Dote On Devil: Submissive To Desire

It was another stormy night.

A lone figure stood in front of huge French windows, staring at the barrage of lightning followed by rumbling thunder with a frown on his face. For Hans Xia, such weather always made him inexplicably irritable.

He had just woke up from the dream that had haunted him for the past eight years-the same weather, the same night, the same dream. Each moment was dripping with torment that he usually couldn't wait to find solace in drink. Memories reared their ugly head, each of it repainting that bloody scene inside his head.

A sudden crack of thunder boomed, and the room was momentarily illuminated in white light. Hans Xia's cold, handsome face was reflected in the window.

He cut a desolate figure standing in front of the windows, his back ramrod straight and his hands clenched into tight fists. His chest felt heavy, suffocating, and his heart ached. He turned around and walked toward the heavy door to pick up the keys lying on the table near it.

He slammed the door and slid into his limited-edition Lamborghini, finally leaving the mansion behind.

The breeze of the late autumn punctuated the joyful atmosphere in the city, but the same wind ruthlessly buffeted frail body of a woman whose mind was seemingly weighted down by lead and whose every step took monumental effort to make. Moira Lin walked alone, among the cars that passed by and couples hugging each other tightly and spending a delightful evening together. A sweet scent permeated the surroundings.

However, this pleasant atmosphere was lost to her. The conversation between her adoptive parents that she had overheard just now kept replaying in her mind.

"We brought Moira up well, so we should be able to get a good price for her."

"Yes, raising her was not such a waste, after all. I did spend a lot of money on supporting her studies. It's a good opportunity for us to get out of poverty."

"Anyway, that girl should thank us for finding such a rich man for her."

The unpleasant faces of her adoptive parents flashed in Moira Lin's mind. Were they really the people she had trusted the most all her life? How could they manipulate her fate like this? She had always treated them respectfully even if they weren't related by blood.

Desperate to stop thinking about it at length, Moira Lin was filled with a profound sadness and at a loss on how to vent. She lingered outside a bar for a while and ultimately decided to enter. At that moment, she had all but lost her sanity.

The smoky air inside the dimly-lit bar reeked of loneliness and desperation emanating from the single men and women patrons that night. 'I'm in perfect company, then.'

Moira Lin approached the counter and ordered, "I'd like a glass of beer, please."

With a full glass of beer in her hand, she closed her eyes and drank it up in one shot.

"Ahem..." Moira Lin had never drank alcohol before. She sought to find comfort in alcohol, yet she felt even worse. Her reality hit her more keenly; her adoptive parents wanted to sell her to the manager of her adoptive father's company. How could they completely disregard her feelings on the matter? Bitter tears rolled unchecked down her face.

"Hey, who is this little shorty? Do you want me to buy you another drink?" She turned to find several bald men who had gotten close to her. It was rare to see such a pure, untouched young woman in the bar, and so they swooped in like hyenas for the kill.

One hand landed on her shoulder, prompting Moira Lin to hastily walk away. She instinctively knew that those men were not kind.

In a small corner booth, she guzzled down a few more glasses of beer. Unable to stand the atmosphere inside, she walked out of the bar weaving on her feet and her head spinning.

A gust of wind met her as she stepped out, and she couldn't help shivering after leaving the relative warmth of the bar. Rain was pouring in sheets, and she tugged her thin coat about her to ineffectually ward off the rain and the cold. She was stewing in anger when she walked out of the house earlier, so she didn't think to dress more warmly.

Without any hesitation, Moira Lin rushed out under the pelting torrents. She could feel the effects of alcohol in her system, but they did not dull the pain in her heart. Why did her adoptive parents treat her like this? All her life, she had tried her best to please them, but they ended up treating her in the most despicable manner possible. At that moment, she felt disappointment in them. Even this world had failed her.

