Sylvia’s brows knitted together in worry as she stood near the door, wondering what the man wanted from her now. 

He was somehow different today and it made her nervous. Though he had bullied her endlessly, right from the first day they had met, today she felt particularly nervous.

She watched him loosen the towel from his waist, for it to fall on the ground, and quickly turned around, not wanting to see all of him.

She could hear the ruffling of clothes and movements behind her, followed by a thud, which probably indicated that the man had flopped onto the bed.

She became more nervous. She didn’t know how much more he expected from her tonight.

Sylvia was not a fool. She knew and fully understood that she was a slave now due to various twists and turns of fate. 

One day or the other, she knew that she would probably have to serve this man whom she belonged to now, serve him as a woman would in his bed, giving him her everything.

Even though he had promised her otherwise, she knew better than to trust others by now. They always tended to let her down.

And that too… considering that he had already done things to her while she was unconscious, which he said so himself.

In reality, Sylvia hadn’t really digested that specific piece of information yet.

Yes, she might have been violated but she didn’t feel any different and so it didn’t feel real.

But now… she was fully conscious… and she couldn’t hide from what was about to happen any longer…

She tried to prepare herself mentally, but her heart drummed anxiously preventing her from thinking about anything.

She fidgeted with her fingers and closed her eyes, hoping for the night to just end, when the man’s voice loudly sounded behind her, confirming her fears. “Get over here.”

Sylvia gulped. She dazedly turned around, her heart pounding like it was having a seizure, and gazed at the man on the bed.

Her fearful blue eyes caught the sight of the big grin on his face. He was clearly enjoying her turmoil.

Sylvia bit her lips in frustration. She walked closer to him, one step at a time, having no other options.

Mikel hummed and patted the space next to him. “Climb up and come here.” He said.

Sylvia froze as she no longer had to keep guessing at the man’s intentions. They were more than clear now.

She clutched the edges of her dress and stubbornly muttered. “Your highness. This… wouldn’t be right…”

“Your image…” Her voice trailed into an awkward silence.

“Oh? And what image do you think that I have?” Mikel chuckled, unable to control himself.

Sylvia let out a deep shaky breath as she brazenly answered him. “A good one, your highness. Kind and gentle.” She spoke as if she didn’t believe in what she was saying, making Mikel chuckle again, amused at the girl’s guts. 

“Indeed. People do think that of me. They are quite foolish, don’t you think?” He paused, his gaze lingering on her, looking at her, devouring her from head to toe. “I personally don’t think that I am gentle at all.” He then added, making Sylvia shiver lightly.

She had no words and could only gawk at him, at his reckless admission of such a villainous nature.

She watched him as the man turned to put off the candle, lit in the corner by his side of the bed, and then his voice once again urged her. 

“How long are you going to make me wait? If you keep testing my patience, things are only going to become more difficult for you.” He warned her.

Sylvia trembled, and she unwillingly took another step, her legs now hitting the bed, as she had walked closer to it.

Though the candle was quenched, the moonlight flitted in through the open window and shone on the man’s tall elegant figure lying casually on the bed, his one hand bending to support his head as he watched and waited for her.

Sylvia looked at him, her body refusing to take another step forward and lose her innocence when suddenly she heard a soft sigh escape the man’s lips, and the next second, she was pulled into the bed.

Sylvia would have screamed at the top of her lungs if not for the fact that she was too shocked to react.

In the span of a second, she found her slender body clinging tightly to the devil’s bare naked chest.

His arms were wrapped around her, and the two of them were laying on the bed right next to each other, with the devil spooning her as if she was a pillow.

The man hugged her tightly, her soft silver hair sprawled all over his face and before Sylvia could react to anything, he tiredly muttered. “You still smell like dessert.”

He nuzzled his head into the nape of her neck, as Sylvia felt a dozen currents stemming from his touch, pricking her body.

“Go to sleep, kitten. Don’t think too much and ruin your night.” He added, making her shudder slightly.

Sylvia laid still, utterly shocked and bewildered. She couldn’t believe her eyes. 

She had imagined the worst and was prepared to scream and claw at him, ready to defend her innocence as long as her strength permitted her, but now…

The man was simply hugging her from behind? His hands were on her waist and he wasn’t even touching her inappropriately.

She was probably a pillow to him right now, albeit a living breathing one that smelled like baked goods.

This was all that he wanted from me? This was why he wanted me to get on the bed? She didn’t even know whether to be angry or relieved.

Couldn’t he have just said so openly right from the beginning? Why did he have to torment me so much? And why the hell would a grown man even need to hug someone else to go to sleep???

Sylvia was going crazy. She wanted to turn her head, pull up her face close to his, and scream into his ears until he turned deaf.