Table of Contents
Hellbound With You Chapter 31 – Decision
Kelly was soon discharged that night.
Mr. Black leather jacket was nowhere to be found so Kelly called someone from the Yang residence to pick her up. Unfortunately, her mother also came the instant she heard that her daughter was hospitalized and she insisted on taking the girl home to watch her closely until her ankle was healed.
Kelly and her mother spent a long time arguing over the matter but in the end, Kelly’s mother won. With that, Mrs. Yang arranged a chauffeur to send Abi back home. Just like Kelly, Mrs. Yang adored Abi and the madam already knew the kind of girl Abi was,
so she made sure that she would be sent back home safely. She even asked one of her female companions to go with her along with the driver. “I’ll come visit you soon, Kelly,” Abi said as she held her friend’s hand.
“Mn, call me once you’re home, okay? And don’t even dare to do anything or go anywhere without telling me, understand?” she nagged and Abi just nodded. She carefully hugged her friend before they finally parted.
During the trip home, Abigail rested her head on the car window as her gaze focused on the darkness outside. Everything that happened that night started playing in her mind. There was so much for her mind to process! She thought about it the entire trip home and still found everything overwhelming.
When she finally reached her house, she thanked the chauffeur and the lady bodyguard, and watched the car leave. Abi didn’t go straight inside. She stood out there and just stared at the house.
As always, it was peaceful; so peaceful that it soothed her heart just by looking at it. This was her home, the place Alex said she belonged. Just by comparing the gentle, peaceful and soothing atmosphere at home, she couldn’t help but think that her world really was different from what was out there.
She knew that she was blessed with having a loving and peaceful family. She knew she was blessed to have a home like this, a home that protected her heart and smiles, a home that loved her. However, she had always felt this void in her heart. It wasn’t that she didn’t like the peace
in fact, she loved it and was thankful for it – she just wanted to feel more, to experience more even if she ended up getting hurt. Abigail breathed deeply and finally entered her house.
Her father was still awake. He was there again, sitting by the window, looking at the moon – perhaps, thinking about his late wife again. Abigail walked closer to him. “Dad,” she started. “Hmm? I thought you were going to sleep over at Kelly’s.” “I came home to speak with you.”
Andrew Chen, her father, was surprised. His daughter wasn’t outspoken and he knew that she would only talk to him privately like this when she wanted something or to ask for his permission. He also knew that his daughter rarely asked for anything. In fact, the last time she spoke to him to ask for something was back when she was seventeen.
“Dad, I… I want to move out,” she said and her father looked at her in surprise.
“Abi… what do you mean you want to move out?”
“I have decided to live with Kelly for a bit. I will still go to work and come back here on the weekends.”
“Abi, you’re sick.”
“I’m still perfectly fine, Dad. And I will be fine. I’ll only be away for a month.”
“Abi…”
“Please, Dad. I want to experience life in the city, visit some beautiful places and go explore. I might not be able to go out anymore after this so… please let me go, Dad. Don’t worry, I’ll come back home safely.”
Her father couldn’t say anymore when he heard her say that she might not be able to go out anymore. He knew what was ahead of her and it was painful to think about it. His daughter was still so young. She was such a nice and sweet girl. She never caused any trouble for the family.
She was that girl old people adored so much because she was always shining and smiling brightly despite everything, but Andrew knew that she was lonely, being here all alone. She was still just a girl and he knew she wanted to experience things outside her sheltered life, just like other girls her age.
The truth was, Andrew was waiting for his daughter to do this. He knew the risks but he understood. Life was unpredictable. No one knew when someone’s time was up that was why he completely understood Abi’s decision. As a father, he also wanted Abi to go and do whatever she wanted now because he knew she may never get to do them at all.
“Okay, but I have to remind you not to do anything dangerous, okay? Promise me, Abi.”
Abi was surprised. She had prepared herself to persuade her father but he actually agreed quite quickly!
“I promise, Dad,” Abi raised her hand to show him her determination.
In her room, Abi didn’t waste another moment and she started packing her things. While she was grabbing things to put into her luggage, she found and picked up a small notebook. She opened it with a smile carved on her face.
‘List of things I want to do’ was written on the notebook’s front page. She put it inside her bag, finished her packing and eventually drifted off to sleep.
Hellbound With You Chapter 32 – Let me be selfish
Abi woke up bright and early, feeling full of life as she got ready for the day. After she said her goodbyes to her family, she headed out to visit Kelly.
She had been to the Yang residence quite a few times and the servants already were familiar with her so she was immediately brought to Kelly’s room.
“How’s your ankle?” “It’s fine. I’m recovering fast, Abi. Mom’s just exaggerating.”
“I see. That’s great. Uhm… Kelly, I have something to tell you…” Abi said hesitantly as she looked down on the floor instead of meeting Kelly’s eyes.
Kelly creased her brows.
“Hmm? What is it?”
“I’m… I’m going to live with Alexander Qin.”
Kelly choked.
“W-what?! What the hell, Abi! What are you saying?”
“I’m sorry for telling you just now.”
“Abi, look… why… why? Why do you need to live with him?!”
“Alex requires his girlfriends to live with him.”
“Oh my god!! What nonsense is that?! Did he mistake dating as marriage?!”
“Kelly… I know it’s outrageous. I know why you’re worried. But this is my choice. I am going to live with him for a month.”
Kelly was speechless. She didn’t know what to say. She knew Abi never joked about these things and she knew her friend was deadly serious and determined from the sound of her voice.
But no matter how much she racked her brain, she couldn’t comprehend why. She held Abi’s hands and knelt before her, with worry clearly written on her face.
