A Return To Love's Madness

Top quality linen curtains swayed as a slender hand reached out to gain purchase, only for it to be pinned against the glass window by a larger, stronger hand.

They were on their fourth round.

The man was clearly venting all the pent-up passion that had accumulated in the seven days he was away on a business trip.

Before long, Chelsey Morgan was pleading with him as her legs trembled beneath her.

With one last thrust, the man finally stopped. Even then, the sexual tension remained potent in the air. Especially when his chest was heaving up and down against her back as he trailed kisses on the arch of her neck and up the shell of her ear.

"Can't take any more?" he rasped in a teasing tone.

Chelsey turned and hooked her arms around his neck.

The dim streetlights that filtered into the room softened his usually stern features. The desire in his eyes was clear, however. He was a beast unleashed, and he wasn't going to stop until his hunger was fully satiated.

But Chelsey was not fooled by his outward passion. She knew that the man's heart, if it at all existed, was as cold as ice.

"I'm going on a blind date tomorrow," she whispered.

"Hmm," the man responded lightly.

In the next second, his lips captured hers in yet another torrid kiss. His hands traveled down to her waist and hips. He was raring to go again.

A bitter taste rose in Chelsey's mouth.

Just as she had thought, he didn't care at all.

She shivered under his touch, her body arching towards him against her better judgment.

Chelsey gulped in some air when he pulled back from the kiss.

"If it goes well, I think I'll settle down," she stated.

That finally got the man's hands to stop moving. He stared into her eyes, and it felt like he was staring right into her soul. "You're planning to get married?"

"I'm turning 27," she murmured as she lowered her gaze in an attempt to hide her emotions. "I can't really afford to wait much longer."

Chelsey failed to see the sardonic smirk that played in the corners of the man's mouth.

Just like that, he pulled away completely. A moment later, the room was flooded with bright light.

Chelsey quickly grabbed her torn dress and clutched it against her chest.

Across the room, the man plopped down on the edge of the bed and lit a cigarette. His black trousers were still immaculately crisp, while his black dress shirt had the three top buttons undone.

He looked sexy and tempting as sin.

Chelsey's eyes were drawn to the cigarette, and inadvertently fell to the luxurious engagement ring around his finger. It lent another layer of irony to her inner turmoil.

Three years ago, Chelsey was just another hardworking employee who had been freshly promoted to secretary. She was tasked to accompany the distinguished Jason Martin on a business trip, and while in a hotel room on a foreign city, he pinned her to the bed.

She didn't resist. After sharing a night of passion, her boss cupped her jaw and told her that she was quite good in bed. One thing led to another, and here they were now, three years into their secret entanglement.

Chelsey was Jason's secretary by day, and his eager lover by night.

If Chelsey had to pin the blame for her foolish choices, it would be her naive, girlhood crush from when she was still a student.

Now that Jason was getting married, she wanted to get ahead of their circumstances and end their affair before it blew up. She didn't want to be mocked by the public as the other woman in what was arguably a perfect match between two social elites.

When all was said and done, Chelsey decided that she wanted to be the one to leave. Better to leave on her own terms than to be thrown out like some worthless tramp.

Carefully avoiding eye contact, she padded over to the door to fetch her overnight bag. Each time they had one of their trysts, she would always bring a spare set of clothes.

She knew her place, she didn't have the privilege to spend the night, much less to stand by his side.

Before Chelsey could even touch her bag, her other wrist was caught in a tight grip. He heart skipped a beat.

"One more time," the man growled. An order and not a request.

This time, he pushed her to her limits. When he was done, he held her by the jaw and forced her to meet his eyes. "Cancel tomorrow's blind date," he demanded.

Chelsey had no strength left in her, but she tried to scratch at his fingers. She mustered what sense of dignity she had left and spoke the bravest words she had ever uttered in the last three years.

"In that case, will you cancel your engagement?"

If Jason allowed it, Chelsey would be more than happy to spend her lifetime by his side. Provided that he kept unmarried.

Jason's face froze for a few brief seconds, then he let out a low chuckle.

The throaty sound brought to mind the purring of a cat, but with a chilling undertone that made her shudder with fright.

"You just crossed the line," he whispered, shattering all her hopes in one go.

But of course, Chelsey had always know that this man would never love her.

She averted her eyes again, then mimicked his chuckle, though hers sounded self-derisive. "You can refuse my request for a leave of absence, Mr. Martin. I'll just take my annual leave tomorrow. It's reasonable, isn't it? Perfectly legal, too."