Inside his car, Hans Xia drove at the highest speed, but his mind was empty. He didn't know what to do, and he found himself getting angry at how helpless he was at the moment. The more he tried to calm himself down, the more memories came rushing back. He often thought that if such nightmares persisted, then he would forever be haunted by that woman named Lois Xu.

Beneath his closed eyes, his memories of her played like a movie. They were at the beach. The sun was shining brightly that day, and couples frolicked in the water and lounged on the beach. The woman suddenly appeared beside him and shaded his eyes, saying, "Let me take care of you!" That exact sentence made him think that he would be happy for the rest of his life with her.

A flash of movement interrupted his thoughts, and he quickly slammed on the brakes. He saw a lot of people starting to gather in front of the car, so he decided to step out to have a look.

Irritated, Hans Xia opened the door impatiently. In this horrible weather, why were these people flocking on the road and blocking his way?

The rain had stopped, but the wind blowing through the city was even more violent than before.

The crowd parted to reveal a young woman lying prone on the ground, drenched to the bone. She was trembling slightly-whether from the cold or pain, nobody knew.

"What's going on? Was it a hit-and-run situation?"

"Looks like the girl is seriously injured. Is she unconscious?"

"Did anyone call the ambulance?"

After he verified with his own eyes that it was an accident, Hans Xia shook his head with disdain. He was not interested in joining that crowd. He whirled around and was about to go back to his car when the young woman reached out a hand in his direction and said something that made the crowd look at him strangely.

"Why is this man just looking at his lover and not doing anything?"

"Men can be so unreliable when it actually counts."

Somebody even shouted angrily, "What are you waiting for? Bring her to the hospital, hurry! Do you want to see your lover die? You look like you intend to walk out on her after the car accident. Did you hit her on purpose?"

The usually calm and composed Hans Xia didn't know what to do at that moment. The people around him misunderstood. He had never even met this girl before, so he was under no obligation to save her.

Unable to bear the discussion of the passers-by any longer, he dialed a number and said, "Come to Seaside Road in five minutes."

The man on the other end of the phone arrived in five minutes.

As the CEO of the J Group in A City, Hans Xia officially took over the company at the age of 18. Within two years after taking control of the company, he had utilized his keen powers of observation to acquire several bankrupt companies in A City and take them under J Group's wing. Under his command, the company managed to accomplish several notable achievements in their respective fields and become a powerful enterprise in A City that nobody could underestimate. The industry quickly grew impressed with the young CEO, even going as far as saying that Hans Xia was even more capable than his father. Now, Hans Xia had made J Group the biggest real estate company in the city, with a working capital of hundreds of millions of dollars every day.

At that particular moment, however, none of his business savvy could help him. The girl lying on the ground clearly said just as he was about to leave, "Honey... take me to the hospital."

'Damn it! How dare you slander me like this! Don't you want to stay in this city anymore?'

As soon as the door of the car slammed closed behind her, Moira Lin became aware of her surroundings and sensed that there was something wrong. She lifted a hand toward Hans Xia, who looked like he was about fly off into a rage. Seething, he stalked toward the newcomer's vehicle to confront the woman, but the sight of her face stopped him in his tracks, stunned. While his gaze remained focused on the woman, he said to the other man, "Bring her to the my place and inform Dr. An immediately."

Moira Lin woke up one day later.

She opened her eyes into slits, as the harsh light was slightly painful to her eyes. She rubbed her eyes harder and tried to sit up on the bed.

A piercing pain knifed inside her head. She weakly pressed fingers against her temples. She tried to speak, but her voice came out in a croak.

Where was she?

Disoriented, she looked around the bedroom she was in. It was spacious and decorated sparsely but elegantly, and the bed she had been sleeping in just moments ago was massive. Evidently, the bedroom belonged to someone affluent. But what did it have to do with her?

'Do I live here? Why does my head hurt?' Her head was wrapped with a thick bandage. After taking stock of her surroundings, she realized something serious. 'Who am I? Why can't I remember my name?'

Everything felt overwhelming and confusing to her. She was starting to panic when the door suddenly opened and a strange man came in.

