About Your Pride and My Prejudice

Chapter 98: Overcome This Ordeal

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T/N: pov shifts to Alan and then Melissa and again to him

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All the way to the mansion, Alan had a hard time quelling the rising anger. Indeed, even when his plan that he had worked hard for a long time faced a crisis, or when he witnessed the change of heart of his loyal subordinates, his judgement was not as distorted as compared to right now.

Melissa Collins.

Obviously, the first time she was nothing more than a rag. Something small but oddly nerve-wracking. The woman, like a delicate flower, looked fragile and hazy, as if she would crumble if held tightly.

However, she developed her presence without permission, and she began to seep into him on her own. He thought it was a quick passing sun shower, but before he knew it, he was soaked.

He had to admit it now. He can’t think of Melissa Collins as a book or a painting that he looks into from time to time. To regard his interest towards her as a hobby was nothing but petty self-deception. No one calls this a hobby.

It was true that she was a woman close to an art which he didn’t want to take his eyes off for a moment. The same was true for her words, writings, expressions and every sound she made. Art is, after all, the sublimation of desire, and humans gain comfort and inspiration by enjoying it.

But the problem was, he came to rely on her more than just getting comfort. There’s an increasing amount of time that he can’t stand if it wasn’t for her. Which was not like him.

So he got even angrier. He didn’t even know where the anger was headed to.

“Mi’lord!”

As soon as he got out of the carriage, Alan headed for the detached house and walked across the hall with a rather rough pace. Irrespective of the startled maids running, he opened Melissa’s door at once.

“Lord Alan!”

Sandra, who was standing by the door, screamed in surprise. Over her shoulder, he saw a woman sitting at a reading table staring at him.

Before he knew it, Alan went into the room nervously loosening the already ruined cravat. Melissa held her breath in that hurricane-like situation.

“……Al…….”

It was the first time Alan had looked so disheveled, and she could only bite her lips with her wide eyes in shock.

The back of her clasped hand was white. As if she had witnessed some terrifying sight, her trembling shoulders were pitiful enough to incite a strange sadism inside him.

“……Alan, how…….”

As he got closer, she even dropped her pen. Tuk, as the sound of the pen hitting the marble floor sounded like a signal, Sandra hurried out of the room and closed the door.

The door closed with a loud bang. The curious gazes that came from the maids, who were walking around the door and peeping into the room, and the loud noises disappeared in an instant. In a tense atmosphere, the two faced each other.

Melissa couldn’t move as Alan, who had always been composed, lost his reason and glaring furiously. She couldn’t even guess what had happened to him. She was just glad he came back, but at the same time she was feeling terrified.

“You…”

But Alan said something that she didn’t expect.

“Did you send a letter? To him?”

To him…….Melissa murmured quietly. He was probably referring to Tobias Miller. It was this morning that she got his reply.

Alan is aware of the fact that Sandra had done it secretly, as if it was natural. Melissa suddenly realized the situation they were in.

Whenever she leaves the room to eat or bathe, everything in this room has been closely monitored and reported.

Nothing in this can be hidden from the mansion’s owner. As long as you don’t tear it apart and swallow it……. The fresh realisation made her toes numb.

“Answer me, Melissa. I’m asking you.”

She managed to say the word with her trembling lips.

“……Yes.”

Then Alan couldn’t resist his anger and cursed in a low voice. Her heart thumped uncontrollably as she watched the blue veins popping up over his tightly held fists.

As if he was going to punish her cruelly at any moment, he narrowed the distance. There was a clear anger in every breath he exhaled.

Melissa was afraid, but she was confused whether this was really fear. How can he be so angry about her sending a letter to a man other than him? In the meantime, she couldn’t take her eyes off the beautiful Alan, even in his angry face.

Then he said something strange.

“Do you love him?”

“…….”

“Don’t make me ask you twice.”

Alan said in a very voice. His low voice was as cold as the eve of the storm. Under the pressure as if tightening her heart, Melissa’s lips trembled and she lowered her head.

“No…… Ugh.”

Then Alan gripped Melissa’s chin. She couldn’t escape his gaze now.

“Don’t even think about lying.”

“I didn’t…… lie”

“So, what secret words did you secretly give and receive from his letters? Marriage? Go back?”

“…….”

“Huh? Melissa.”