“Abi, listen to me. I don’t know why you suddenly decided this but this is too sudden. D-did Alexander Qin do something to force you?”
Abi shook her head and then her face became severe. Abi knew she had no choice now but to tell her friend about her illness. She had hidden this from her for years because she didn’t want her friend to look at her with pity, like everyone else.
She wanted Kelly to treat her just the same and she didn’t want her friend to worry about her. But now, she had no choice but to tell her.
“Kelly… I’m sorry that I hid this from you for many years. I… I tried many times to tell you but I was a coward. I’ve been a coward until I met Alexander Qin. When I met him, I suddenly became daring. It was as if I became braver since that night I encountered him.
READ ALSO >>>>>> Hellbound With You Volume 1 Chapter 21 – 30
I was afraid to tell you because I don’t want you to worry about me. And I didn’t want you to treat me differently once you found out about my condition.”
“Abi… what are you saying? What condition?”
“Kelly… I’m sick. I was diagnosed with the same illness that killed my mother. And… and my time is running out.”
“Abi… you’re lying. H-how could that be? You’re healthy and…” she bit her lips. She suddenly remembered all those times when Abi had to go and visit the hospital. This was a total bombshell being dropped on her lap right then.
“I’m sorry for hiding this from you, Kelly… please forgive me.”
Kelly was silent for a while and she felt like the sky was falling down. Kelly’s tears started to fall like rain. She couldn’t believe that her friend had kept this life changing news from her!
She was in turmoil. She didn’t know how to feel or react at the thought that she could be losing her best friend soon. She was utterly devastated. Why? Why did it have to be Abi?
There are so many bad people out there. Why did it have to be her? This nice angel? Was it really true that… that nice people were always the first to…
After a while, Kelly was able to calm down. She was still hurt that Abi didn’t tell her earlier but knowing the kind of girl her friend was, she knew that her reason was pure and she was just thinking about her.
“So this is why you’re suddenly determined to experience the things you never experienced before?”
Abi nodded and Kelly felt like crying again. Abi was the nicest girl she had ever met. She was that dazzling girl who shone like the sun and could infect everyone around her with her enthusiasm and kindness. And yet, this girl was actually sick and running out of time? Kelly couldn’t help but smile bitterly.
“And… because you want to experience everything, you agreed with everything that Alexander Qin said?”
“The truth is, Alexander kept refusing me. He tried to scare me away many times, telling me that he wasn’t the one for me but… Kelly, he’s the only man I have ever wanted.
I want to experience how it feels to fall in love. That is my only wish before I… I know I sound crazy but this is my choice, Kelly. Don’t worry, I know Alexander won’t hurt me… physically.”
“You know you’ll get hurt… emotionally?”
“Mm… I at least know that falling in love isn’t just sunshine and unicorns. But I still want to experience it,” she smiled and Kelly felt her heart clench. What should she do for this girl? She knew she could only do one thing – support her.
“Fine… so I presume you told your family that you’ll be living with me for a month?”
She nodded.
“Sigh… I don’t know what to feel right now, Abi. You’re messing with my emotions.”
“I know. I’m sorry…”
“So? When will you go to Alexander Qin’s?”
“Now.”
Kelly choked. “Abi!” she wailed.
“I’m sorry. I don’t want to waste any more of the little time I have left.”
Kelly was speechless.
“I’m sorry. Please let me be selfish and unreasonable just for a month, okay?”
Kelly could only bite her lips. No one ever made her so emotional like this. It was painful but she knew this girl had been suffering so much for many years.
“Fine… you know I can’t resist you. You just have to promise me one thing. Please make sure to take care of yourself, okay?”
“I will, don’t worry. I’ll call you lots and actually, I still would go to work and am planning on going back home on weekends.”
“As you should!”
“Mm. I’ll come visit you in the morning before I go to work.”
“Oh, my Abi… I… just take care, that’s all I can say.”
“I will. But can you do me another favor? Can you please not tell anyone about me being sick? I don’t want anyone else to know, okay? Promise me.”
Kelly agreed and after a long hugging and coaxing session, the two finally parted.
Of course, the first thing Kelly did once the taxi left was to call the damned prince to make sure that Alexander Qin was not going to harm her best friend while she lived in his house.
Hellbound With You Chapter 33 – Really unbelievable
Abigail looked out the window as a taxi cab stopped in front of a huge mansion. Her jaw immediately dropped as soon as she saw it. She didn’t know what to call it, but a house it was not! It was way bigger than that! It was so huge that Abi thought her whole village could actually fit in there.
She slowly walked towards it as she looked around. The garden in the spacious front yard wasn’t that colorful; it was quite simple and the design looked like it was purposely made that way not to attract people’s attention.
As she walked closer to the entrance, Abi felt that the huge house wasn’t as simple as it looked outside. Now that she was closer, she noticed the exquisite white marble steps to the front door,
which dwarfed her, and slowly took it all in. She could now see that everything, from the walls to the window to the glass, all looked like a magnificent work of art. ‘What on Earth would the inside look like?!’
After pressing the bell, Abi held her breath as she stood by the bronze and glass double door as it creaked open.
An old man in a butler suit stood before her with a smile. The butler had been told by his master when he came home this dawn that a lady named Abigail Chen might arrive in the mansion in the future. But the lady actually came just hours afterwards? His master shouldn’t have used the word future… it should be later, sigh.
“Good morning, Miss. Are you Miss Abigail Chen?” he immediately greeted and Abi nodded.
“Please follow me,” he then said and the moment she stepped inside, she was awed. She never thought that the interior would actually look like this.