His fingers suddenly tightened around her jaw, making her wince. Chelsey looked up at him, her expression defiant. She refused to compromise any more than she already had.

Based on the set of his brows, Jason was obviously displeased by her behavior. Still, he did not explode in anger.

He lived in a world where docile and obedient bunnies were in abundance and more than willing to warm his bed. He had no interest in holding on to one that bit his hands.

"Take your pills and clean up," he snapped as he released her and disappeared into the bathroom without a backward glance.

When Jason came out a few minutes later, the room was in pristine order.

In the middle of the bed was the bank card he had given Chelsey when they had first started their affair. It was meant to fund her luxurious whims and other needs in return for her services, but he soon found out that she hadn't spent a single penny from the account.

Scenes of her moaning under him flashed in his mind, and an immense yet inexplicable annoyance surged in his heart.

The next morning, nine o'clock, at the Westside Cafe...

This wasn't Chelsey's first blind date, but it would be the first time she was treating one seriously.

The candidate in front of her was thirty-six, and looked decent enough. He had just returned from overseas, and was now working as a senior engineer in an electronics company.

He was the quiet and reserved type, likely due to his line of work.

All throughout the date, Chelsey was taking the lead in the conversation.

She talked about the dowry, their future house, a family car-everything that her mother, Sylvia Ellis, had stipulated beforehand. And he agreed to all her terms.

At some point, Chelsey was struck with the realization that she had no reason not to give it a shot. Except maybe for the fact that her heart felt empty and heavy at the same time.

Chelsey remembered how, when she had left home earlier, her mother was playing the gentle and caring parent. She had even sent Chelsey's fifth-grade brother off, but not before giving Chelsey all sorts of advice on what to look for in a blind date. Sylvia had also made sure to reiterate how great marriage was.

Most of all, Sylvia had reminded Chelsey to ask for a higher dowry, so her brother wouldn't have to worry about his tuition fees in the future, and Sylvia herself would live a happy and comfortable life.

Chelsey smiled wryly at the thought. Sylvia seemed to have conveniently forgotten that she herself had been married a grand total of six times, and failed each of them.

Sylvia appeared out of nowhere two years ago, with a ten-year-old boy in tow, and wailed in front of her mother's old house. She all but demanded that Chelsey, the daughter she had abandoned for ten years, support her and her young son.

Sometimes, Chelsey found herself wondering if she could just disown her mother and claim that she didn't know who Sylvia was.

Sadly, her reality deprived her of the luxury of daydreaming about the ifs in life. That included her fantasies of ever being a match for the Martin family's golden boy, who had been raised with a silver spoon in his mouth.

Chelsey was pulled out of her musings by the sound of the chair scraping against the floor as Tim Hussain suddenly shot to his feet. He had a rather reverent look on his face as he addressed someone behind her. "Mr. Martin. What a coincidence."

Then the familiar scent of sandalwood hit her, and Chelsey tensed up in her chair. She looked up to a pair of dark, cold eyes. Her heart almost jumped to her throat.

What was Jason doing here?

He had never taken his coffee from cafes; he only drank the coffee she made.

"Right," Jason said dismissively. He looked away from Chelsey and nodded once at Tim, then walked up to the counter.

His reaction indicated that he had no idea who Tim was, but the latter was practically hopping with excitement.

Tim proceeded to yap about a paper Jason had published while the latter was still studying abroad. His admiration for the man was clear and fervent, and Chelsey was mortified. She chanced a peek in Jason's direction, hoping that he was well out of earshot.

He was not, but thankfully, he was on a phone call. "Yeah," he said in an uncharacteristically gentle voice. "As long as you like it. I'll see you later."

He picked up a cup of coconut milk tea and left. Coconut milk tea was a beverage particularly popular to girls. Chelsey would bet good money that he had bought it for his fiancee.

She felt a pang in her heart, and she could no longer pay attention to the rest of Tim's words.

As they drew their blind date to a close, Chelsey was surprised when Tim expressed his satisfaction with their little meet-up. And so, they both agreed to give it a shot.

He had barely asked her when she would like to meet next when he got a phone call from his company. Something urgent had come up, and he was needed. Tim apologized repeatedly, then they quickly made arrangements to see each other again, and he was gone.

Chelsey also went on her way, exiting the cafe and hailing a taxi. She wasn't sure if it was because she hadn't eaten breakfast, or if she had simply drunk too much coffee, but her stomach began to churn as soon as she got on the vehicle. She tried to hold back the nausea, but eventually lost the battle.

