Jane Smith took a slight step back, attempting to create some distance between them, but Charles King matched her movement, closing the gap. She looked up at him, her eyes filled with determination to maintain her composure. "I know you might have had some grudges with my father, and thats why you resent me, but have you ever considered that I am utterly innocent?"
Her tone was calm and composed, and her expression mirrored her words.
"The grudges between me and your father?" Charles Kings fury was palpable, his eyes ablaze as his fists clenched tightly. "How dense can you be? Isnt it obvious by now?"
Jane Smith was taken aback by his sudden burst of anger. She retreated a step, her heart pounding as she gazed at him, bewildered by his reaction.
Could it be that he was this upset just because she stated a mere speculation?
Charles King, who should have been seething with rage, let out a mirthless laugh, his lips curving into a smirk that was both charming and inscrutable. The depth of his gaze sent shivers down Jane Smiths spine.
In just a few seconds of locked eyes, she felt as if she was about to lose her footing.
Charles King took a step forward, his arm reaching out to pull Jane Smith roughly into his embrace. Before she could gather her wits from the sudden spin, he pressed her head against his left arm and crushed his lips onto hers...
"Mmm..."
Jane Smith was stunned, her entire body rigid, forgetting to react.
As his intrusive hand invaded her nightgown, Jane Smith finally snapped out of her daze and began to struggle. Her small fists pounded against his back, and her legs kicked wildly, trying to break free from his hold.
Her face flushed with a mix of humiliation and anger, she felt as if she could bleed from the intensity of her emotions.
Charles King noticed the strength of her resistance and instead released her lips, his gaze frosty as he looked down at her, his voice laced with mockery. "Not willing to be with me...?"
His voice was cold, whispering two unspeakable words into her ear, his tone drawn out with intent.
"You know how Grace really died, dont you?"
He relished the tremble that ran through her, continuing with a sinister edge to his voice, "Youre not her sister, are you?"
Jane Smiths heart leaped with fear because of his words. Her eyes misted over with tears as she looked at him, her voice barely audible. "I..." she began, but stopped herself, still shaking her head resolutely.
Seeing the determination in her eyes, Charles King didnt hesitate to pry her hands, which were clutching her nightgown, apart...
"No—" she pleaded, her voice breaking with fear and desperation.
Was he mad?
They were in the study!
Charles King glanced down at her, his eyes filled with a predatory glint. He hated this stubborn side of her; the more she resisted, the more he wanted to shatter her.
"Still not planning to talk?" His voice was a guttural threat, unyielding.
"I dont know what you want me to say!" Exasperated and humiliated, Jane Smith raised her voice to Charles King, her usual gentle demeanor gone in an instant.
As she saw the fierce determination in his eyes, her body began to collapse...
If it werent for Charles Kings arm, she would have already crumpled to the ground.
She looked at him with forlorn eyes, tears streaming down her face... Why was she being subjected to such humiliation?
Her eyes closed in despair, her eyelashes wet with tears.
Seeing Jane Smiths resignation, Charles Kings lips curled into a cold smile.
Then, his voice fell on her like ice, "How could I forget, youre such a stubborn girl!"
As the ominous echo of his words faded, Jane Smiths heart skipped a beat, driven by an inexplicable dread.
He?
The atmosphere in the room had grown increasingly strange, as if carrying an intangible oddness.
Sensing this, Jane Smiths eyes snapped open, staring at Charles King who was holding a phone.
"Baby, you dont mind, do you?" He looked at her with a chilling smile.
Jane Smith seized the opportunity to escape from his chest, but her waist was held even tighter by him.
She struggled to break free but was trapped in his embrace.
The next second, her head was forced to turn towards the desk by a strong hand.
Jane Smiths face drained of color, her eyes widening in horror—