The white, marble floor beneath her feet that seemed to stretch out for miles and the enormous, beautiful chandelier that welcomed her dangled elegantly from the high ceiling. The hallway had large and beautiful molded panels which looked very expensive but tasteful.
As she walked through, she also saw small receiving rooms that must have been rooms where people waited when they came to visit. She was sure that this interior was definitely like those small ancient chateaus,
the kind of dwelling one expected to see in Europe. She could even bet that this house might be built in the 1800’s or possibly even earlier than that.
As the butler led her further inside, the hallway opened up to a larger space, with a large staircase in the center of it. The white marble steps, the bronze handrails on either side as it swept grandly towards the upper floor, made Abi gape. She even started envisioning men in tailcoats and women in evening gowns walking up and down those stairs.
But it didn’t stop there. There was another gigantic chandelier of an incredibly vast scale, far prettier and breathtaking than the first one she saw. There was also a gigantic fireplace on one side with exquisite marble mantles and mirrored panels.
Abigail had never seen extravagance like this. The party that Alexander took her too didn’t even compare to the scale of this place! It was like comparing a mouse to an elephant.
This place was built with money and prestige and the fact that everything was still in a magnificent state, despite its age, was testimony to how rich Alexander Qin was. Just imagine the cost of maintaining everything in this place!
She had read about places like this but she thought that these places didn’t exist anymore in this millenia. She felt like she was suddenly transported back to hundreds of years ago.
She was utterly impressed. She thought she would only see a place as beautiful as this in her imagination.
“Please wait here, Miss Chen. I’ll tell the master that you’re here.” The butler led her to a sofa and Abi quietly sat there. She was still looking around with great curiosity. ‘Why is Alexander Qin living in a place like this? How many of them were living here? Did his entire clan live here?’
Abigail thought about what Kelly had told her; that Alexander Qin was ultra-rich and ultra-mysterious. It seemed she was right. She couldn’t even imagine what was on the next two floors. This place was absolutely fit for royalty. But for some reason, Abi felt an odd, eerie sensation the moment she entered the house.
Time passed and Abi finally heard some noise coming from the grand staircase.
And then, Alex appeared. He was wearing dark toned trousers and a simple white shirt. His dark hair was tousled and he obviously looked like he just woke up and had rushed down to see her.
His eyes were wide open, obviously in shocked surprise, as he looked down at her.
Abi’s heart raced wildly the instant she saw him. He wasn’t wearing a tailcoat or a suit but he was still so breathtaking as always, so breathtaking that Abi thought that she would believe him if he told her he wasn’t human but a god of some description.
He had this aura about him that made him so incredibly mesmerizing that she was afraid he would pop out and disappear from Earth to whatever heaven he came from.
The man’s shoulders dropped as he ran his fingers through his hair before putting his hands inside his pockets. He walked elegantly towards her.
“Abigail… you’re really unbelievable, do you know that?” he said as he approached her. He looked like he couldn’t believe that she was there. It was obvious he never expected her to come the very next day!
She told him just last night that she would think about it and she actually showed up at his house in less than 24 hours?! He was damn speechless. That was some damned fast thinking on her behalf!
“Did you even take the time to think about all the things I said to you last night? Are you in such a rush? Huh? Abigail?” “I-I did think about it and I’m not in a rush. It’s just that… today is the first day of the month.”
Hellbound With You Chapter 34 – Elegance and grandeur
Alexander moved closer to her, so close that their noses were almost touching. Abi tried her best not to close her eyes or look away. She didn’t want him to think she was scared and she was sure he was only doing it to try and get a reaction from her. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of looking away.
“So what if it’s the first day of the month, huh, Abigail?” he asked, looking down deeply into her eyes.
“I-It’s easier to count the days. To complete the month,” she blurted out, a little dazed and Alex laughed. His pleasant laughter echoed inside the luxurious place.
But then, he sighed.
“Little lamb… I really have no words left for you.” He was both amused and frustrated at the same time. Only she could give him such a childish answer like that and get away with it.
She looked around the large room and noticed that it was very quiet. “Are your family not home?” she asked innocently and Alexander lifted her chin with his finger.
“I live alone, Abigail,” he said, suddenly becoming serious. “But it looks like this house now welcomes its new guest.”
Abigail’s eyes turned wide. W-what? He lived alone in this massive house?!
“A-alone?!” She looked at him with shock and disbelief.
“Oh, well, the butler is here and maids as well. They do count as people living here, too, I guess…” he smiled wryly and Abi didn’t know how to react.
Alexander’s eyes then fell on her luggage and he took another deep breath.
“You didn’t run away from your house, did you?”
She shook her head. “I talked to my dad properly last night.”
“But I bet that you didn’t tell him the whole truth, did you?”
Abi pressed her lips tightly, causing Alex’s lips to curve up again.
“Let me see… You told him that you’re going to stay with that friend of yours, right?” he said and Abigail flushed. This man, she realized, was not only dangerous because of his physical capabilities, he was dangerous because he seemed to also see through her like a glass window.
“Well, well, well. This good little lamb actually told an untruth to her family. What a gutsy little lamb,” he murmured.
“Didn’t you sleep well last night?” she asked innocently as she looked at his face, and successfully diverted his attention from her actions to his.
Alexander bent forward that their foreheads almost touched.
“I just got home, Abigail. Actually, right now, I very much want to punish you for disturbing my sleep.” He smirked playfully. “But I’ll let you off the hook for now,” he added as he straightened up and called out a name.
“Charles,” he said and the butler immediately appeared as if he was in the corridor this whole time, just waiting for his name to be called.
