, trying to calm the frantic pounding of her heart.Meanwhile, Alex remained silent.His gaze never left Emma’s face.Deep.Calm.Yet filled with something difficult to explain.Emma swallowed hard.“Mr. Alex…” her voice came out soft, barely above a whisper.Alex didn’t answer. He simply waited.Emma gathered her courage.“I’m… still curious.”Alex’s brows furrowed slightly.“About what?”Emma hesitated for a moment before speaking quietly.“What exactly is our relationship…?”The sentence trailed off.Emma didn’t continue.She chose silence instead.Alex didn’t respond right away.His hand still rested on Emma’s waist, keeping her in place without force. If anything, there was something about it that felt… comforting.“After everything that happened… I wanted to leave,” Emma continued softly.Alex’s gaze shifted

  • Under His Control   56. Waiting for an Answer

    The front door slammed shut.The sound echoed throughout the house, sending a vibration that seemed to reach Emma’s chest.Alex walked in without sparing a single glance back. His strides were long and fast—as if he was trying to get away before his emotions completely exploded.“Mr. Alex…” Emma called softly.No response.He kept walking toward the living room, passing the sofa and table without truly seeing anything. His face was cold. His jaw tight.Emma swallowed hard. Her chest felt tight.She quickened her pace, following him.“Mr. Alex… wait.”Still no response.Until finally, gathering the last bit of courage she had, Emma reached out and grabbed his wrist.The touch made Alex stop.Emma was slightly out of breath. “Please… sit for a moment.”Alex looked down at her small hand gripping him, then slowly lifted his gaze to her face.Their eyes met.Deep.Tense.But without a word, Alex let himself be pulled. He sat down on the sofa with a slow movement, leaning back, still wrapp

  • Under His Control   55. Between Two Men

    Emma stood beside Alex.Her body was still weak. Her legs trembled slightly, but she forced herself to remain upright. Her hand was still in Alex’s grasp—warm, firm… steadying.But her gaze slowly shifted.Downward.Toward the figure still lying on the floor.Jonathan.He hadn’t moved much. His breathing was heavy, uneven. His chest rose and fell irregularly. His face was bruised, his lips bloodied, his shirt wrinkled beyond shape.The sight made Emma’s chest tighten.Something stirred inside her.A feeling she couldn’t simply ignore.Slowly, she pulled her hand free from Alex’s.Her steps were hesitant.But she still walked closer.“Emma…”Alex’s voice came softly, almost like a warning.But Emma didn’t stop.She knelt beside Jonathan.Her eyes studied his face, filled with complicated emotions.Hatred.Pain.Disappointment.And… a trace of pity.“Jonathan…” she whispered.Jonathan slowly opened his eyes.His vision was blurred, but he could still recognize the figure in front of him

  • Under His Control   54. An Unstoppable Explosion

    Jonathan yanked Alex away from Emma mid-kiss, grabbing his collar roughly.The movement was fast. Violent. Fueled by emotions he could no longer contain.“You bastard!” he shouted. “How dare you kiss her in front of me?!”Without giving him any space, his fist swung forward.THUD!The sound of the punch echoed through the silent living room. In a matter of seconds, the tension that had been simmering exploded into chaos.Alex’s head snapped slightly to the side. The metallic taste of blood instantly filled his mouth, a thin line forming at the corner of his lips.But—he didn’t fight back.Jonathan struck him again.THUD! THUD!“I’ve been patient long enough!” he roared, his breath ragged, his eyes blazing red with fury. “But you—you’ve crossed the line, Uncle!”Emma, standing not far from them, froze.Her body was still weak. The wounds on her back throbbed with every movement.But what she saw in front of her hurt far more.“Jonathan, stop!” she cried out in panic.She stepped close

  • Under His Control   53. The Uninvited Guest

    Alex appeared at the dining room doorway without a sound.His steps were calm, but his presence alone was enough to shift the air in the room. Emma, who had been eating, immediately froze mid-motion. Her body tensed instinctively.He took a seat directly across from her.His gaze was straight. Flat. Impossible to read.Emma swallowed.“Mr. Alex…” her voice came out hesitant. “Thank you… for helping me yesterday.”Silence.Alex didn’t answer right away.Instead, his gaze shifted—colder, sharper.Emma instantly felt guilty, even though she didn’t know what she had done wrong.“Thank you?” Alex repeated quietly.Emma grew nervous. “I just—”“Enough,” Alex cut in flatly. “I don’t want to hear that again.”The spoon in Emma’s hand slowly lowered.“What exactly am I to you?” Alex continued.Emma fell silent.“I don’t need your thanks, Emma,” he said. “What I need… is for you to stop acting like a stranger.”The words tightened something painfully in her chest.She lowered her gaze.“I’m sor

  • Under His Control   52. A Suspicious Trail

    Pain greeted Emma the moment her consciousness returned.Her back burned. Her arms felt heavy. Even drawing a deep breath felt like her body was resisting.She slowly opened her eyes.The ceiling looked unfamiliar for a few seconds—until memories from last night came crashing back.The lashes.The shouting.And Alex.Emma closed her eyes briefly, holding back the tightness suddenly rising in her chest.With great effort, she pushed herself up from the bed. The blanket covering her body slipped down, revealing the marks that were still clearly visible.“Ah…” she hissed softly as her feet touched the floor.But she forced herself to stand.Slowly.Step by step.Emma opened the bedroom door and walked out. The house felt quiet. There was no sound except the faint ticking of a clock from the living room.“Mr. Alex?” she called softly.No answer.She carefully made her way down the stairs, gripping the wooden railing for support.Each step was agonizing.When she reached the bottom, she pa

  • Under His Control   20. Unwanted Guests

    The commotion started the moment a woman stepped out of the private elevator reserved for the company’s top executives.Her steps were confident, her chin lifted, and a perfectly composed smile sat on her face. Several pairs of eyes immediately turned toward her—the receptionist, the administrative

    last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-22
  • Under His Control   17. The Point of No Return

    A week had passed since that night at the club.A full week without a single message, without a single call.At first, Jonathan didn’t see it as a problem. He was too confident that he knew Emma—or at least, he believed he did. All this time, every argument had always ended the same way: Emma gave

    last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-21
  • Under His Control   16. Too Close to Control

    The distance between them was far too close.Alex could clearly see Emma’s lashes trembling, her breath rising and falling unevenly, the nervous glimmer in her eyes she hadn’t managed to hide. Looking at her beautiful face from this close made his throat go dry. He swallowed, his heart pounding fas

    last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-20
  • Under His Control   18. Under His Eyes

    “Emma.”That single call made Emma stop in the middle of the Clayton estate’s courtyard. The garden lights cast long shadows across the coral stones, making the atmosphere feel cold and rigid. Emma took a slow breath before turning around.Jonathan stood a few steps behind her. His face was tense,

    last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-21
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