A two-second silence hung in the air before Quinn reached out, pulling the car door open and sliding into the vehicle.


    Beside her sat Alexander, his gaze so intense it felt as though he w ere about to dissect her with it. Quinn kept her head down, not daring to look up and gauge his mood. To her relief, he remained silent.


    In the driver''s seat, Kyle held his breath, minimizing his presence as he drove steadily. The interior of the car was eerily quiet, so silent that Quinn could hear her own breathing.


    The car moved slowly and smoothly on the way home, with Quinn''s eyes darting to the night scene receding outside the window. With each mile closer to home, her anxiety heightened.


    Forty minutester, they pulled up in front of the vi. Kyle discreetly exited the vehicle and left, giving the two some space. Alexander remained silent.


    Quinn bit her lip and mustered the courage to steal a nce at him. He was leaning back in his seat, his form enveloped in darkness, his silhouette just barely visible. Hesitant, Quinn reached out and tugged on his sleeve. Only then did Alexander turn his head and rest his gaze on her face. Quinn looked down.


    Alexander reached out and lifted her face, asking, "What have you been up to these past three days?"


    Quinn stiffened, memories of those days shing through her mind, her head beginning to throb faintly. She raised her hand to exin, "Abigail and I didn''t do anything. We were both kidnapped by someone..." Alexander cut her off, "I know who it is. I''m asking what you two did."


    Quinn shuddered, and her eyes widened. He knew? He actually knew... Yet for three whole days, he hadn''te for her. And he still had the audacity to ask what Walter and she had done in these days.


    She should be used to it by now-his indifference, his coldness. But his question still cut deep. Quinn felt as if a knife had shed across her heart, leaving her bleeding profusely.


    She forced a smile.


    Sheughed at her own sentimentality, how cheap her years of adoration had turned out to be, and how right Walter was. She really was despicable... "Answer me."


    Quinn looked deep into the face veiled in darkness, swallowing the dull pain in her heart, and gestured with her hand, "What do you think a man and a woman alone would do?" Quinn meticulously pointed out every detail to him. "We''ve done everything."


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    His hand mping her jaw suddenly tightened, and Quinn''s face contorted in pain.


    "Really?" He leaned in closer suddenly, his face emerging from the shadows. "And what exactly did you do? Show me."


    Quinn froze, her dumbstruck gaze locked on his, feeling a sharp pain in her chest as if someone was clutching her heart. It throbbed painfully.


    "I did everything you taught me. Haven''t you seen it all already?" she gestured.


    Alexander''s expression darkened gradually as if storm clouds were gathering, and cracks appeared in his otherwiseposed demeanor.


    "Did you do it voluntarily?"


    Quinn''s lips pressed together. She struggled to muster a response.


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    Seeing his brooding look, she suddenly desired to witness theplete crumbling of his icy facade. He would never allow others to meddle with his possessions, not without facing his wrath.


    She stared him down with a defiant, do-or-die resolution and gave a slight nod.


    To her disappointment, all Quinn heard was a deep inhtion. Then, abruptly, he flung open the car door, grabbed her hand, and yanked her out.


    Quinn stumbled out of the car with his forceful pull, missed her footing, and crashed heavily to the ground, her knees ached in pain.


    Without ncing back, he continued, dragging her along. Quinn scrambled to her feet, staggering to keep up with his stride.


    Alexander dragged her into the bathroom and tossed her into the bathtub.


    There was water in the tub, now cold and uninviting.


    Before she could get up, arge hand seized her jaw and pushed her back down.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.