Chapter 8: Confessions at Midnight

I was "invited" by two bodyguards to Derek’s office and pressed into his executive chair.

The seat was so soft it almost swallowed me whole. The view from here was terrifying—the city spread out like a chessboard, and I felt like the smallest pawn.

I tried to stand up—they pushed me back down by the shoulders. Tried again—pushed back down.

Me: "..."

What’s the point of all this? Derek could have just kidnapped me directly. No one would dare say a word.

I tried to explain:

"It’s a misunderstanding. I’m not what you think with your Mr. Stanton... Actually, I’m just an old friend—like, family friend. Practically a sister, really."

Before I finished, a cold, mocking laugh came from the door:

"My mom died when I was in elementary school. The grass on her grave is five feet tall—are you sure?"

His voice was sharp, the words razor-edged. For a split second, pain flickered in his eyes, then he masked it with a sneer.

I looked up sharply: "Derek!"

He looked indifferent and told the four bodyguards, "Out."

The four, like double-door refrigerators, nodded and left in unison.

Me: weak, pitiful, helpless.

I shrank into the big office chair, not daring to move, watching as Derek approached, step by step.

The president’s office was on the twentieth floor, the huge floor-to-ceiling windows revealing the dazzling city lights of Savannah.

The neon glowed off the river, and from this high up, you could almost believe the world was yours for the taking—or the breaking.

Derek unhurriedly walked over, unbuttoning his cuffs and removing his suit jacket.

Then he started undoing his tie.

Then his watch.

Me: "..."

My inner alarm blared: "Derek, what are you doing?"

Don’t think I haven’t read the original novel. Whenever the male lead does this, it means he’s about to get intimate.

The next second, he stopped in front of me.

Both hands landed on the armrests, caging me in. The veins on his arms stood out.

"Now you call me Derek," he said coldly. "But just now in the hall, you pretended not to know me."

His fresh scent pressed down on me.

I tried to shrink back:

"No... I wasn’t pretending not to know you. I was just passing by. You look so rich now, I didn’t dare say hi."

"Really?" Derek clearly didn’t believe me. "Don’t hide, Mia."

I cowered: "Mm."

"Where have you been these past years?"

"..."

Where did I go?

Three years ago, after we parted at the airport, I never showed up again.

Once I left the world, Natalie Summers was supposed to gradually erase Derek’s memories of me.

So I spent every day sunbathing on the beach, partying at clubs, and admiring handsome guys’ abs.

But I didn’t dare say that.

I mumbled, "I... I’ve been on the run every day... secretly missing you."

Derek’s hand paused.

A red warning flashed in my mind: DANGER.

The system suddenly shouted: "Host! Derek’s danger level just dropped by one point!"

Me: "..."

Me: "Are you kidding me? I called you earlier and you didn’t answer, but now you show up?"

System: "Keep going, host!"

I wanted to keep going, but I really couldn’t figure out what Derek was thinking anymore.

I tried probing, and softly asked: "Derek, are you doing well now?"

Derek’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his tone ambiguous: "Mm."

"That’s good. Then... have you met Natalie Summers?"

Derek: "..."

A red warning flashed again: DANGER.

Me: "..."

Crap, I’m doomed.

I quickly grabbed his sleeve, eyes watery, and babbled nonsense:

"Natalie Summers is a distant cousin of mine. My parents went abroad after the bankruptcy, but her family is still here. Now that I’m back, I just wanted to ask if you’ve seen her..."

"Cousin?" Derek’s lips curled, "Did you know this ‘cousin’ of yours once worked at my company?"

"I know, I know." I nodded desperately. "I sent her. I told her you were super nice, that she’d be well taken care of with you..."

Derek suddenly grabbed my neck.

There was no warmth in his grip. "Say that again?"

"I... I said you were super... mm."

Derek lowered his head again and bit my shoulder.

Enough!

"Were you a dog in your past life?"

Derek ignored the question and sneered:

"Don’t you know if I’m a dog or not? Even after disappearing, you still didn’t forget to send another woman to my side."

He let go of the chair.

I instinctively followed, getting up.

But I hadn’t steadied myself yet—

The world spun.

He grabbed my waist, octopus-like, and hoisted me onto his shoulder.

The system in my head nearly got shaken dizzy.

I struggled: "What are you doing?"

"You want to see Natalie Summers? That depends on your performance tonight."

"Per...performance?"

"Be good. Make me happy." He sneered, "If I’m in a good mood, I’ll let you see not just one cousin, but ten."