Dressed in casual clothes, the man stood before her. He was tall and slender, and his exquisite, sharp features and deep-set eyes took her breath away. She sat there looking up at him in a daze.

"Who are you? Why am I here? Can you tell me what happened?" Out of fear, Moira Lin leaned back against the headboard and clutched the silk quilt with her hands.

Unaware of the woman's current situation, Hans Xia walked up to her and said, "You're awake."

"What's going on? Why can't I remember anything? Can you tell me my name?"

All of a sudden, he realized that something was very, very wrong. The young woman he had helped the night before didn't even know her name. Was it intentional, or was her brain actually damaged by the accident?

"Lois, you don't even know your name?" Hans Xia was rarely ever as gentle as he was in that moment. He came even closer and gently touched her hair, but he immediately withdrew his hand when he heard a gasp from her.

"Lois, I'm sorry. Does your head still hurt?"

She pressed a fist to her temple. "Yes, it hurts. Who are you to Lois?" After a moment, she said tentatively, "So...my name is Lois."

He didn't know whether to laugh or to cry at this development. One look into her guileless eyes, and he could definitely tell that she had really lost her memories.

"Lois, how could you forget? I'm your fiance. We just got engaged last month, didn't we?"

'Engaged? Fiance?' A whole train of questions ran in her mind.

"Are we supposed to get married soon?" After asking this question, she felt a little embarrassed at her obvious question. Of course, their engagement must mean that they were getting married soon. Blood rushed to her face, betraying her unease.

He observed the young woman before him and realized her character resembled Lois Xu's-shy, reticent, and naturally defensive. He gave his private doctor a call.

"Sir, Lois Xu hit her head in the car accident. A blood clot formed in her brain and hasn't dissolved yet, so it's pressing on her nerves, causing temporary amnesia. As long as she gets a good quality rest for some time, the blood clot will slowly recede, and her memories may be restored."

The doctor had grown used to Hans' gloomy face and how he could fly off the handle with the slightest provocation. To his surprise, Hans only sneered and did not say anything. His reaction was totally unexpected.

"Lois, I told you to rest. Why are you still up?" His words were full of genuine concern.

"Is my brain damaged? Why can't I remember anything?" She looked up at him with a worried, innocent expression in her eyes.

With that one glance, Hans felt an unidentifiable emotion slowly creeping inside his heart. He was as powerless to resist the pureness of this young woman. She was just like Lois.

"Lois, you only lost your memories temporarily. You will slowly recover after resting for some time."

He slowly approached her and slid an arm around her shoulders. The idea of protecting this girl was slowly taking root in his mind.

Moira was surprised by what Hans did. She was about to duck out of the embrace, but he held her fast in his strong arms.

Warmth slowly seeped into her heart. He was her fiance, and she had never felt this safe and secure in another person's arms until now. She slowly and carefully allowed herself to relax against the man's chest.

A satisfied smile appeared at the corners of his mouth. Finally, this woman would be his.

He gently stroked her head, marveling at how the shiny black hair was just like Lois'. Even the faint fragrance wafting from her body and teasing his nose was so similar, as was her face. He could clearly recall how he had almost uttered Lois' name when he first saw the young woman's appearance.

Eight years had passed, and for a moment, he felt that he had seen Lois' face again. She had the same beautiful hair, the same cute nose, the same little mouth, the same clear eyes, and the same pale skin. What he found the most remarkable about the woman's features was the red mole on her forehead, which was the same mark as Lois'. Never had he encountered two people who were so similar.

Lois once said that this red mole was a mark that was uniquely her own, and that Hans would always think of her when he saw it. That night, when he saw that identical mark, he felt like his control was slipping from his grasp and he was filled with a bitterness that he couldn't describe. It was then that he decided to bring this stranger home, as if to make amends to Lois.

He didn't know what he felt for this girl. The only thing he knew was that he wanted to keep her in his arms, away from harm.