"Sir, could you please pull over..."

She didn't even finish her sentence before she heaved violently. Luckily, she was able to grab a trash bag and puked in it instead of all over the car.

The driver pulled over on the side of the road and handed over a packet of preserved plums. "That's morning sickness for you. My wife's was pretty severe, too. Something sour would keep it at bay, but it's going to be like this for the first trimester. Once you're past that, you can eat and sleep properly as before."

Chelsey was stunned by what she was hearing, even as she frantically calculated the schedule of her menstrual cycle. To her horror, it was delayed by a week already.

No, it couldn't be. She had always taken birth control pills-

She froze in her seat.

Three weeks ago, Jason went out on a social obligation that lasted the whole night. On the way home, they had sex in the car without protection twice.

Chelsey had intended to buy the pills the next morning, but she was derailed when she received a call saying that Sylvia was apprehended for gambling. Chelsey had been so furious that the pills completely slipped her mind, and by the time she remembered to take them, the window had already lapsed.

Her hand drifted down to her abdomen.

What were the odds of her finding out she was pregnant right after her blind date?

In a hospital downtown, Chelsey held on to her registration slip and joined the queue for the gynecology department.

When she turned the corner, she spotted a familiar figure just a few meters away.

Even in the din of the hustle and bustle of a place as hectic as a public hospital, she still recognized him at first glance.

His tailored black suit, which accentuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist, paired perfectly with the imposing manner with which he carried himself.

Jason held up the cup of coconut milk tea he had just bought and handed it to the woman next to him. As he did so, his diamond cuff links glinted in the light, making Chelsey flinch.

Her heart was hammering inside her chest, but she told herself not to look away. She wanted to see what this other woman looked like.

Just then, however, Jason suddenly turned in her direction.

Their eyes met.

Even in the distance, she could see the cold displeasure that passed over his face.

Chelsey plastered a smile on her face and nodded politely at him. She wanted to brush this unexpected meeting off as nothing more than a coincidence. But her stomach just had to act up again, and she was rushing to the nearest restroom.

As she turned away from Jason and his companion, her eyes caught sight of the sign hanging over the corridor they were in-Family Planning Office.

They must have come for pre-marital check-ups, then. She was quite surprised that Jason would take the time to attend.

Then Chelsey remembered the coconut milk tea, and her lips curled into a bitter smirk.

Of course, he would be thoughtful and considerate towards his future wife.

It was such a stark contrast to how he was with her. In the three years that Chelsey had warmed Jason's bed, she doubted he even knew what she liked to eat or drink.

No matter, she didn't have the time or the energy to dwell on these useless matters. Chelsey took a deep breath and stifled her nausea before dabbing her face with tissues. Then she opened the cubicle door and came out.

To her horror, she found Jason leaning casually against the side of the sink. He was nursing a cigarette, his brows knotted. She could tell that he didn't like the way the restroom smelled.

Was his fiancee also in here?

Chelsey immediately lowered her head and pretended not to see him.

Unfortunately, the hospital restroom was as basic as it got, and there was only one row of sinks. If she wanted to wash her hands, she had no choice but to approach Jason.

She was still deliberating on what to do when his cold voice cut through the air. "Are you pregnant?"

Chelsey whirled around, a mix of panic and pain thrashing like waves inside her.

To Jason, her reaction was as good a confirmation as any.

"Answer me!"

He strode towards her, each step he took making Chelsey tense up. He was so tall and imposing and... angry.

She knew with absolute certainty that if she was indeed pregnant, the man would drag her to the operating table himself.

There was no reality in which Jason would ever allow someone like her bear his child. Besides, a child out of wedlock would only jeopardize his precious engagement and impending marriage.

It mattered little whether he loved his fiancee or not. He would never change his mind for anything or anyone.

"No." Chelsey squared her shoulders and held her back straight. "It's just an upset stomach. I came to get some medicine."

"Oh, but the gastroenterology department is not on this floor." Jason's eyes narrowed. He didn't believe her at all.

Chelsey almost scoffed.

Just how averse was he to the idea of her getting pregnant?

"The elevator here happens to be a lot less crowded. If you doubt me so much, Mr. Martin, feel free to accompany me to the gynecology department and have them examine me."

Chelsey was confident that he wouldn't call her bluff. There was no way Jason would risk his fiancee seeing him go to the gynecology department with another woman.

Just as she expected, he just scoffed, then grabbed her chin with the same hand holding the cigarette. She froze as he brushed his thumb against her pale lower lip, lest she burned herself with the end of the cigarette that was just a breath away from her skin.

