Locked in the Room Alone

"I… I'm full. I'm going to take a bath."

Mark fled the scene, hurrying to the bathroom. His face was too red, and he feared Alex might see and laugh at him.

Alex, propping his chin on his hand, watched him go with a smile. 

"My wife is really adorable, don't you think?"

"Not really." Howard replied bluntly, adjusting his glasses without giving Alex any face.

Alex frowned, clearly displeased, and glared at Howard.

"If you have time to glare at me, why don't you handle the board's issues? I don't want to have to get a new boss." Howard continued, unbothered.

"Annoying." Alex grumbled but got up to leave the room.

Finally ready to work. Howard sighed in relief and followed Alex down the hallway.

As they walked, Alex sent a text and instructed Howard, "Take care of my wife's uncle's family."

"Killing people is illegal." Howard reminded him.

Alex wanted to wring Howard's neck but held back.

"They run a small shop. Find a reason to shut it down." Alex pocketed his phone and pushed open the door to his study.

"I'll handle it tomorrow. For now, please focus on work." Howard, the unfeeling robot secretary, never strayed from the task at hand.

Alex was long tired of Howard, but he was too efficient to replace.

Mark, unaware that Alex had left the room, purposely took his time in the bath. When he finally emerged, the room was empty, and the dishes had been cleared away.

"Damn it! I wasted an hour in there for nothing." Mark threw his towel down, fuming.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed with a text from Alex, saying he was busy in the study and Mark should go to sleep.

"So, he's working now?"

"Wait, how does he have my number?"

Mark was stunned. He hadn't given Alex his phone number.

"Oh well, whatever."

Mark threw himself on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

"Ah, I'm so tired!"

After a long day of chaos, he was exhausted.

"If he's so busy, he probably won't come back to sleep."

Telling himself this, he drifted off, his breathing soon even and peaceful.

Around 1 a.m., Mark felt something heavy on his body.

What's going on…?

He struggled to open his sleepy eyes.

In the moonlight filtering through the window, he saw someone above him.

Mark's eyes widened in shock, and he kicked the person hard.

"Damn it, Alex." Mark roared.

Damn, is this guy crazy? Sneaking up on me in the middle of the night?

Furious, Mark kicked again, finally shoving Alex off. He sat up, seething.

"Are you looking for trouble?"

Alex, looking mischievous, replied, "This is my room. You were so defenseless; wasn't it on purpose?"

"Bullshit! I was just tired and sleeping."

"Get lost. If you try anything, I won't be nice."

Mark grabbed a pillow as a weapon, glaring at Alex.

Alex chuckled, "You think a pillow can stop me?"

"If you come closer, I'll scream."

Scream? My adorable wife must have forgotten this is my house.

"Why are you staring at me? Get lost." Mark gave Alex another kick.

Alex wasn't serious about doing anything to Mark. He'd just been tempted to play a prank seeing how peacefully he was sleeping.

"You still haven't left?"

Mark yelled again, his voice echoing through the room.

"Alright, alright, I'm going."

Alex raised his hands in surrender, heading to the bathroom. Soon, the sound of running water filled the room.

"Damn lunatic."

Mark quickly threw the pillow aside and ran to the door, intending to leave. But no matter how he turned the handle, the door wouldn't budge.

"What the hell? It's locked?"

Outside, Howard informed Mark, "I'll come by to unlock the door in the morning. Enjoy your night."

"Enjoy my ass! Howard, open the door!"

Mark pounded on the door, but there was no response.

"What's going on? Did he… did he really leave?"

Damn it, did he really lock the door and leave?

Mark felt a surge of anger, kicking the door and cursing, "Damn it, Howard, you better not let me see you tomorrow."

Howard, standing outside the door, listened to Mark's cursing but remained silent.

He was engrossed in a text from his mother, saying her friend's son had been accepted into a university in his city and asking him to look after the boy.

"Do they think I run a daycare?" Howard muttered, annoyed. He hated dealing with kids, even university students.

"Howard, damn it, Howard!"

Mark's pounding and shouting continued, growing louder.

"Is this my karma?" Howard mused at the door, but then he frowned. "If there's karma, it should hit that bastard boss of mine. I'm just following orders."

He adjusted his glasses and walked away, ignoring Mark's pleas.

Inside the room, Mark clutched his head in frustration, "That damn Howard really locked me in."

"Damn it!"

He kicked the door again, fuming.

The bathroom door opened, and Alex, freshly bathed, stepped out, smiling at Mark's door-kicking antics.

Mark immediately realized Alex was behind this and stormed up to him, grabbing his collar, "Unlock the door now."

"Why leave when it's such a perfect night? Don't you want to spend it with your husband?" Alex smirked, pulling Mark into his arms.

"Don't touch me."

Mark, fed up, pushed Alex away, his temper flaring.

This shameless bastard! He's holding me like I'm really his wife.

"Wife, it's late. Let's not fight and just sleep."

Alex effortlessly scooped Mark up, smiling as he looked at him.

"I'm not your wife! Put me down."

Mark yelled, struggling in Alex's arms.

"How can you say that when you signed the contract and took the money?" Alex reminded him.

Mark fumed, "I'll give the money back. I'm done pretending to be your wife."

"Oh? So you're okay with me calling the police on the bride's parents?"

"Do what you want. It's none of my business."

Mark couldn't care less now. Alex's intentions were clear, and staying with him seemed increasingly dangerous.

"Damn it, Alex, what are you doing!"

Mark exclaimed as Alex tossed him onto the bed.

Mark's head hit the pillow hard, and he grabbed another to throw at Alex, cursing, "You trying to kill me?"

Expecting Alex to pounce on him, Mark was taken aback by his cold expression, which looked rather frightening.

"Why are you just standing there?"

Mark's courage wavered, and he backed away.

Damn it, I should be the one angry! What's he mad about?

Mark's temper flared up again, and he glared back at Alex.

Alex's face darkened further. He grabbed Mark's chin and said coldly, "You agreed to be my wife, so there's no backing out now."

"I had no choice. You were going to call the police. What could I do?"

"Oh? Wasn't it my offer that caught your eye?" Alex smirked, seeing through him.

Mark blushed, having been caught. He had indeed been swayed by the 120 million.

"Yes, I was tempted by your money. So what? You offered it; I didn't force you."

Alex, surprisingly, wasn't angry. Instead, his mood improved. "Do you know the contract you signed requires you to pay me double if you break it?"

Double? Double the amount?

Mark was stunned. He hadn't read the contract carefully. When Howard handed it to him, he'd assured him it was fine, so Mark had signed without looking.

"Howard."

Mark gritted his teeth in frustration.

Seeing Mark's reaction, Alex was satisfied. This meant he wouldn't be talking about returning the money and ending their agreement anymore.

Good thing I had Howard add that clause. Otherwise, I'd have trouble controlling this wild horse.

Alex felt relieved for planning ahead.

"Can we sleep now, dear wife?"

Alex pinned Mark's hands above his head, leaning down with a devilish grin.

Mark bit his lip, unwilling to back down but afraid of breaching the contract.

Damn it, Mark, you're an idiot! Why didn't you read the contract?

Mark seethed with regret.

"Don't worry, nothing will happen."

Alex pulled Mark into his arms, kissing his forehead gently before settling down, genuinely not intending to do anything inappropriate.

Mark, however, didn't trust him and kept a wary eye on him.

Alex found this amusing. My wife is really cute. A little teasing is all it takes to make him shy. Why would I need to force him?

It's good he knows how to protect himself. I don't have to worry about other men seducing him.