His urgent pressure was pathetic at first glance. Melissa’s clear brown eyes opened wide for a moment. Surprisingly, he is now……. This is obviously…….

“Say it.”

His large hand grabbed her neck.

“Do you want to see me go crazy?”

A slender, white neck. He could break her slender neck like this, or he could have punched her teeth roughly. However, his hand, trembling with anger, only gently caressed her delicate skin. Like dealing with sacred treasures.

“Ah…….”

When the cold fingertips, which were moving slowly along the smooth curve, swept her earlobe, a ticklish breath came out.

“It’s easy. Don’t do what you shouldn’t do. Was it that hard?”

“…….”

“Why do you…….”

Alan growled. His anger sounded grave and desperate.

Melissa thought he was like a scared little beast. She wanted to hug him, whom she couldn’t even properly cover with her arms.

“Even if you want to go back, I won’t let you go.”

“……Alan.”

“It’s no use crying and cursing. It’s all because I….”

At that moment Melissa pulled him by his neck and kissed him. All the words disappeared and even time stopped. Suddenly, Alan noticed the faint smell of perfume on the back of her neck.

It had the same scent as his.

“…….”

Melissa said with her eyes fluttering like ripples of light as her lips fell apart with a very small, soft sound.

“Thank you for helping him. And I’m sorry to hurt you with harsh words.”

It was a gentle whisper as if to soothe a crying child. As Melissa’s hand wrapped around the man’s big hand, Alan slowly knelt down and sat in front of her.

“……Your effort is commendable but Melissa.”

“…….”

“Do you think I will let you go for this?”

Melissa looked into Alan’s eyes when she heard those words. Jewel-like eyes with a creepy cold color. Then she responded by stroking his night sky coloured hair.

“Ha….”

He was obviously anxious. That’s because of her. To be exact, it may be because of the novel she is writing, but the fact that she also cherishes him made him so unbearably happy that his legs went weak.

Melissa managed to hold back her tears. It’s just like a dream.

“……It’s all right, Alan. There’s no way I’m going back to him.”

A faint but unguarded voice tickled his ears like a soft feather.

“I thought of you the moment I was confessed to by him.”

Alan felt the blood rushing downwards for a moment. [1]

“Don’t worry. I will definitely finish the novel for you. If it makes you feel comfortable.”

“…….”

“I think I’ll be happy too.”

She always spoke as if she was singing. Her pronunciation of his name, her little tongue rolling softly and bouncing, sometimes made him feel unbearable.

Alan was frozen between wanting her to keep saying anything and wanting her to stop talking.

Softly, her small hand sweeping his hair gently slid down and wrapped around his cheek. It was a friendly and lovely touch as if touching the petals.

“Really, I’ll make sure to finish it.”

“…….”

Funny how Melissa Collins seemed to think he was impatient for the novel not being completed.

To think that he got comforted by this gentleness. She couldn’t be more naive. It was absurd and so like her that he almost laughed.

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it beautiful enough to your liking…….”

A beautiful voice like spring sunlight flowed in and seemed to penetrate his body. Alan’s eyes closed as he touched his wrinkled brows.

“Well… you know, Alan. God will not give us an ordeal that we cannot overcome.”

Her lips called his name once again. Like a butterfly flapping its wings, with its tiny flapping red tongue…….

This is torture.

Alan rose suddenly. He couldn’t fall for this small woman again. He can’t lose any more reason.

Just then, Melissa added hastily, looking up at his suddenly distant face.

“I believe that. So….”

But she sensed something in his cold eyes. It was a clear passion that was boiling over as if it was going to swallow her at any moment.

Hik, Melissa, who held her breath and lowered her head, murmured quietly.

“So I’ll make sure to complete…….”

At that moment, something sparkling over her bowed brown hair came into Alan’s sight. It was an ivory hairpin. It was a gift he gave her a while ago.

That night, he carefully combed her soft hair up, and he was satisfied with the way she looked better than he expected.  And then…….

Alan shed a low murmur gritting his teeth.

“……Really?”

It was no longer a limit. He gave up on denying. Once again, cheeky Melissa Collins, nodded her head with an innocent face.

Alan leaned his body down, he kissed the small mole on her cheek, and licked it with his tongue.

“Wait……!”

He quickly embraced the woman whose shoulders flinched and whispered as he took her towards the bed.

“Then overcome this ordeal.”

It was a whisper that was not relaxed.

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[1] he got turned on