Untamed Desires

A faint, elegant smile constantly graced his face.

Alex Carter.

The Carter Group, therefore, owned this mall.

As if sensing someone's gaze, Alex looked up in her direction. Panicked, Lily quickly turned around, dropping the book and hurriedly running away.

"Miss, you forgot your book," Alex politely called after her.

Lily's mind went blank. She didn't know where to run; she hid behind another bookshelf, her heart pounding harder than ever.

Footsteps approached, steady and calm.

There was silence from the other side of the bookshelf for a long time.

Lily overheard a puzzled voice say, "Mr. Carter, is something wrong with this book? Why are you staring at it?"

Alex's gentle voice reached her ears. "No, it just reminded me of an old friend."

Friend…

Lily covered her mouth, her eyes suddenly wet. He still remembered her, didn't he?

He hadn't forgotten her… had he?

"Could it be one of Mr. Carter's old flames?" someone teased from the group.

"Come on, he's about to get engaged."

"Haha, Paris is a wonderful place, isn't it? Mr. Carter and the mayor's daughter are getting engaged soon. They can spend their honeymoon in Paris," several people joked, their voices overlapping.

Alex responded with a gentle smile, saying nothing before placing the book back on the shelf.

"Let's go, Mr. Carter. I'll take you to inspect the upper floors."

"Alright."

After a moment, the sound of footsteps faded away.

Is he getting engaged?

Was he going to take his fiancée on a honeymoon to Paris? To the city, they had once dreamed of visiting together?

It felt like her heart was being sliced open, the pain so intense it felt like it was bleeding.

Tears began to fall uncontrollably. Lily leaned against the bookshelf, crying silently as the pain from her heart spread, threatening to consume her.

Her phone rang, the screen flashing Tyrant's words, jumping out at her like a snarl.

Lily stifled tears and cleared her throat before answering, "Hello, this is Lily."

"Where the hell are you?" Ethan's irritated voice came through.

Did he always have to speak so harshly?

While wiping her tears, Lily replied nonchalantly: "I'm just wandering around. Where are you? I'll come find you."

The adult toys section… She really didn't want to go anywhere near that place.

The line went silent momentarily before his cold voice returned, "Why were you crying?"

Lily froze, looking around in shock.

She spotted Ethan standing not far away in the skincare section. He was wearing a Bluetooth earpiece, and both hands rested on a shopping cart filled with household items. He almost looked like a regular guy on a shopping trip.

"I…" Lily was at a loss for words. She quickly lowered her head and wiped away her tears.

This man… He saw her and still called? Was he just watching her cry on purpose?

Abandoning the cart, Ethan walked briskly toward her, his face stern as he asked in a low voice, his eyes as cold as ever, "Why were you crying?"

"It's nothing. I don't even know why I started crying…" Lily hung up the phone and continued wiping her tears, her voice shaky and incoherent.

Her lashes were wet, her pale face full of sadness. She appeared to be a helpless little thing that the world had abandoned.

How does someone manage to cry while shopping? Ethan thought, frowning.

Without a word, he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. He didn't do anything else; he just wrapped her in his long coat, creating a shelter for her like a safe harbor in a storm.

Lily was pressed into his chest…

His heartbeat was strong and steady, its rhythm somehow calming her down.

For the first time, Lily finds Ethan's embrace warm, so warm that it makes her forget all the coldness around her.

People walked by, occasionally glancing in their direction.

Still, he didn't let go.

What had begun as an awkward, forced hug gradually became something she found comforting as she leaned into his chest, feeling at ease.

It was hot.

Unfortunately, however, her good feelings for Ethan vanished when they returned to the Blackwood villa to organize the things they'd bought.

"Ethan, what's this?!" Lily sat on the soft couch, holding up a pink nurse's mini-dress. Inside the elegant box, there was also a stethoscope and a syringe…

What kind of serious illness does he have?

"Uniform fetish," Ethan said without any shame, sitting beside her and holding the nurse's top up to her body.

The top was so short that it barely covered her chest. It was undeniably provocative.

A glint of desire flashed in Ethan's eyes.

"You're such a pervert." Lily dropped the box as if it had burned her and shrank into the corner of the couch. How old was he to still be playing with uniform fetishes? If he thought she would wear this, he could dream on.

How childish is this man? A uniform fetish? Was that why he had been standing in front of the adult toys section earlier, picking out these ridiculous outfits?

"I bought them for you to wear!" Ethan said domineeringly, throwing more boxes from the shopping bags onto the couch.

Lily opened one and immediately regretted it. The contents made her eyes hurt. There were police uniforms, sailor uniforms, schoolgirl outfits, teacher costumes… every kind of uniform you could imagine.

"I'm not wearing any of these!" Lily crossed her arms in front of her chest, making an X with her hands, her face full of righteous indignation. "If you want to indulge in these low-class fantasies, go find Emily or Natalie! I'd rather die than wear something like this!"

Even if she was his mistress, she had her limits.

"Lily!" Ethan glared at her, his voice filled with barely controlled anger. "You're my woman!"

"And what about them? Emily Prescott was your girlfriend for a year, and today, you made out with her in front of everyone! Go ask her to wear this!" Lily shot back, determined not to give in to his disgusting whims.

Emily, Natalie… Ethan didn't get angry; instead, he smirked, watching her serious expression with interest. "Lily, are you jealous?"

What part of anything I said sounded jealous?

How could he possibly interpret her words as jealousy?

