Claimed by the Man I Shouldn't Love

"She pushed you? Why would she do that? We're about to get married, for god's sake! Unless you said something to set her off, why else would she try to kill you? Jessica! If you've got a death wish, fine, take it somewhere else! I don't want to see you! And you're not a damn cat with nine lives! You won't make it every time!"

Alan's rage that had been simmering just blew up all at once.

Jessica's ears were ringing from his yelling. Lovely. Even if she died today, all this guy would say is, "Serves you right." Ridiculous. Just because he helped her today, she almost forgot how he had abandoned her back in the day like she didn't matter.

She bit her lip so hard, the pain snapped her back. "What does it matter to you if I die or not? Alan, are you done yelling? If you are, get out! Now!"

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her jaw. He grabbed her so hard it felt like her chin might snap.

"Let me go!" She tried to pry his fingers off, both hands working at it, but he didn't budge.

Alan was staring into her eyes, and the hate in them was so raw, so real, it made his heart jolt. She hated him...

There was no mistaking it-that utter, overwhelming hatred was all he could see in her eyes.

After a moment, he finally let go. One hand grabbed the showerhead, the other went to her hair.

Jessica blinked, completely dazed. Two seconds ago he looked like he wanted her gone for good, and now he was...washing her hair? His hands were rough, but somehow he didn't hurt her.

It almost felt like those childhood days, when he used to wash her hair just like this. A weird, sour ache clogged her chest, like cotton stuffed in her heart. She blinked hard, trying to shut out all those old memories.

Alan moved quickly, rubbing shampoo through her hair, using body wash to clean her off. Then he wrapped her up in a big towel like a burrito and carried her to bed. After laying her down gently, he went back to the bathroom to clean himself up.

Jessica curled into the blankets, staring at the wet footprints across the floor in a kind of daze. He didn't even change out of his wet clothes.

A crack appeared in her tightly shut-off heart, and those old memories she kept locked away started sneaking back. Last time she was pulled out of the lake by the maids, her parents made her thank Chloe. They said it was Chloe who had gotten help.

She'd been furious, told them it was Chloe who pushed her. But who would believe that? Chloe may have only been ten back then, but she was born to act. She cried harder than a girl who had nearly drowned.

Jessica got punished for lying-locked in her room for two weeks straight, not allowed to come out.She locked herself in her room and called Alan, crying the whole time. Before she could even finish sobbing out her complaints, he had already rushed to her place. In front of everyone's shocked faces, he didn't hesitate-just charged straight into her bedroom, kicked the door open, and scooped her into his arms.

To her, it felt like the only person she could rely on had finally shown up. She clung to his neck like her life depended on it.

Alan carried her downstairs without a second thought, like she wasn't her parents' kid, but his.

"Jessica belongs to me, to the Knight family!" That's the line he dropped before walking out.

She still remembered the way her arrogant dad suddenly turned beet red, nearly coughing up blood from sheer rage.

A cold shadow loomed over her, pulling her out of those memories. She looked up and saw him-chilled to the bone like someone who just stepped out of an ice bath. He was in a bathrobe, face pale as snow, and his whole presence radiated frost.

"Jessica! This is your last warning. Stay away from Chloe!"

Her chest tightened. She hadn't even had time to put her guard up again before his words stabbed right through her. The pain hit her hard, fast, and deep, seeping through every inch of her body.

Jessica, this has to be the last time you let yourself hurt over him... the last time.

Alan strode out of the bedroom, and right outside was Chloe, tears streaming down her face like she was made of sorrow.

"Alan, please listen to me! I didn't mean to push Jessica, I swear!" She latched onto his arm, panic written all over her face. The contrast between his bronze skin, that white bathrobe, and the serious expression made him look like danger personified. Not that Chloe could appreciate the view-she was too busy freaking out over possibly pissing him off.

With a single sweep of his arm, Alan pulled her into his embrace. "Take me to your room."

Chloe was stunned, staring up at him blankly. She was so thrown off that her body didn't even react until he started guiding her forward. He'd never been to her room before!

Once inside, she rushed to the bathroom, grabbed the hairdryer, and started drying his hair, hands trembling a little. He had clearly witnessed her shove Jessica, he saw everything... so why wasn't he mad? Why hadn't he asked a single question?

Sometimes, silence is worse than an argument. At least if he confronted her, she'd have a chance to explain. But now? Nothing. That image of him holding Jessica, acting like she wasn't even there, kept flashing through her head.

"Alan, it's really not what you think. I know whatever I say now sounds fake, but I never meant to really hurt Jessica..."

"That's enough," his cold voice cut her off mid-sentence.