“I’ll leave her to you,” Alex ordered before he looked at Abi again and whispered in her ear.
“I’ll go to sleep first, Abigail. You rest, too. We’ll talk later.”
She shivered as she felt his warm breath touch her ear and she swallowed subconsciously. Before she could say ‘Rest well or Goodnight’, he was gone.
As she watched his back as he walked up the stairs, the butler coughed and drew her attention. He then introduced himself to her.
“My name is Charles Ning, but you can call me Charles. Nice to meet you Miss Chen.”
“Nice to meet you, too, Mr-, I mean, Charles.”
“Come with me please. I will show you to your room,” he said respectfully. “Don’t worry about your luggage, I’ll send a maid to bring it up.”
The butler led her towards the grand staircase which led to the second floor.
As expected, it was even more breathtaking than the ground floor. What she saw was another large, and fancy open space. Velvet curtains were tied back to let the sunshine through the windows and she saw antique looking, brass candelabras which hung on the walls in between the windows.
They each held three candles and she wondered if those candles had ever been lit. As soon as she saw this area, she immediately thought that if it were back in time, this room would be where grand balls were held like the ones she once saw on television when she watched a doc.u.mentary about how royalty lived a century ago.
She could also see two doors on the far wall and wondered where they led to. She imagined that these would perhaps be the rooms where the men went to play cards or drink or talk business while their wives gossiped in the main ballroom – at least that was what she deduced from watching that doc.u.mentary.
Abigail was speechless. There were no words in the English language that could describe this place. It was definitely a ‘one had to see to appreciate it’ type scenario. Again, Abi was curious beyond belief. Why was Alexander living in a place like this? And why was he living by himself?! She was getting more and more curious by the minute.
They continued up the stairs and up the third floor. Again, she was met with a large open area in the middle, but this was smaller than the second floor. It seemed to be the lounge area as there were couches and coffee tables neatly arranged by the big window overlooking the garden area.
This seemed to be where the living quarters were located because she saw doors on either side, which she presumed, led to the bedrooms.
Charles stopped in front of tall, heavy looking double doors and pushed it open. The room she walked into was so beautiful and welcoming and Abigail had never seen this kind of grandeur and elegance before.
But then again, as she looked around at the cavernous room that was in front of her, she didn’t know why but even with all this beauty and display of elegance and grandeur, she felt a little sad.
She could tell since the moment she stepped inside this house that this was a whole different life and what she wondered about the most was if Alexander Qin had been happy living in this huge and majestic place.
Hellbound With You Chapter 35 – Within 31 days
“If you wish to make some changes, all you have to do is say the word, Miss Chen,” the butler said and Abi quickly shook her head.
“No, everything is absolutely beautiful. Thank you.” “I’m glad you like it, Miss.”
As Abigail stood there looking around the vast room, a room as big as her whole house! Straight in front was a lounge area with some lounge chairs and a coffee table. To the right of that was a tall floor to ceiling bookshelf which covered the right wall. Each shelf was filled to the brim with all kinds of books!
To the left of the lounge area, she saw a massive four poster canopy bed dressed with light yellow, chiffon curtains hanging from them. They were pulled to the side and tied to the post which showed the bed that was inside it. It looked like a king size bed that had blankets and duvets covered in sheets of a floral yellow design.
The pillows were inside matching pillowcases. It looked so soft and Abi had the sudden urge to climb on it and jump around like a little kid.
Further to the right, she saw a couple of doors which she presumed would probably be the bathroom and closet but she didn’t investigate those. There would be plenty of time to do that later on.
As she looked around, she noticed that her luggage was already in the room! She looked at the butler in surprise. She didn’t see anyone pass them by as they were climbing up the grand staircase so how come her luggage was already here?!
The butler seemed to have understood the questions and surprise in her eyes and he smiled. “I forgot to tell you, Miss, but there is an elevator. If you get tired of using the stairs, you can always use it.”
Whoa!! This house even had an elevator? Abi’s mouth could only form an ‘O’ before she nodded at him.
“Well then, Miss. You have a rest now, too. You must be tired. Please just call me if you need anything.” He smiled politely before he slightly bowed to her and headed towards the door.
Abi followed him to the door and as the old butler stepped out, he spoke as he pointed to the next room.
“Miss Chen, that’s the master’s bedroom,” he said. The doors of the room he pointed out were even bigger than hers! It was the biggest of all the rooms inside this house and it was located in the center. If this was a palace,
his room would be the King’s! She was glad that at least, it was easy to tell which room was his so she wouldn’t just wander off into it by accident.
When the old man was gone, Abi just stood there, staring at the huge door of Alexander Qin’s room. She was somehow surprised that he actually gave her her own room. She really didn’t understand what went on his mind at all.
He kept on trying to scare her ever since the very start so she had already thought of every possible scenario that was waiting for her in his house but what was waiting for her was actually this?
While she was in the taxi cab, she kept thinking about his words and how he told her that he lived in a hellish world. She had imagined all kinds of things, from the kind of house he had and the kinds of people who were around him and that he might be living in a cold,
dark, chaotic and dangerous place. However, to her surprise, this was where she ended up, which was the furthest thing from her imagination as it could be. In fact, it was the complete opposite of what she had imagined! This place could be called a paradise.
Abigail shook her head as she entered her room. She knew this was too good to be true. She knew there had to be some reasons why Alexander Qin kept telling her that he was dangerous but right now Abi wanted to believe that everything was alright.
Looking around again, Abigail couldn’t help but think of how many girlfriends Alexander Qin had brought here before her. Why did he need his girlfriends to live with him? What was that all about? Alexander Qin, who was he and what was he hiding?
