Saving Her

The sound of running water continued, but Taylor's fragile heart had already grown numb. Her mind kept flooding with the details of making love with Jake, not only had she mistaken Jake for her husband in her drunken state, but even in her drunken dreams, she foolishly believed that Linker could bring her happiness!

It was nothing but self-deception. All those dreams were merely her own wishful thinking. Now, he was holding his delicate wife, preparing for pregnancy.

"Wuwu..."

There was no hysteria, no loud sobbing only silent whimpers.

Taylor sat there quietly, like a beautiful painting that had suffered devastation. Her pitiful appearance evoked sympathy, and her demeanor made it impossible for anyone to harbor even a trace of wicked thoughts.

Her pink fingernails, though not sharp, dug deeply into the fair flesh of her thighs. Despite the thin layer of stockings, they still left faint streaks of "blood."

Was this her fate?

---

In the living room, Jake scrambled around in confusion, searching for his clothes. His mind seemed to be caught in a chaotic storm, tangled with all kinds of complicated thoughts.

His consciousness felt like it was wandering, and his body resembled a puppet on strings, no longer under his control. He didn't even remember when he had put his clothes back on.

When Jake, now fully dressed, unconsciously moved toward the door, he finally recalled everything that had happened moments before. Was it all due to the twisted emotions in his heart, or had he simply been controlled by desire? Even Jake himself wasn't sure.

But the fact remained, he had taken advantage of his aunt's drunkenness and defiled her. This was something Jake couldn't escape, no matter how he tried to justify it.

For a moment, Jake felt immense guilt toward Mia. Years of their relationship seemed to have shattered completely on this day.

Jake was filled with regret and fear. Although his aunt had told him to leave, she hadn't said she forgave him. What if she decided to call the police? Not only would Jake be arrested, but Mia's entire family would likely become the laughingstock of others.

With Yana's stern and proud personality, she would never let Jake off easily. And though Yakov appeared gentle on the surface, he was the former CEO of Shigella, how could he be an easy opponent?

Of course, Jake wasn't the type to walk away without taking responsibility. But the other party was his girlfriend's aunt, his mother-in-law's sister. How to handle this "accident" was Jake's top priority.

His legs felt as if they were nailed to the floor, unable to move an inch.

After thinking for a long time, Jake chose to face it head-on, no matter what consequences awaited him.

He took a deep breath.

"Thump, thump… thump, thump…"

His heart pounded as if it were about to leap out of his chest.

With a resolute expression, Jake moved quietly and slowly toward the bathroom.

The bathroom in Taylor's house was at the far end of the restroom, separated by a glass door. When Taylor had rushed into the bathroom earlier, she had been in an emotionally broken state, so she hadn't closed the outer door. Jake entered easily.

When he had been intimate with Taylor earlier, he hadn't noticed the temperature. Now that he stepped into the restroom, the steam drifting from the bathroom's gaps made Jake feel even more stifled.

His heart grew restless, but soon, he was drawn to Taylor's chaotic "inner voices."

Holding his breath, Jake cautiously sat down nearby. His left leg stretched straight while his right leg bent slightly, his back leaning against the cool tiles. Only a thick glass door separated them.

The turquoise glass door completely obscured Taylor's body, Jake couldn't see anything from the outside, only the sound of rushing water.

Jake listened quietly. Rather than barging in to explain, it was better to let Taylor calm down first.

Though the sound of water was loud, Jake could still hear Taylor's faint sobs. Combined with the "inner voices" he could perceive, all of Taylor's negative emotions felt like a thorny vine, lashing violently at Jake.

The anxiety and unease of teetering on the edge of an abyss.

The despair of struggling in quicksand, only to sink deeper.

The pain and torment of countless blades cutting into the flesh.

How… was this any different from hell?

Jake faintly sensed that this ability to read women's hearts seemed to be growing, as if it had gained life.

Not only could he hear Taylor's "inner voices," but he could also keenly detect any fluctuations in her emotions.

At this moment, Taylor's emotions were on the verge of collapse, and the sense of inner turmoil was something Jake deeply understood.

"Oh God, what have I, Taylor, done wrong!"

"Linker, I gave up everything for you, and this is how you treat me."

