Chapter 41 {No Guilt}

Alice felt relieved, knowing he had won the argument this time. He often found her chatter pointless, but now he could finally relax.

Alisha glared at him with resentment, her lips throbbing with pain.

He didn't just kiss her; it felt like a punishment.

‘I wish I could bite his lips too, so he'd understand,’ Alisha thought, a desire to retaliate burning in her heart.

But she knew he was unpredictable, so she suppressed her urge, fearing his reaction.

"Why do you look at me like that, Angel? Your stare is adorable, but it feels like you're cursing me silently," Alice chuckled, noticing her cute gaze.

He sensed her anger and desire for revenge, yet she remained apprehensive, which he found somewhat reassuring.

She still had the strength to stand up to him, which he admired.

Alisha reminded herself not to provoke him further, keeping her lips sealed to avoid further punishment.

"Let's forget it. How about some food now? What would you like to eat, Angel?" Alice suggested.

"Chocolate cake," Alisha replied promptly, craving something sweet.

Alice shook his head. "But that's dessert. Let's focus on proper food first, sweetheart. You can have cake after."

"But the cake has eggs, sugar, bread, and cream. Isn't that nutritious?" Alisha argued.

"It's not a full meal though. People have it after proper food," Alice explained, resisting the urge to kiss her again.

"I don't want anything else. Last time, you made me drink juice, and hurt me when I denied. What if you order something I can't eat and get mad again?" Alisha insisted, recalling his reaction when she refused the juice.

"Then let's stick to something you like. I'm offering cake as a treat after the meal," Alice said calmly.

"I'm not hungry. I had pasta with Daisy Aunty this morning," Alisha declined his offer firmly.

Alice sighed, running his fingers through her hair. "Fine, you can have the cake."

He knew he'd get annoyed if this continued, but he also realised he was partly to blame for her foot injury. Plus, a cake wouldn't hurt.

He pulled out his phone and ordered their food.

"Can I sit on the sofa now?" Alisha asked, feeling uncomfortable on Alice's lap. His erection always made it awkward, and she couldn't understand why he always made her sit on his lap.

Alice couldn't fathom why she always seemed so pleased by provoking him, wanting to distance herself. What was the point?

‘As if you enjoy anyone invading your space, except Alisha, that's why you're so insistent. Don't forget how much you hate unwanted physical contact, yet here you are, all over her without a second thought,’ His conscience reminded him.

Alice understood that she had turned his world upside down, but that didn't mean he would allow her to have her way. He longed to touch her, to hold her close, hoping it would bring her comfort and peace to him.bb

But her clear reluctance, evident in both her words and her eyes, made it difficult for him to contain his frustration.

"Alright," Alice acquiesced, knowing he couldn't force things. The more he pushed, the more she resisted, escalating tensions he'd rather avoid.

Besides, he had work to attend to. This wasn't ideal, but it was a reasonable compromise.

Alisha slipped off his lap and settled beside him, grateful for the space. Taking a deep breath, she wiped her lips, erasing any lingering traces of his saliva.

"Tell me something about yourself, sweetheart," Alice broke the silence, realising he already knew quite a bit about her from the reports his secretary had compiled .

But he wanted to delve deeper, to understand her better. And while they waited for their food, engaging in conversation might help ease the tension between them, he thought.

"What should I say? I'm a college student, I live in an orphanage, my beloved dog was killed, and now I'm kidnapped," Alisha blurted out.

"Wow," Alice chuckled, amused by her blunt honesty. He was well aware that he was responsible for everything from her dog's death to her current predicament. But the way she spoke without a filter still caught him off guard.

No matter how hard he tried to predict her reactions, she never failed to surprise him. And that, he couldn't help but find charming, at least in his eyes.

"What's so 'Wow' about this? Do you think being kidnapped is some kind of fun game?" Alisha asked, feeling perturbed by his reaction.

She couldn't help but compare his apparent lack of remorse to her own tendency to feel guilty over the slightest wrongdoing. It seemed he carried out his actions without a shred of guilt, which bothered her deeply.

"Tell me more about how it feels. I've never experienced it myself," Alice inquired, feigning innocence.

He struggled to suppress a laugh, attempting to appear serious despite being the very person responsible for the situation she described.

"It's a relief you're not in that situation. Kidnappers can be ruthless, forcing you to drink juice and, if you refuse, making you walk on glass. And shamelessly bathing you too," Alisha recounted with a hint of disgust.

"Really? I wouldn't mind the bathing part. It sounds quite luxurious, actually. I wouldn't mind someone bathing me," Alice mused, biting his lip as he chuckled.

Her remark was clearly directed at him, finding her straightforwardness endearing.

"Didn't your mom bathe you when you were a child? Every mom does it. But once we grow up, we're expected to bathe ourselves," Alisha said, puzzled by his response.

She couldn't understand why he found the idea appealing. Mary, her guardian, always emphasised the importance of independence as one grows older. Yet Alice, who was even older than her, seemed to shirk responsibility, indulging in whims like being bathed by someone else.

‘Is he suffering from a mental illness? Perhaps that's why he kidnapped me. I've learned about how people's behaviours can change with mental illness. Otherwise, why would he be kidnapping me? I have no money, and from movies, I've seen how kidnappers often do it for ransom,’ Alisha pondered silently to herself.

Now understanding his potential condition, she felt remorse for her previous judgement. How could she condemn someone with a mental illness? She realised her initial thoughts were unjust and felt a twinge of guilt.

"Don't worry, you'll be okay.”