Too many questions flooded in Abi’s head but she decided to stop thinking about those matters. She didn’t come here just to gather more questions and bug herself about them. She came here today because of her limited timeframe. Yes,
this was the first day of their one-month deal, and she wasn’t going to waste the very first day just asking questions that might never be answered.
Sitting on the bed, Abi brought out her small notebook. She had listed a number of things she wanted to do with him within 31 days.
She was smiling as she read the lists in her mind. These were like the daily wishes she wanted to experience and surprisingly, she didn’t find it hard to imagine doing all these things with Alexander Qin.
However, how would she make him agree to do all these things with her? That was the dilemma she was currently having.
Remembering his ice cold gazes and the smirk on his lips, Abigail couldn’t help but heave a long sigh. She could already tell that this won’t be easy but after a moment, she lifted her hand and her fighting spirit blazed in her eyes again. She was going to do this! Hell or high water – bring it on!
Hellbound With You Chapter 36 – She didn’t have it
Abi grabbed her luggage and unpacked her things. She opened one of the doors to the far left and was right when she thought that it was a wardrobe. However, what she hadn’t expected when she turned the lights on, to see a humongous room! It was the size of her lounge back at home!
One wall was covered with lots of square shelves – for shoes, she presumed – and another wall with rectangular shelves for bags and other accessories? There was a big island table in the middle with plenty of drawers on either side and the mirror and there was a rectangular mirror situated in the middle.
This made her think that this was probably where women kept their hair and makeup accessories. The other two walls had large rectangular shelves built for hanging dresses and jackets and scarves and all sorts of different clothing and there were drawers galore! It almost felt like it could be a small clothing and accessories store if the shelves were filled with clothes and shoes and belts and hats and such. This was beyond crazy!
Imagine if all those empty spaces were actually filled up with clothes! Who could afford that luxury? This then made her wonder if Alexander’s closet looked the same, without the makeup area and if his one was filled to the brim with clothes.
She opened her luggage and started to put away her things and was dismayed by the fact that it didn’t even take up a meter of the shelves. Never mind! She wasn’t going to be staying here long, anyway.
After unpacking her things, she grabbed her phone and gave Kelly a call to give her an update. Kelly picked up on the third ring. “Abi! Are you okay? How are things?” “Hi Kelly. Yeah, I am totally fine and things are, uh, a bit overwhelming to be honest…” Abi said honestly.
“Oh? How come?”
“Well, first off, his house is not even a house, it’s like a mansion but better?”
“Can I have a look Abi?”
Abigail hesitated since she and Alexander still didn’t talk about this – if she was allowed to do this. But in the end, she agreed because she didn’t want her friend to worry if she refuse.
“Whoah! Oh my god, that’s HUGE!” Kelly yelled and as Abi continued showing her the room. Kelly started to worry. She knew that Alexander Qin was ultra, mega rich but this was a whole other level of rich and she knew what rich looked like, after all, her family was pretty well off as well.
She somehow felt like when someone was as rich as this guy, he could very well get away with everything. After all, with money comes power and if you had a lot of money, you also had a lot of power.
“This place is just… out of this world.” Abi mumbled after she finished showing Kelly the room.
“Exactly! Are you sure you’re not in Europe?!”
“Kelly, you know I’m not.”
“Ugh, that Alexander Qin, Who the hell is he? Abi… just remember that you don’t have to do everything he asks of you. If it doesn’t feel right or comfortable, don’t do it, okay? You have the right to say no and he can’t force you to do anything against your will. If he tries, just come back,
you understand?” Kelly ran on like a worried mother hen but she couldn’t help it. This was her innocent best friend that was taking some pretty big leaps and she just wanted her to be safe. Who knew what Alexander Qin was capable of? She just wanted to remind her friend that she had the right to refuse anything at all that she didn’t want to do!
“Kelly, I’m really okay. I promise I won’t do anything that I am not willing with. You don’t have to worry so much. It’s only for one month and I promise I will leave if things don’t work out.”
Somehow, Kelly was relieved. She knew that once Abi promised something, she would keep it so her words brought some relief to her mind. In the end, she rooted for her friend.
She even ended up advising Abi to make the most of it and follow her heart and most of all, to enjoy the new experiences. This made Abi smile and made her feel relieved as well. Kelly’s words helped her feel more comfortable with this whole thing knowing that she had her friend’s support and blessing.
Once the call had ended, Abi laid down on the fluffy, comfortable bed. She stared at the ceiling and repeated Kelly’s words of encouragement to herself before she stood up and walked towards the bookshelves.
As she looked at the books, Abi’s brows started to knot. The first time she entered, she had a feeling that no one seemed to have settled in here for not just a while but a very long period of time. She had shrugged the feeling away but now that she flipped through some books,
she started to believe her gut instincts. These books were obviously hundred-year-old classics but the strangest thing was that no one seemed to have opened them for a very long time. It wasn’t like they were dusty or covered in cobwebs – they were very well maintained –
but the book cover and pages stuck to each other the way they would do if they hadn’t been opened for some time. Could it be that Alexander Qin’s past girlfriends never once bothered to open the books? That was the only thing she could think of and she thought that it was such a waste that they ignored these treasures.
In saying that, judging from his last girlfriend, she didn’t really seem like the bookworm type so maybe his other past girlfriends were the same.
She ran her fingers softly along the spine of the books and sighed with great longing. If only she had the time, she would have loved to read all of these. But sadly, she didn’t have it; the luxury of time.
