The rich, savory scent of roasted meats and warm soup quickly filled the pristine kitchen, instantly making the sterile apartment feel incredibly welcoming Jessica sat at the marble island, her hands wrapped around a warm porcelain bowl Alexander had retrieved from the cupboards For the first time in months, she ate a peaceful, unhurried meal, the heavy knot of constant anxiety in her stomach completely melting away under Alexander’s quiet, commanding presence.

"That was absolutely wonderful" whispered Jessica, a soft, genuine smile gracing her lips as she carefully set her spoon down, her cheeks showing a healthy, warm color "I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a meal this much in years".

"I’m glad" stated Alexander, offering a faint, relaxed smirk as he leaned against the counter "Though I should warn you, if my business ventures fail, I might have to come borrow your kitchen I don’t think I can afford that deli every single day".

Jessica let out a soft, delighted laugh, the playful joke completely breaking the lingering ice between them She stood up from her stool, wiping her hands with a paper towel as she looked down the modern hallway.

"Alexander, where is the bathroom located?" asked Jessica "I’d really like to freshen up and wash my face".

"I don’t know" stated Alexander smoothly, pushing himself off the counter "I’ve actually never been inside this specific unit before Let’s look for it".

They walked down the hallway together, the polished wooden floors gleaming under the soft recessed lighting Alexander casually opened the first door to the left, expecting a standard guest bathroom.

Instead, the door swung open to reveal a spacious room bathed in a dim, ambient crimson light Right in the center of the hardwood floor sat a massive, unmistakable piece of luxury adult furniture—a sleek, leather-bound tantra sex chair, perfectly contoured with a steep, ergonomic incline designed specifically for a woman to deeply ride and straddle a man with absolute ease.

Alexander’s eyes widened in a rare moment of genuine, absolute shock Before Jessica could fully process the sight, he slammed the door shut with a loud, resounding thud, his face freezing into a tense mask.

"I am incredibly sorry about that" stated Alexander, his voice perfectly steady but carrying a rare, tight edge as he turned to look at her "Since I needed the place as urgently as possible, I explicitly told them to bypass the deep cleaning and just leave everything exactly as it was I didn’t realize the previous tenant had left... personal items behind".

Jessica stood completely frozen, her entire face, neck, and chest erupting into a deep, burning crimson flush She stared at the closed door, her breath hitching as a wild, suffocating wave of thoughts crashed through her mind She instinctively wondered if this was a direct, calculated hint—a silent command from the handsome young man showing her exactly how he expected her to pay him back for his massive charity.

"It’s... it’s quite alright" whispered Jessica, her voice trembling violently as she hurriedly pointed toward the next door down the hall "I’ll... I’ll just check this one".

Fortunately, the second door revealed a pristine, ordinary marble bathroom Jessica quickly slipped inside, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird as she locked the door behind her.

A few minutes later, she stepped back out into the living room, having completely composed herself, though her eyes carefully avoided looking toward the red-lit room Alexander was standing near the front door, his jacket smoothly adjusted.

"I have to head out to handle a few urgent commitments right now" stated Alexander, his tone returning to its usual cold, authoritative melody "But I’ll return tomorrow to take you shopping for clothes, groceries, and whatever else you and Ashley might need If anything comes up before then, call me immediately".

"Everything is perfectly fine for now, Alexander" said Jessica, looking at him with a soft, deeply submissive gratitude "Thank you so much... for everything".

"Don’t mention it" stated Alexander, giving her a brief nod before stepping out into the corridor.

The moment the heavy wooden door clicked shut, Alexander pulled out his phone, noticing a sharp vibration in his palm His dark eyes instantly locked onto a glowing text message on his screen.

Where the hell are you...!!! I’ve been standing out here waiting for you forever.

Alexander checked the digital clock at the top of his screen It read exactly 5:40 PM.

Without wasting a single fraction of a second, Alexander stuffed his phone into his pocket, sprinted down the corridor toward the elevator, and raced toward the underground parking lot He threw himself into the driver’s seat, fired up the powerful engine, and tore out into the city streets at absolute top speed, weaving through the afternoon traffic as he headed straight toward the high school.

The tires of Alexander’s car screeched loudly against the asphalt as he abruptly pulled up to the curb in front of the high school The digital clock on his dashboard read exactly 6:10 PM.

The main gates were completely deserted, the regular crowds of students long gone The only person left standing under the concrete awning was Serena She was wearing her school uniform, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, and her foot tapping against the pavement with a frantic, lethal rhythm Her beautiful face was completely twisted into a furious, venomous scowl.

Before the car had even fully settled into a halt, she marched over, yanked the passenger door open with a violent force, and threw herself onto the leather seat, slamming the door shut so hard the entire frame rattled.

"Forty minutes, Alexander! Forty Fucking Minutes!" hissed Serena, her voice dripping with an absolute, burning rage as she glared at him, her chest heaving heavily "Do you have any idea how embarrassing it is to be the last loser standing outside while the janitors start locking the goddamn doors? I am freezing, I am starving, and you were completely MIA!".