"Lois, please have a rest. Ah, but first, take the medicine." He grabbed a pillow and placed it between the headboard and the woman's back. As soon as he was satisfied with her seating position, he stood up to get the glass of water on the bedside table.

At the sight of so many different pills, Hans couldn't keep a frown from forming between his eyebrows. He constantly fought a lot of fights in the business world, and yet he always refused to take the medicine like a kid. It was only Lois who had ever succeeded in making him take the medicine without a hitch. She had left so many traces in his life, but the memories had somewhat grown dim with time. Many years had passed; he wished for only the good memories to remain, yet everything remained to make him suffer, like penance for all his sins.

"Ahem..." The sound of her little cough brought him back to reality.

"Lois, slow down..." He gently thumped her on the back. She was wearing silk pajamas, which exposed the delicate curves of her neck. His heart was filled restlessness, but he didn't know why.

"Are the pills very bitter, Lois?" He marveled at how someone with a horrible temper like him could be so gentle toward another person.

"I'm not afraid of the taste. Besides, I know that I could only get better soon if I took these pills." As she spoke, a sweet smile spread on her face, and a mischievous dimple made an appearance on her cheek.

Hans felt his heart clench at the sight.

After urging her to lie down, Hans considerately tucked her in. Sitting by the bedside, he watched as she drifted off to sleep, one of her small hands in his. Her slender fingers were as white as jade. He breathed a sigh of relief as he watched her breathing deepen.

After laying a gentle kiss on her forehead, Hans quietly left the room.

When he went downstairs, the servant had already put a bottle of French wine on the table. He felt very happy today. His good mood must have something to do with the appearance of that woman.

He filled half of the glass with wine and sipped it slowly. It was the first time in a long while that he didn't need to use alcohol to numb himself.

'Lois, I have finally found a woman who looks like you so much. Can you give me a chance to make up for everything?'

As they grew up together, Lois had become a part of his life. When he was frustrated, she appeared before him with perfect timing. When he was starving for family affection, she unhesitatingly supported him with her soft body. She filled his dreams back then. He didn't know when he started to fall in love with her, his childhood sweetheart-love just slowly but surely appeared. That love, which bloomed along the growth of two people, could have been a wonderful conclusion to the story of two lives as closely intertwined as theirs, but real life was seldom that poetic or kind to dreamers.

Just then, his father, Colton Chu, opened the door and walked in. Although he was over 50 years old, he was as high spirited and exuberant as he was when he was younger. After seeing that his son was drinking again, he only glanced indifferently at him and hurried to another room. Hans acted as if nothing had happened. He was quite indifferent to Colton's appearance. The relationship between father and son had been like this since eight years ago. The two of them would not easily communicate with each other unless it involved a major company decision.

Moira had been missing for a day and a night, and Ralph Zhou received no news of her. He was pacing back and forth in the corridor. Ralph Zhou knew that Moira was a sensible girl. Did she choose to escape because she couldn't accept he fate? Even if she hated her adoptive parents for selling her, why did she ignore him? With their close relationship, he was sure that she would tell him everything-even if something else was bothering her at the time, she would definitely tell him as soon as she was able. Now, he couldn't find her anywhere. He kept trying to call the familiar number only to hear that cold voice saying on the other end of the line over and over, "The number you dialed is powered off." Ralph Zhou sensed that something was wrong. At that moment, Celia Geng came over. "Ralph, is there still no news about Moira?"

He shook his head. "I have searched every place that she frequents, but there is no trace of her."

"Don't worry. Moira must have overheard her parents' conversation and couldn't accept it for now, so she probably stepped out to clear her head." Celia Geng looked at the man in front of her. He looked like he hadn't slept a wink all night, and the set of his shoulders betrayed his anxiousness. She knew how much he cared about Moira-after all, they were the most popular couple in C University. Now that Moira had disappeared, this man must be feeling nervous.

"Well, that's the only logical explanation I could think of." Ralph Zhou nodded helplessly. He could only comfort himself in this way.