As she was lost in her thoughts, Abi’s stomach suddenly growled. She looked at the clock and saw that it was already lunchtime. She was about to leave her room to go find something to eat when a maid knocked on her door.
“Good day, Miss. I’m here to let you know that lunch is ready.” A polite woman around her early thirties bowed at her. She was wearing a maid’s outfit and she was quite good looking.
Abi couldn’t help but remember the romance stories she had read where the maids were often bullying or scheming or hating on the female leads that their masters brought home.
That thought made Abi a little wary but the maid acted politely and respectfully and gave her no reason to be, so without anymore thought to that, she merrily went downstairs to tame her hungry tummy.
Hellbound With You Chapter 37 – Three rules
Abigail was brought to another enormous hall which was the dining hall. This room was also enormous but she was starting to get used to that. What she wasn’t expecting was a long dining table that could sit about 20 people on each side. The table was made of wood, sealed and varnished,
and had shiny bronze candelabras with thin long candles, placed at meter long intervals. On the roof, there was another chandelier hanging from the rooftop. There was a golden chair at the head of the table and then rows of them on either side of the table.
She walked towards the other end of the table where the plates and dishes were laid out waiting for her. She took to the right of the golden chair in the middle, which obviously Alexander’s, because this was where her plate was laid out. As soon as she sat down, Charles, the butler, appeared beside her.
She finally realized that everyone in this house, except Alexander Qin, was actually nice to her and she felt like they treated her like she was a princess, which made Abi feel a little uncomfortable.
She looked at the extravagant plates of food on the table which looked so delicious as if they had been made by highly talented Michelin chefs, and wondered who else was coming. She looked around the table and saw that the table was only set for one. What? All of this just for one person?
“The master’s still asleep and we can’t make you wait for him, so please enjoy your meal, Miss,” Charles, the butler, suddenly said and after he finished speaking, all the maids as well as Charles, all stepped to the side, quietly waiting for her.
Abi wasn’t so ignorant that she didn’t realise how things worked around here. She had at least watched and read about this kind of lifestyle but now that she was sitting there, actually experiencing it, she felt a little awkward and utterly sad.
All of these luxuries didn’t feel like a luxury at all when you were eating by yourself with no one to share it with. This really was a very different life compared to hers where, even though their food wasn’t fancy or plentiful, they were content and happy because they had each other.
Was Alexander Qin always eating alone like this? Could this be the reason why he asked his girlfriends to live with him? Was he lonely?
Abigail tried her best to eat as much as she could to show some respect to the cook. It was delicious, yes, but she found it hard to enjoy it, perhaps because she was used to her family happily eating together happily.
She definitely wasn’t used to eating by herself and she definitely wasn’t used to having people watch her eat. She finished her meal quickly and thanked Charles and the maids for the meal before she headed out of the dining room.
As she walked into the corridor, Abi decided to roam around the house to familiarize herself with it. It really was a beautiful house. Wherever she went, whatever room she ended up in, she would stare in awe at the design and at the furniture and the paintings and decor on the walls.
Abi then found herself in the empty ballroom and what caught her eye was the grand piano in its lonely corner of the room, with only the sunshine keeping it company.
Although it was clean and shiny, Abi somehow could tell that it hadn’t been used for a very long time. She walked towards it, drawn to its lonely soul and wondered why such a beautiful thing had been left by itself for so long and her thoughts were drawn back to the man who lived here.
It was already about four in the afternoon and Alexander Qin’s shadow was nowhere to be seen. Was he still asleep? Abi was a bit puzzled. She really couldn’t imagine that godly creature being such a sleeping log. ‘Or,’ she thought, ‘he might really be exhausted or sleep deprived.’
Her fingers were lightly caressing the piano’s keys when she felt a gaze on her. She turned around and there he was. Alexander was standing by the pillar, leaning there, looking like a model. He had changed his clothes and his hair was a little damp.
“Little lamb is interested in pianos?” he asked and Abi gaped at him for a moment as he approached her.
“Yes, I like pianos.”
“Do you want to play?” he asked, curious.
“I’d love to, but…”
“But?”
“Shouldn’t we talk about the contract first?” Abi was not beating around the bush.
“Oh, gutsy little lamb,” he laughed as he bent and touched her cheek. “I think I should train you about patience.”
Abi subconsciously gulped because of the way he looked at her. He just seemed like he was thinking about something she couldn’t even imagine.
“No, it’s not because I’m impatient. I just think that that should be the first thing we should talk about. I want to know what I am allowed or not allowed to do as your girlfriend,” she explained, looking as serious as ever.
Alexander found her way of thinking quite amusing. It seemed like this girl was all about doing things ever so properly.
“There’s no need for you to sign a contract, Abigail.”
“Why?”
“Because… I think you’re too naïve to plot against me. Those contracts were just for formalities, in case things turned… sour.” He said with a serious tone and playful smirk as he tilted his face and his dark grey eyes downward to look at her.
“All you have to do is follow three rules, Abigail…” He started and Abigail held her breathe in anticipation. She was a little nervous. “First, you will be home before or during twilight. Any later than that and you’ll be punished. Understand?”
Abi blinked. She didn’t expect that this was actually his first rule.
“I understood… I just thought that my curfew is pretty early.” She trailed off but Alexander just looked at her with eyes silently saying the words ‘my house, my rules’.
“Second, while you’re in this house, you will listen to no one but me. Only do what I ask you to do. Understand?” Abi nodded again. “And last, but not the least –”
“I won’t ask or demand for your love. Got it.” Abi took the words out of his mouth and Alexander eyes glittered with something she couldn’t fathom, as a smile curved on his face.
