His Devious Rule

The Nest Regency,

Anya looked at the man next to her. She questioned without understanding, "You said we were going on a date." Certainly, she looked forward to their date.

Her lips twitched uncontrollably when she discerned, "Did you call going to the cafe to meet your brother as a date?" She couldn't believe it.

How could he excite her for nothing?

Alvin: "..."

Liam had mentioned taking her on dates to a cafe and other places. Wasn't bringing her to a cafe a date?

Anya gave up the hope of date looking at his aloof face. In the past or present, this man just went to nightclubs. And did she expect to go on a date with him? She was laughable.

Alvin followed her to the villa. After speaking with the psychiatrist, he understood the importance of Anya's decision about her life without being controlled by him or others.

His initial plan to resolve her issues on his own without the need to mention them to her. It has to change. His main aim for the coming days was to resolve the incidents that affected her psychologically. For that, he started from the villa she bought.

Anya noticed Mark, one of Alvin's men at the door. He opened the door for her.

She looked at the luxurious interior and uneasily stepped inside. Alvin came next to her and rested his forearm on her shoulder, "Remove whatever you don't like."

Anya wasn't sure what the doctor had told him. She was glad he let her decide on her villa. She pointed at the couch, "Do you think my home is a seven-star hotel? I will choose my couch."

Mark made a note of it when Alvin nodded. Anya's hand lifted to the chandelier, "This isn't for a luxurious hotel, it feels like I came to somebody's palace."

For Alvin, it just looked like a chandelier. In fact, he didn't care. So he nodded and Mark made a note of it too.

Anya pointed to the two armchairs, "Why didn't you shift the throne here? We will gather our subjects and pass the decrees."

Mark almost burst into laughter hearing her remark while Alvin breathed through his mouth to stay calm.

Anya's hand pointed to the drapes that covered the glass walls. "Alvin Matthews, I might get a small plot in the countryside for the money spent on them." The two sides of the huge hall had only glass walls, so the rich fabric he had used was a lot.

'Pfft,' Mark looked away and bit his tongue to stop laughing.

Alvin looked away from her and nodded. Why was he feeling like she was criticizing him when it was the interior design company who did all that?

Well, Alvin hasn't given them a budget. He asked them to do their best. With an unlimited budget, the villa looked like a luxurious hotel.

Anya's hand landed on the television that was mounted on the wall. "It…"

Alvin cut in, "We are not changing that." It's just a normal brand of television. What could be a problem?

"It's too big." It looked like a theater in the living hall.

"How does a few inches smaller make any difference?" He countered.

Anya still wanted to argue but compromised as Zane would enjoy playing video games or watching movies.

It didn't end there. Anya and Alvin argued and ended up changing ninety-five percent of the interior.

At last, Anya entered the master suite ensuite. "Who will clean this huge bathtub? This isn't a public bath."

However, Alvin liked the bathtub, "No change."

Anya could imagine three people bathing there. "No, if we get the normal size, the bathroom will be spacious."

Alvin wasn't ready to change it. He was already imagining having fun in there with his Little Donut. "It's perfect to fit two." He turned her down. He wasn't going to make any compromise on that.

'Err...' Mark silently escaped from there while Anya argued without understanding, "Why does the bathtub have to fit two?" She was bewildered. "It's just a waste of water, bathing liquid, and space." Giving him a dirty glare, "Are you trying to eat me poor?" She grimaced at the unnecessary expenses.

Alvin noticed Mark had left. He took a step closer to her and she moved back in confusion. "Eat you!?" His voice was laced with mysteriousness.

His deep husky voice reminded her of the sinful meaning of his words. Her back pressed on the counter of the washbowl stopping her movements. 'I didn't mean that.'

Alvin pressed his palms on the counter, trapping her against it, "Little Donut…" He watched her eyes wide and her cheeks glowing in pinkness.

He dipped his head and whispered to her ear, "I will savor you." His lips brushed under her ear, causing her to flinch and try to push him.

Her eyes looked for Mark who had fled downstairs a long ago. "Alvin, Ma…" She gasped when his lips sucked the sensitive skin behind her ear, causing her to tremble at the touch of heat.

As if her hands lost the strength, as if the owner of her body was him, her head tilted away, baring her neck for him. Her heart anticipated while her mind was trying to be sane.