"You should know the price you'll have to pay if I find out that you're lying to me. Be a good girl and behave. And come to work tomorrow."

Jason let her go, just as abruptly as he had trapped her.

As his hand swept the air in front of her, Chelsey caught a faint whiff of perfume. It sent yet another pang of pain in her heart.

After tumbling in his sheets for three years, she was well aware of the man's pet peeves. And the one thing that Jason hated the most was the smell of women's perfume. Yet now...

Chelsey gritted her teeth. It turned out that he wasn't so rigid with his rules, after all, just with the people who were allowed to break them.

"I'm tendering my resignation," she said before she could stop herself.

Jason, who was already halfway to the door, stopped in his tracks. He turned and gave her a sardonic look. "What did you just say?"

"I want to quit my job," Chelsey repeated, sounding more composed and resolved this time.

For the first time in as long as she could remember, he looked at her-really looked at her.

Then his lips curled into a mocking smile. "Are you planning to be a housewife, then?"

Chelsea bristled, but held her ground. "There's nothing wrong with being a housewife. The important thing is that he will make me his wife."

"Do you like him?" Jason suddenly asked, his vice deep and icy.

Chelsey's chest tightened.

For a second there, she almost let herself believe that he was angry that she was going to marry someone else.

But his tone shifted to a teasing one as he continued speaking. "Do you think he'd be able to turn you on like I do?"

Chelsey felt her face grow hot.

During their passionate interludes, Jason usually dispensed with his aloof demeanor. He would be like a beast unleashed, talking dirty and not holding back. He liked biting her ear and squeezing her waist, too, and he loved it even more when she moaned and pleaded with him.

Never had he exposed his side to the public, so she was quite mortified by what he had just said.

"I know that guy, actually," Jason continued lightly. "The two of you aren't compatible. End it as soon as possible."

Chelsey watched as he stubbed his cigarette against the ashtray and flicked it into the bin. His face was blank, as though he was just assigning her yet another task that had to be dealt with immediately.

In the past, she would have complied without so much as a peep. But those days were gone. Chelsey didn't want the remaining shreds of her dignity to be trampled further and completely demolished by this man.

She summoned all her courage and imitated the same mocking tone he had used on her. She even flashed him a smirk.

"I'd like to give him a chance, though. Maybe it would feel better with him."

With that, she rinsed her hands and left without looking at Jason again.

Chelsey was shaking even as she stepped out of the hospital building. She didn't even return to the queue for her check-up, so terrified of Jason.

She had rarely defied or antagonized him, and this instance certainly took the cake. She had no idea what repercussions her actions would bring her. The one thing she did know, however, was that she needed to quit her job and be as far away from him as humanly possible.

Early the next morning, Chelsey stood in the bathroom for what felt like an eternity, hesitating whether to go to work or not. Less than two hours later, she was knocking on Jason's office door, walking into his office, and offering him her resignation letter.

"Please sign this, Mr. Martin," she said respectfully as she extended the envelope towards his desk.

Up until then, Jason never looked up from the documents he was reading. Her words finally made him pause.

He glared at her in disbelief, as if he had never imagined her to be so audacious.

They stared at each other as the seconds ticked by, and when he made no move to take the letter, Chelse calmly placed it on the desk and stood back, silent and waiting.

Half an hour passed before Jason acknowledged her. His deep, dark eyes locked onto her, causing her heart to thunder furiously in a mix of fear and anticipation.

"Have you thought about this carefully?" he asked slowly, his voice wrapping around her like a heavy, unwelcome blanket.

"Yes, I have," Chelsey replied as calmly as she could.

All of a sudden, he smirked and hooked his forefinger at her. "Come here."

Chelsey pressed her lips into a thin line and stayed put.

"Do you want me to approve your resignation or not?" Jason asked, sounding inviting and threatening at the same time.

With an inward sigh, Chelsey shuffled closer, still wary and on her guard. The scent of sandalwood enveloped her, but the suffocating feeling was still there.

Jason narrowed his eyes at her cautious expression and chuckled under his breath.

He wasn't the type of man who laughed. At most, he would smirk. So this small chuckle didn't mean that he was in a good mood. If anything, it was the harbinger of a storm that was about to come.

Chelsey's head spun as Jason sprang into action. In one fluid motion, he yanked her towards him and pinned her against the desk with his muscular frame. A pile of multibillion-dollar contracts fell to the floor, but neither paid it any mind.