“If you abide by those three rules, then, we’ll be fine, Abigail…” he trailed off as he cupped her face again. A glorious, chilling hue popped against his long dark, lashes as he stared at her. “If not…”
Hellbound With You Chapter 38 – Like ice and fire
“If not… you already know what will happen, right?” Alexander’s expression changed again and he was now looking at her like he was challenging her.
But Abigail stood her ground and stared back into his cold, icy eyes. “Yes.”
“Good girl.” He smiled, seemingly amused again.
“I-is that all?” Abi meekly asked, and when he answered a firm and solid as a cold stone “Yes,” Abi was relieved but somehow, a little doubtful. This was really unexpected.
Noticing the disbelief in her eyes, that crooked and playful smile curved on Alexander’s face.
“Why? Would you prefer more?” he asked and Abigail quickly shook her head.
“No, no, of course not. Your rules… I understand them very clearly… I have no complaints.”
“Good.”
“But I just have some questions.”
“Ask.”
“Uhm… What are the things I should do during my stay here? You said I should only do the things you want me to do… but what are those?”
“Good question. Come here, Abigail.” Alexander was already sitting gracefully on the piano chair as he spoke. Abigail pressed her lips tight and slowly moved closer to him.
Once she stood right before him, Alexander turned her around so that she was now facing away from him, placed his hands on Abi’s waist and pulled her towards him, making her sit on his lap.
“Of course, you will fulfill your duty as my girlfriend,” he whispered and that warm breath that caressed the crook of her neck along with that languid, enchanting voice by her ear, left Abi dumbstruck.
“C-can you tell me, specifically? This is my first time in a relationship so I’d like to be prepared –”
“Shhh… Don’t worry about that, Abigail. I’ve already put a plan together on how to teach you everything you need to know. I will raise you into a good girlfriend.”
“O-okay.”
“That is if… you can handle my training and won’t run away screaming.”
She couldn’t see his face but she knew he was wearing that dangerous smile of his again.
“I’m not going to run away.” She persevered and she heard him chuckle.
“Well, we shall see about that. Any more questions?”
Abigail tried to turn to look at his face but the man didn’t let her. “Don’t move, just ask,” he ordered and Abi slightly shuddered again. Alexander Qin was like both winter and summer, like ice and fire. He switched from both without any warning. He would either blaze like a roaring fire,
burning her or appear out of nowhere like a blizzard, freezing her. He was too unpredictable and she could find no apparent reason for why he kept changing. At that moment, he was simply cold. His voice, his eyes, his smile and chuckles, everything about him was breathtakingly beautiful but he was just… too cold.
Despite that, Abigail didn’t want to get burned or just let herself get frozen to death by him. She had to deal with him, learn how to handle him, and get used to him or else things would always go his way. She would try to love this beautiful ice king but she would do it her way. She didn’t want to just get swept away into the dark ocean without a paddle in her hands.
“Since the only thing I can’t ask for is for you to love me, that means I can ask for any other requests, right?” she said and she felt him become still under her.
When he finally moved, he turned her around and made her face him. He gazed up at her with his probing and playful eyes while a smile played at the corner of his lips.
“It depends on the request. And… Abigail… if it isn’t money you’re asking for, I will have you work hard for every request you make.”
Abigail didn’t know why but from the way he said those words, she felt like he would make it extra hard for her. It was as if he was telling her that it won’t be easy to request anything from him.
“Work? Okay, I got it,” she replied enthusiastically and Alex smirked.
“Are you going to ask me to do my girlfriend duty tonight?”
“No, not yet Abigail. Why? Are you that eager to get on with it?”
“That’s not it. I just thought that since you weren’t planning to do anything tonight then, would it be okay for me to ask for a request now?” she asked and Alex let out a laugh.
“You just got here Abigail… and you’re already asking for a request? What a brave little lamb.”
“But I… I have listed the things I want to do with you within the thirty-one days. I have to do one thing on my list to achieve my daily quota,” she explained in an utterly enthusiastic voice, like a child reporting her father about the list of things she had to accomplish during her one month vacation.
Hellbound With You Chapter 39 – First request
Abigail had aimed to at least do one of the things she had listed every day, because if not, she would not be able to complete her list. She knew she had to at least wait to familiarize herself with him but if she wanted to finish the list she must do at least one everyday in these 31 days.
Alexander was utterly speechless. He couldn’t believe this girl at all. Was she really not fearful of him at all? How could she be like this? She actually made a list? A daily goal?
And he was involved in her quest for experience and knowledge? Was she only using him to complete these things on her list? Was that why she wanted to be his girlfriend so badly? Alexander could only smile in disbelief.
But for some reason, he also felt curious. What were these things on her list? Could it be that this little lamb was much more daring than he thought?
“Fine, but I can’t guarantee whether I will agree to it or not. Now tell me.”
Abigail stared deeply into Alexander’s eyes before she opened her mouth.
“Play a video game with me,” she said and what greeted her after her words was just utter silence.
Alexander was dumbstruck. He looked at her with a quizzical expression because he couldn’t tell from looking at her whether she was serious or not. When she didn’t jump out and follow her statement with an “I’m joking! haha”, he saw that she was more than serious and he smiled at her smugly.
He couldn’t believe that this girl’s first ever request would be something like this. What the hell was this little lamb thinking?! This girl was just utterly unfathomable in his eyes.
“What? Are you a gamer?” was all Alexander said. His eyes remained fixated on her, as if he was still dissecting every little expression she made.
“No, but I want to experience playing a game with my boyfriend. I think it looks fun so it made it to the list as one of the things I’d like to experience,” she explained. From all the things on the list she had, she chose this because apart from being one of the easiest, she thought that this was the perfect way for her to get familiar and comfortable around him.
