Unexpected Marriage With Mr. Leighton: Rebirth of the Villain
Chapter 155: YOU CAN’T RESIST ME

Chapter 155: YOU CAN’T RESIST ME

Ranon captured Hazel’s lips in a playful kiss but quickly bit down gently. "What was that for?" She feigned annoyance against his lips.

"That’s for cursing. You shouldn’t curse," he replied with a smirk. "You can’t curse." Ranon nibbled on her lips.

Hazel rolled her eyes, but he had already pushed her back onto the sofa, hovering above her. Yet, all of a sudden, he broke the kiss, staring down at her with curiosity.

"What is it? What now?"

Hazel felt frustrated; he had touched her just enough to ignite her desire, only to pull away without finishing what he had started. "Do you really want it?" Ranon tilted his head slightly, teasing her further.

"Only now you asked?" She growled in exasperation, grabbing his tie and pulling him closer, desperation in her voice. "Oh please, let’s just finish this. You should finish what you started," she urged, and this time, she bit his lips.

"The contract says I am not allowed to force you." Ranon lifted her legs, and Hazel instinctively wrapped them around his waist. "I should put the same clause for you."

"No chance, Mr. Leighton, you can’t resist me."

***

Marcus had just completed his second job, leaving him with only one remaining task before he could finally break free from the crowd. He had already informed his boss of his intention to quit, anticipating a predictable backlash.

And just like he had predicted, his boss reacted with anger, declaring that he would not allow Marcus to leave the company. This created a daunting problem for Marcus, as his boss presented him with an outrageous sum of money he would need to pay if he wanted to exit.

The demand felt absurd; Marcus simply did not possess that kind of money, and the earnings from his multiple jobs were nowhere near enough to cover it.

Frustration bubbled within him as he refused to comply with the ludicrous ultimatum.

"Do you really think you can come and go as you please?" The boss thundered. He was a man in his sixties; he bore a formidable presence, with a large frame and an equally large belly that strained against his shirt.

Despite his difficulty in walking, he wielded power and money, asserting control over everyone around him.

"I want to quit. It’s ridiculous to expect me to pay such an amount. There’s no way I will agree to that," Marcus retorted vehemently.

However, the boss’s fury only intensified. "I took you in! I fed you! I clothed you! And this is how you repay me?! You are an ingrate! Think carefully about what you want!"

"This is exactly what I want! I don’t want to be part of this crowd anymore!" Marcus shot back.

"This is not a fucking option for you!" the boss yelled back, clearly annoyed. He had developed a fondness for Marcus and was unwilling to let him walk away.

"I am leaving, with or without your permission," Marcus declared, determined to stand his ground. He wanted to be honest with Olivia.

But just as he was about to leave the room, the boss ordered two men to restrain him. "What do you plan to do, Boss?" Marcus called out, anger flashing in his eyes. "Are you going to cripple me? That would be a valid reason for you to finally let me go."

The boss tilted his head; he was so fat, you couldn’t see his neck. "No. You are too valuable to me."

He reached beneath his desk, retrieving a syringe, and it was then that dread seeped into Marcus’s veins. He might have succumbed to alcohol again, but he had sworn off drugs long ago, and now he realized what the boss intended to do.

In a surge of desperation, he fought, thrashing against the grip of the two men holding him, but his struggles were futile.

Despite his resistance, the boss plunged the needle into his skin, and in mere moments, Marcus fell to his knees, the familiar wave of drug-induced euphoria washing over him.

He recognized the sensation all too well, a fake happiness that he had tried to escape from before.

As he curled up on the ground, battling against the fake peace that enveloped him, the boss knelt beside him, brushing his cheek tenderly. "You are not going anywhere, Marcus. You are my favorite."

Those words lingered in Marcus’s mind, the last thing he remembered as his boss caressed his head and shoulder.

After that, everything descended into blurry memories; he felt happy, but at the same time the happiness was filled with the fear, a nightmare he had always dreaded.

He had no idea how long it would last or what horrors he would endure in the hours that followed. He was at peace, though...