"Because I can't have children, you can just abandon me without a second thought? Was our love really so fragile?"

"What does that woman have that I don't? In terms of looks, I was the school beauty back then. In terms of figure, I've kept myself in great shape with yoga all these years. Yet you don't even glance at me anymore."

"Is it just because I can't carry on your family line?"

"What happened to all your promises? The vows to treat me well for a lifetime? You men are all the same."

Though Aunt Taylor usually appeared understanding, gentle, and virtuous, after repeated emotional blows, even her tender heart couldn't help but breed jealousy and hatred.

"No wonder Aunt never mentioned children—she couldn't have any. But even so, Uncle's actions are still despicable. Yet, what right do I have to lecture him…"

Jake's head involuntarily lowered, his eyes dimming with shame.

Aunt Taylor's "inner voices" continued to pour in.

"Mia, Aunt is sorry for what happened with your boyfriend."

"I always saw Jake as my student—smart, obedient, with good grades. Who knew there was such a wolf in sheep's clothing…"

"Was it because we've been too close lately? It's my fault too, I never acted like an elder around Jake, even getting drunk in front of him!"

"What's the point of thinking about all this now?"

"This is incest!"

"How… how can I face my sister and Mia?"

"I might as well just…"

Overcome with guilt, Jake suddenly looked up, his hair standing on end as an overwhelming sense of death surged into his heart—it was…

"No!"

Stumbling to his feet, Jake rushed forward. Perhaps because Aunt Taylor was too distraught to notice, he effortlessly pushed open the bathroom's glass door.

There was no time to be surprised. Jake's mind was filled only with thoughts of Aunt Taylor, the suffocating feeling of impending doom still fresh in his mind. Bursting into the bathroom, he saw his drenched aunt charging headfirst toward the wall.

Without thinking, Jake instinctively stretched out his right hand to block the impact.

In that moment, the resolve he felt was something he had never experienced before. He had never seen someone commit suicide so decisively, without a hint of hesitation.

Aunt Taylor's head slammed hard into Jake's palm. A sharp pain shot from his hand up his arm, and he felt as though his fingers might have broken from the force.

The bathroom wasn't large, but the distance between the bathtub and the opposite wall was enough for Aunt Taylor to get a running start. Even though she was slender and light, the impact was still immense.

It was clear that without Jake's hand as a cushion, Taylor might have died on the spot, or at the very least suffered severe aftereffects.

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Jake pulled Aunt Taylor tightly into his arms without hesitation.

Having been saved, Taylor kept her eyes tightly shut. In the moment of her suicide attempt, she had already bid farewell to the world. When her head truly collided with the wall, though something felt off, she didn't have time to think about it.

The strong recoil threw her backward. The area near her hairline felt as if it had been struck by a mallet, and her vision instantly went black. Dizziness overwhelmed her, and she lost control, collapsing backward.

Then, a strong figure rushed over at lightning speed, catching her in his arms.

"Aunt Taylor, Aunt Taylor, are you okay?"

In her daze, Taylor once again caught the familiar scent of male pheromones.

Her head spun for a long while before the pain and discomfort gradually faded, leaving only the swelling on her forehead.

"Am I… dead?"

Taylor murmured weakly, her heavy eyelids slowly opening to reveal a face filled with anxiety.

"Are you… the Grim Reaper?" Her pale lips trembled as she lay limply in Jake's arms.

Ignoring the pain in his fingers, Jake carefully observed his aunt's condition. Her round face had turned ghostly pale, her lips colorless. Her disheveled hair clung to her forehead, where a slightly swollen red bump was visible.

Tear stains streaked down both sides of her eyes, silently telling the story of her sorrow.

"Thank goodness, it's nothing too serious."

Jake let out a sigh of relief as if he had narrowly escaped death. Seeing his aunt's haggard appearance in his arms, his mood sank to rock bottom.

"Aunt Taylor, why would you do something so foolish?"

Though her alluring body was in his arms, Jake had no time to dwell on it.

The rising steam gradually dissipated, but the hot water from the showerhead continued to spray.

A new wave of mist rolled in, enveloping Jake and Taylor in their intimate embrace.