She thought that it would definitely help her to at least loosen up her stiff nerves around him. Plus, it was the truth. She included this on her list because she really found this quite romantic. Playing a game with one’s boyfriend was such a romantic gesture, since she always swooned everytime this scene appeared on tv or in the books she was reading.
“Oh right! I need to work hard to make you agree, don’t I?” Abi snapped before Alexander could speak. “Ah, do you want a massage?” she asked and without waiting for his response, she hastily moved to stand behind him and started massaging Alexander’s shoulders.
Alexander was speechless. He really could not comprehend what went through this woman’s brain. She was like an alien! What was the use of trying to decipher her when she made no logical sense!
As he was internally m.o.a.ning about her, the fact that she was massaging him, that she was touching his body finally registered in his mind. Her touch was firm and fluid and he actually felt his muscles relaxing under her ministrations.
“C’mon, it’s an easy request. Just play a game with me. If you agree, I’ll massage your back too!” She urged enthusiastically.
Although her massaging skills weren’t bad and even admitted to himself that he quite liked it, a solid “No,” was still his answer.
Abi stopped the moment she heard his answer. She knew this wasn’t going to be easy. She knew that Alexander Qin wasn’t the type of man who would easily mellow down and agree to her requests just like that. What should she do to melt this ancient glacier?
“Don’t stop,” he suddenly ordered, causing Abi to snap back to present. She was thinking about how to persuade him but this man was not even giving her enough time to think.
Abi still didn’t move her hands. She could just feel that he had that damned smirk on his face again.
“You dare to disobey me? Huh? Little lamb?”
“I only need to obey you when I’m doing my duty as a girlfriend,” Abigail blurted out without thinking and she instantly bit her lips after she said it.
“Abigail, this is one of my girlfriend’s duties.” The man looked sideways at her. His voice was domineering but Abigail didn’t even flinch and immediately retorted.
“Mr. Qin. I, at least, know that giving a massage is the job of a massage therapist, not the job of a girlfriend.” She blurted this out so confidently as if she was stating a certain universal truth, causing Alexander to laugh a soft enchanting laugh. `This little lamb…’
Hellbound With You Chapter 40 – Bargain
“I’m not going to continue unless you agree to my request.” She pouted and Alexander narrowed his eyes. “Why are you so against it? Is it because you suck at games? Don’t worry,
I’ll teach you,” she added, as she started urging him and coaxing him. She even encouraged him like she suddenly became a department store’s sales clerk.
“I promise, it’ll be fun. And… as a reward, you will ge t a fine massage from me. This is like a buy one take one sale. You’re getting a bargain!”
Alexander was bewildered. He couldn’t believe she was already acting like this. Not even a day had passed yet and she was already treating him this way. She was already being this persistent, even treating him without a tiny bit of fear at all. All the girls he had met had never acted this way around him.
They all knew he was dangerous; a man they couldn’t afford to mess with or joke with or even dare to disobey. All of those girls beforehand had always acted like they were around a king but this girl, this little lamb… why was acting she like this?
He was sure that she knew it and felt it. Everyone who got close to him always felt it – the immense coldness and utter darkness that acted like an invisible shield around his body. He knew she could feel it, just like everyone else, and yet, she still acted like this;
like a child who kept trying to touch a dangerous wolf without any care about the dirt and disease that pulsated within its body, as if she didn’t care if she ended up being beaten to death.
Because of Alexander’s silence, Abi tilted her head down to look at his face when suddenly, Charles walked into the room.
READ ALSO >>>>> Hellbound With You Volume 1 Chapter 41 – 50
“Excuse me, Miss Abi,” the butler said and Abi stepped aside as the man whispered in Alex’s ear.
The air around Alexander immediately became heavy, causing Abi to deduce that whatever the butler said wasn’t good news to him.
He looked at Abigail with a pretty serious gaze.
“Abigail, go back to your room first. Don’t come out until I say so.” His twisted smile had long left his lips.
“Huh? But you still didn’t –”
At that moment, a merciless chill was suddenly emitted from those intense eyes, intimidating and locking her down on the spot.
The look only lasted a second, but it chilled her so much that the hairs on her arms stood up. Abi flinched and just froze there.
Alexander stood majestically before her as he cupped her face. “We’ll play after this. Now go,” he said.
Abi wanted to celebrate but she didn’t, not when he agreed to her request looking this emotionless. She wondered, ‘why was he so cold?’ Would those glaciers in his eyes really never melt?
Abigail looked down as soon as his eyes released her and she obediently nodded at him. “Okay.”
Inside her room, Abigail couldn’t stop herself from thinking hard. She didn’t want to become gloomy. He had agreed so she should be delighted, right? But so many questions ran through her head. Why did he ask her to stay in her room? Was he trying to hide her from someone? Or was he hiding something from her?
These questions continued revolving around her head, relentlessly like the solar system, for a long time. She tried to distract herself by preparing everything they were going to need for when they played. When that was done, she fixed her bed, browsed through a few books that she found interesting, re-read the items on her list and listened to some music.
Before she knew it, three hours had passed. It was already dark outside but Alexander still hadn’t come. She wondered what was going on and curiosity got the better of her. Abi went to her window which overlooked the vast front yard. She saw four black cars,
which were obviously very expensive looking and she figured whoever his visitors were, they were loaded. She could see that these cars were those types of cars that the country’s president would use during a parade.
She stood there for a long time until she saw a few people start to come out. The men in black, who were standing by the cars, finally moved.
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