Chapter 3

"I had no idea he was here too." Molly sighed, frustration clear in her eyes.

"Don't worry, I'm fine," Alice said, shaking her head as the wind tousled her hair, hiding the sadness in her eyes.

Gloria had just come back from abroad, looking confident and radiant. And Alice? She was just a terminally ill person, on the brink of death.

She felt pathetic. James had once looked at her with eyes full of deep affection quietly.

Eyes never lied. She thought James had some feelings for her, and she couldn't help but fall in love with him.

In the end, it was all just a dream. He wasn't in love with her; he was thinking of someone else through her face.

After this incident, neither of them felt like taking a walk, so they just went back.

Late at night, Molly got a call from work and had to leave.

Alice handed her a coat, frowning and complaining softly, "What kind of company makes people work overtime in the middle of the night?"

She suddenly regretted not taking more money from James. That way, Molly wouldn't have to work this late.

"Life is tough," Molly pinched her cheek to comfort her.

Not long after Molly left, there was a knock on the door.

Alice thought Molly had forgotten something and opened the door, only to find several tall men standing outside.

"Hey, pretty lady, long time no see. Why did you suddenly quit? I missed you so much."

The one who spoke was Derek Brown, a notorious playboy from the Imperial City, always surrounded by women.

When she worked at the bar, Derek often harassed her.

She thought quitting would solve the problem, but Derek had found her.

Alice tried to close the door, but Derek held it open with force.

She stepped back in fear, grabbing a fruit knife from the table and pointing it at Derek, her hand trembling.

"I warn you, don't come any closer."

Her face turned pale, wearing loose home clothes, her hair down, looking like a frightened rabbit, which only fueled Derek's desire.

Derek wasn't scared. He even took a step forward, eyeing her figure with longing. "Look at you, so scared. Don't worry, I won't hurt you."

Before he finished speaking, Derek quickly took the knife from her hand. The men behind him rushed in, restraining her.

Her face turned even paler, sweat beading on her forehead. Derek reached out to touch her cheek. "What are you afraid of?"

The touch made Alice feel nauseous, to the extreme.

She bit her lip hard, forcing herself to stay calm, and confronted him coldly, "Mr. Brown, if you keep this up, I'll call the police."

Derek stared at her for a few seconds, then laughed, spreading his hands. "Call the police? Do you think they can do anything to me?"

Even if he raped Alice right now, the police would just have coffee with him and then let him go.

Despair tore at Alice's soul. With only three months left to live, hadn't she endured enough? Did God really have to strike her down once more?

"Alright, sex is precious. Let's not waste time."

Derek looked at her rosy lips and kissed her.

Alice hurriedly turned her head away, but he still managed to kiss her cheek, making her feel like worms were crawling all over her face, filling her with deep disgust.

When Derek reached to undress her, she couldn't help but scream.

"Wait!"

Derek paused, still holding her chin with interest. "You know this is pointless, right?"

"Mr. Brown, you know I don't want to have sex with you now. Sex should be between lovers, with real feelings. Only then will it feel good, right? If we do this now, you won't enjoy it, and I'll feel miserable."

Derek thought for a few seconds, finding some truth in her words. "So, how do you think we can enjoy it?"

"We can build feelings first. With feelings, everything will fall into place, right?"

Alice stared at Derek's expression, terrified inside but not daring to show it.

Derek always thought women were just toys for recreation, and it was good to throw them away when them were used up. Spending time to build feelings was a hassle.

But Alice was the most beautiful woman he'd seen. Spending a few days to enjoy her properly wasn't a big deal. Anyway, he had plenty of time to play.

"Alright, I'll give you five days, Alice. You better fall in love with me quickly," Derek said with a teasing tone, touching her cheek before letting her go.

Before leaving, Derek knocked on the door, a playful smile on his lips. "Molly Thomas is your good friend who lives with you, right? Behave, or she'll suffer."

As soon as the door was shut, Alice's body went limp, sliding down the sofa, gasping for air.

If she ran, Derek would go after Molly. She couldn't let that happen.

People like Derek could only be dealt with by force, but she had no power or influence. How could she fight him?

James's name flashed in her mind.

If he knew she was being bullied, would he be angry? Would he come to save her?

But Gloria's face appeared in her mind, shattering all her fantasies.

All their past sex were based on her face resembling Gloria. James had no feelings for her.

In those five days, she thought a lot. She couldn't drag Molly down.

She only had three months to live anyway. Dying a bit earlier or later made no difference.

If Derek dared to touch her, she'd take him down with her.

Time passed quickly. A Rolls-Royce stopped outside the apartment.

Alice gripped the pepper spray in her bag tightly before getting in the car.

Strong hands wrapped around her waist, and Derek's deep voice sounded above her.

"Baby, I missed you so much these past few days. But before the game starts, let me take you somewhere."

Alice held back her nausea, unsure of Derek's plan. Knowing his nature, it couldn't be a good place.

Seeing the luxurious club, her eyelid twitched uncontrollably.

"Go change your clothes. Since we're building feelings, let me introduce you to some friends."

Derek raised his hand. Several women surrounded Alice, taking her to the dressing room, where she changed into a high-end dress and million-dollar jewelry.

Looking in the mirror, it was clearly her, but she felt like she was looking at Gloria.