Once the effects of the drug wore off, Marcus was disoriented and alone; he was naked and vulnerable. He spotted his discarded shirt and pants on the far side of the room and, without fully processing what had transpired, dressed hastily before making his way out as though nothing had happened.

He masked his turmoil behind a facade of calmness, but deep down, the weight of despair threatened to crush him.

The calm illusion shattered upon reaching Olivia’s apartment. The sight of her worried face pierced through his numbness. Suddenly, he crumbled, collapsing into her arms, the floodgates of his emotions bursting open in a deluge of sorrow and confusion.

"What’s going on?" Olivia asked, her brow furrowed with concern. "You have been missing for four days! I couldn’t reach you. What happened? What’s wrong?"

Words left him as grief and guilt washed over him. Instead, he wept into her shoulder, seeking solace in her embrace.

Olivia held him close, trying to provide comfort while battling her own anxiety and helplessness.

Her questions hung in the air unanswered, waiting for a moment when he would compose himself and respond.

As the days passed, the truth unraveled itself without Marcus needing to articulate it. The dark grip of addiction showed its ugly head. He relapsed again.

"You are using drugs?" Olivia’s voice trembled in disbelief, her eyes wide with concern. "How could you do this, Marcus? Why?"

She thought they were going somewhere now...

Olivia had witnessed Marcus’ painful journey of addiction before; it was a bleak Chapter in their lives that she had hoped was closed for good.

But from the look of it, they were going back to the beginning.

"How could you do this again, Marcus?" Her voice was a mixture of anguish and frustration. "You promised me..." She could feel her heart breaking into a million pieces.

Marcus saw the look of disappointment and anger from Olivia, and it killed him. "No... this is..."

Now, he found it increasingly difficult to think clearly. His vision blurred, trapped in a cycle of agony that seemed never to end. He felt as if he was teetering on the edge, longing for escape but paralyzed by helplessness.

In this state, the thought of ending his life lingered ominously, tempting him with the promise of peace from the torment that had ensnared him.

Olivia turned around and left the room, leaving him alone in his pain as he tried to fight back his demon.

***

Hazel had been diligently listening to the conversation between Ranon and his informant, learning about a shocking reality: the Barlowe family was plotting to betray the Lozens.

Apparently, they had a secret deal with another organization, and all of that was done behind the Lozens’ back.

The situation was escalating very quickly, and Hazel couldn’t help but wonder if her father was already aware of these developments.

One crucial piece of information Hazel got was Ranon’s extensive knowledge of both the Lozen and the Barlowe families.

It seemed he was keeping a close watch on their activities, and Hazel suspected he had already uncovered the fact that she had been having a ’communication’ with River.

This could explain his growing interest in her well-being and the secrets that surrounded her life. Fortunately, Hazel had hacked into Ranon’s phone, gaining access to everything he knew; this was an efficient way to stay ahead of the game.

Her visits to Ranon’s office, which initially seemed innocuous as she brought him lunch, were indeed part of her bigger plan.

A routine that allowed her to keep an eye on Ranon while presenting the facade of a devoted wife.

"You came again," Lucian remarked. He noticed the shift in Ranon’s demeanor since Hazel began her daily visits. "I think you need to stop sending him food. He gained weight."

"Why not? It’s good, right?"

Hazel was in Ranon’s office, but instead of Ranon, Lucian was there.

"Probably, you want to consider one more person to look after?" Lucian lit up, thinking of himself. He had been buried by the task that Ranon gave to him because suddenly, he stopped working overtime and going home on time.

He didn’t realize how much Ranon’s workload was until now. He felt like crying... He loved workaholic Ranon.

"My baby?" Hazel replied lightly, her hand instinctively resting on her belly as the baby kicked within her.

Lucian’s gaze fell on the ultrasound photo displayed on the desk. "Congratulations! So, any news on the baby’s gender?" He pressed, curiosity evident in his tone.

"Why don’t you ask Ranon?"

"I asked, and he refused to tell me."

Hazel chuckled, shaking her head. "If Ranon didn’t want to tell you, why would I?" She raised an eyebrow playfully. "We are a team."

Lucian scrunched his nose in disbelief. "Seriously, I think you can make this marriage work if you both try. The two of you are surprisingly similar."