"Alvin…" A whisper in protest tumbled from her lips when his lips tenderly prepped her neck, and his wet tongue was leaving a burning hot trail.

His lips moved against her supple skin as he added, "Then I will devour you."

Anya wanted to protest his words and his lips that sharply nipped her skin yet the pain was enjoyable.

How could pain be pleasurable?

Before she could react, Alvin's lips left her neck. His hands slid under her ears holding her petite face. His thumb caressed her soft pink cheeks, his nose grazed over the tip of her nose, causing her eyes to droop lower and anticipate the kiss.

With his hot breath on her lips, Anya tried again to push him but froze when his lips brushed over hers. His hypnotic voice sounded as his lips brushed over hers, "We are keeping the bathtub."

Anya hummed in response before her misty mind fathomed his words. Her eyes shot open at her stupidity. She saw his lips curl into a sexy smirk and his playful eyes glinting brightly.

His voice turned playful as he pecked on her lips indulgently, "That's like a good girl." He teased her.

'Did she just fall into his honeytrap?' Anya was flabbergasted at the realization.

She tried to counter but was too embarrassed to utter anything for that, "Y-you tricked me." She complained under her breath.

Alvin held her hand and tugged her out of the ensuite before she could point at other things to make changes. "Who is stopping you from giving it a try?"

Anya: "..."

She wasn't a fool to seduce him after hearing him. She kicked his leg and followed him downstairs.

Mark was waiting downstairs with a stack of catalogs to choose the alternate for changes she needed. Anya shook her head looking at Alvin, "I want to visit stores, look, check and decide."

Alvin didn't decline. He cued Mark to take care of removing almost everything from the villa. Then he tugged Anya closer as he leaned on the couch. "Do you know why you had to change houses repeatedly?"

Because people looked at her as if she was doing something outrageous.

Anya didn't respond, recalling every struggle and her little baby crying. She leaned to his embrace and pouted in glum for bringing that up.

Alvin caressed her back as he broke the news, "Gianna Sallow had a hand in it."

Anya's expression changed drastically. Her fingers curled in tight fists. Right, she should have looked into the reason instead of assuming it herself.

The same images appearing in her mind enraged her. She might overlook her suffering but Gianna had implicated Zane repeatedly. Gianna was trying to break her repeatedly and enjoyed watching her pathetic state.

Anya was trying to leave the past behind and live for a better future as Alvin didn't need Matthews or fancied their wealth.

But hearing the unknown facts, she felt like a coward if she steps away. If she could catch the criminals and put them in front of the law, how could she let go of the criminals who made her and her innocent son suffer for years?

What did she get in return for being merciful to Flora?

Gianna was more dangerous and poisonous. Anya couldn't let another person threaten her son's life. Thus Anya who was trying to live in peace chose to end what Gianna had started.

Anya's expression returned to that of a lady who was helpless, "But… I had heard people saying I… Sell my body to earn money."

Alvin: "..."

Anya needed to believe she wasn't weak which will get her over the insecurity of houses. She should learn that it wasn't her inefficiency that she had to vacate the houses. It was Gianna in the wrong.

Instead of being shocked or angered, she looked pretty calm.

He cupped her face and lifted to look at her. There was determination in her eyes which didn't match the sadness she was showing. Anyway, he revealed another set of truths, "When you were at work, Gabriel Sallow was sending a few men to your doorstep to cause a ruckus and create your image of a…" Alvin couldn't bring himself to utter the word 'prostitute.'

"A wh*re." Anya completed it for him. She couldn't believe Gianna could fall so low. What could be her intention to do all that?

Was it to make Alvin's son suffer in the absence of Alvin?

Was it to make her leave the city, far from Alvin?

For a moment, Alvin caught her expression that turned dark and her steely gray eyes glinted menacingly cold. Anyway, she looked away and snuggled her face against his chest.

Alvin fell silent, seeing her mute. He would have believed her silence if she hadn't changed over the years. This Anya Owen had her limits for being kind and forgiving. She wouldn't be tolerant anymore, especially when Gianna's actions affected Zane too.

He embraced her when she tightened her arms around him, silently urging him to hold her.

What did Gianna Sallow fear the most? Anya's lips arched slyly.

How would it feel to live in a nightmare?

Anya was going to make Gianna's nightmare come true.