And why was he so pleased by the idea?

Ethan sat back on the couch, one arm resting on the back, the other quickly pulling her into his lap. His chin rubbed against her dark hair, and his deep and magnetic voice carried a trace of amusement. "Lily, have you fallen for me already?"

As if she would ever fall for a man who had assaulted her.

How did he come to such a ridiculous conclusion?

"Men play around sometimes; it's normal. Don't get so worked up about it," Ethan said, patting her head as if comforting her. His eyebrows arched slightly.

I thought she had a heart of stone, but she does care when she sees me with other women.

Didn't I say? Winning a woman over isn't that hard. It's only been a few days.

Soon, she'll be completely mine.

"I'm not," Lily muttered quietly. She wanted to shout at him, You arrogant man, I'd only be jealous if the sun started rising in the west.

But she knew that would only provoke him further.

Fine. If he wants to believe she is jealous, let him, as long as it makes him happy.

"Good girl," Ethan whispered, holding her close. His face brushed against hers as he added in a low, coaxing voice, "Kiss me."

Lily obediently moved to kiss him, but the moment she saw his thin lips, she remembered him kissing Emily Prescott in front of everyone. She couldn't get rid of that lingering smell of cigarette smoke.

It wasn't jealousy, but she hated kissing lips that had just kissed someone else.

It was like seeing someone else use your toothbrush—even if you didn't love that toothbrush, it was still gross to think about.

"I'm going to take a shower first," Lily said, jumping off his lap and grabbing the toiletries they had just bought before running off.

Ethan watched her retreating form with narrowed eyes and said, "Nanny, move her things to my room upstairs."

"Yes, Mr. Blackwood."

Aside from the ridiculous costumes, the rest of the toiletries and household items Ethan had picked out were regular. There were towels, toothbrushes, and bathrobes in simple white and pink. Nothing flashy, but everything was cute and understated.

Wearing the light pink slippers she'd just put on, Lily stood in the luxurious bathroom, feeling like she had officially moved into the Blackwood villa.

When she left the bathroom, Ethan was waiting for her at the door. He had also changed into a bathrobe, the front slightly open, revealing his toned chest. "It took you long enough," he said.

I'd stay in the bathroom forever just to avoid facing you, Lily thought to herself.

"Yeah, I guess I lost track of time," Lily said with a faint smile, trying to maintain her composure.

Ethan suddenly scooped her up and carried her upstairs, kicking open the door to his bedroom. Lily's arms instinctively wrapped around his neck as her eyes entered the massive room.

The decor was European, with a mix of white and gold, giving the room an air of luxury and warmth. A grand chandelier hung from the ceiling, and the soft glow of the wall sconces added to the ambiance. An oversized bed dominated the room, and the curtains billowed slightly in the breeze from the large, floor-to-ceiling windows. Beyond them, a semi-circular balcony was visible. It would be perfect with a white rocking chair on it, Lily thought.

"Is this your bedroom?" Lily asked.

"Mm." Ethan tossed her onto the bed. Just as he was about to climb on top of her, Lily quickly rolled off the bed with a sweet smile. "Let me take a look around first."

Her ability to fake a smile had improved significantly since meeting Ethan.

But how long could she stall?

Ultimately, she was aware that she would still find herself on the bed with him.

Annoyed at being denied, Ethan frowned but followed her as she wandered around the room.

Lily looked around the room. There was a private bathroom, and a study is attached. The shelves in the study were filled with books on technical subjects. "Honestly, this room doesn't suit you at all."

The European-style decor, with its soft elegance and luxury, didn't match Ethan's brash and domineering personality.

She had always imagined him living in a minimalist black-and-white space—something clean, sharp, and commanding.

"My older brother bought this house for me. I just never bothered to change it," Ethan said, leaning against the wall, watching her as she explored the room. Is she really that interested in my bedroom?

Lily looked at him, surprised. It was the first time she'd heard him mention his family.

So, all the photos in the room were of him alone. Every picture showed his handsome face, but there wasn't a single family photo, and the room felt lonely.

"The Blackwood family's financial empire is based in Europe. Why did you come here alone to build your own business?" Lily asked curiously.

Was it like in the TV dramas where the wealthy heir rebels against family expectations and goes overseas to prove himself?

Ethan's eyes darkened, and his expression turned cold and frightening.

Did I say something wrong?

He must not like people asking about his family.

Lily wasn't the type to pry, so she quickly changed the subject. "All these books seem really complicated."

"Are you done looking around?" Ethan asked in a low voice. He stepped forward, scooping her up and placing her on the desk. He swiftly untied her bathrobe, leaning down to kiss her now-exposed chest, his hands exploring her body.

"Mm…"

A shiver ran down her spine, and soft, involuntary moans escaped her lips.

"Lily, I've turned you into a real woman," Ethan said with a wicked smile, hearing her breathy, seductive gasps.

"…" Lily's hands weakly gripped the edge of the desk as her voice trembled with a mix of frustration and arousal. "Can you… stop talking."

What does he mean by "turned me into a real woman"? I've always been one.

I was just clean before, and now... I'm tainted.

"Fine, I won't talk. I'll just listen to you moan," Ethan's voice was filled with dark seduction.

"This shameless man!"

Lily closed her mouth, but Ethan's kisses became even more intense, almost causing her to cry.

Her body had grown increasingly sensitive to his touch. Just a tiny caress or kiss from him, and she would melt... If this continued, it couldn't lead to anything good.