All Chapters of Chained To My Bad Boy's Wild Love: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

The man’s grin widened even more when he saw Esther’s startled face flush a deep shade of red. “Y—yeah? Err… I—I didn’t mean it like that, but… ugh!” She let out a frustrated sigh and stayed silent for a moment, as if trying to gather the right words in her head. It was clear she was annoyed at herself for suddenly becoming so flustered. “If you don’t mind,” she finally finished, looking slightly bashful.Putting aside her appearance, Gaara actually liked her; the more he interacted with her, the more he noticed a side of her that was… cute? She may not have the allure of Elise Northway, nor the radiant charm of Nelsy, the campus diva, but Esther had something that kept Gaara’s attention fixed on her.He liked watching her lips move when she spoke, especially when she got nervous. He even found himself turned on by the way she often wet her lips after biting them, as if silently inviting him to taste those soft, luscious lips again.Tempted, Gaara leaned closer until his lips were now

“You said it was a good idea earlier, didn’t you? So, come to my place and let’s go for a swim,” the man said casually.Esther could only gape, staring at the sky outside that was beginning to turn orange. “I did say it was a good idea, but that doesn’t mean I want to swim right now.”“You don’t have class tomorrow,” the man replied simply, once again leaving Esther blinking in surprise.How did he know that?But before she could voice her protest, they had already driven through the gates of the grand Maxwell residence. Refusing or trying to escape seemed pointless after all, he was the one behind the wheel. Besides, she remembered the mechanic uncle’s words about Gaara being pushy. Clearly, whatever he decided was final.Gaara stepped out of the car first, while Esther was still fumbling with her seatbelt. She thought he would leave her behind, but to her surprise, he opened her door instead. Why was Gaara suddenly being so sweet?“Why are you opening the door for me?” Esther asked

“Damn it!” Gaara jolted awake, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he struggled for breath. His shirt clung to his skin, soaked with sweat. In one swift motion, he threw aside the blanket and yanked off his shirt, tossing it carelessly across the room.Trying to steady himself, he walked over to the dresser near his closet. Pulling open a drawer, he took out a small box and carried it toward the wide window. The one whose curtains he deliberately never closed. From the box, he pulled out marijuana and rolled it into a cigarette with practiced hands. With the lighter already waiting on the sill, he lit the end and drew in a deep drag, letting the smoke burn through his lungs.It was the second night in a row that he had been plagued by nightmares that dragged him back into the shadows of his childhood memories. And whenever that happened, this was his shortcut, his way of silencing the echoes of guilt: drown it all in smoke until the feeling dulled. It was better than going insane

“Yes, because it was clearly arranged by a professional,” Esther shot back.Gaara smirked at her reply. Bold. Direct. Maybe he had finally done something right. This girl liked flowers, and while his so-called gentleman’s knowledge had earned him a small point, it wasn’t nearly enough to dissolve her anger.“So, you’re not going to thank me?”“I never asked you to send me flowers.”Gaara felt almost hypnotized. The fire in her eyes, the raw temper in her voice strangely, it was twice as alluring as the seductive smiles he usually received from other girls. This… this was rare.He should have been offended, or at least irritated, for being treated that way. But instead, he felt an almost reckless urge to pull her close and kiss her until she forgot her own name. Of course, he wasn’t that insane at least not today. He knew that would only terrify her and drive her further away.So instead, acting on impulse, Gaara reached for Esther’s right hand. Without warning, he brought it to his li

At first, Esther hesitated to sit beside Gaara. After a brief moment of consideration, however, she gave in and chose to follow his lead. She kept a safe distance not too close, yet not too far. Because with Gaara, it was always wiser to be cautious. He could be unpredictable at times.“I once had the thought that you might be from abroad,” she said softly. “But I wasn’t sure if you were actually born here.”“Well, now that I’ve told you, you should be convinced I’m not from around here,” Gaara replied, casually sipping his drink.“So… where exactly are you from?” Esther asked, finally giving in to her curiosity.Gaara smirked. “Oh? So you are curious about me?”Esther’s cheeks flushed a faint pink. She hated how easily he could catch her off guard. “You were the one who first brought up the topic of where you were born,” she shot back quickly, hoping to cover her embarrassment.For a moment, Gaara fell silent. His eyes grew distant, as though he were staring at something only he coul