He walked to the window, the light in his eyes unusually dull.

This was the first time that he had been so upset. Moira had always been a reassuring presence in his life ever since they met. Now, she was nowhere to be found, like she had vanished from the face of the earth. There was no news of her at all. It wasn't until all this had happened that he realized that he loved her much more than he had imagined.

Celia Geng looked at his back, and her mind wandered. If she disappeared one day, would he be as anxious as he was now? Would he go crazy to find her? Perhaps she was just being sentimental. When she and Moira stood side by side, his gaze never lingered on her. From beginning to end, he was affected by only Moira.

Hans opened the door to his bedroom. Suddenly, he stopped and whirled around to head toward another room. Would he feel relieved if he saw that woman before going to bed?

He gently pushed the door open and entered the room without turning on the lights. He followed the sliver of moonlight through the window, stood by the bed, and reached out to light a little bedside lamp. After tucking her in, he found her wet bangs clinging to her sweat-dotted forehead. He took out the handkerchief that he usually carried around and gently wiped the sweat on her forehead. The monogrammed L of the handkerchief was momentarily illuminated by the moonlight and faded into obscurity in the next moment.

Afraid that she might have nightmares, Hans gently touched her messy bangs.

"Don't leave me..." Moira sobbed out, and her hand reached out to clutch at his clothes tightly. Hans felt sorry for her and stroked her forehead. "Lois, don't be afraid. I'm here with you."

All of a sudden, the room quieted down, as if a magic being suddenly waved a wand. Hans steeled himself to keep from making any movement and allowed her to hold onto his clothing. Did she really think of him as an insensate being?

One of Lois' favorite activities was to hold onto him when she was sick. She also liked to cling to his pinkie finger. At times, when he tried to break free from her grasp, she would stretch out her hand again as soon as he loosened her hand. There were times when Lois seemed like an elder sister to him, but sometimes, she seemed as innocent as a child. Hans could resist neither of them.

On the second morning, Moira woke up to a shocking sight. Why did Hans fall asleep in her bed? She tried to gently pull her hand out of the sleeping man's grasp.

Hans heard a rustling movement and opened his eyes. His gaze landed on the girl who was staring at him with alarmed eyes. Everything about her was so cute, especially her slightly pouted lips, which were red and tender. He tried his best to be calm, but he found himself undeniably attracted to the young woman. He wanted to have her so badly.

The thought shook him into wakefulness. "Lois, you're awake. Does your head hurt?"

"No, it doesn't hurt anymore," she softly replied. "Why are you here?" It was hard for her to speak because of how nervous she was.

"Have you forgotten that you held onto my clothes last night and refused to let me go?" A rare smile appeared on Hans' face. This man had a face that most women would find incredibly attractive, but his smile would have rendered them stunned by its beauty. Moira was suffering from its effects-she was feeling unaccountably shy because of her reaction to it and his words. How could she be like that? Did he feel that she had gone too far?

A touch of color suffused her face. In his eyes, this woman's allure was unmatched. Didn't she know that her every word and action made him imagine?

Before she could figure out what was going on, Hans suddenly leaned over and kissed her. Absently, she thought about how his lips tasted like mint. Alarmed, she tried to escape from the man's gentle kiss, but he held her by the shoulders and gave her no room to escape.

At that moment, Hans lost himself in the sweet taste of the woman. He gently devoured every corner of her mouth and greedily captured her breath. 'She's so awkward. Maybe it's her first kiss, ' he thought to himself. The thought did nothing to cool his ardor.

All of a sudden, Moira wrenched her face away from his questing mouth and glared at him with dissatisfaction. She gasped out, "How could you...without my permission..."

"Can't I kiss my fiancee?"

"You..."

Before she could say another word, he pulled her into his arms. His hug was so comforting that she found herself melting against him.

"Lois, do you want to take a shower?"

"What? Yes, of course. But..."

"Lois, you are being shy again. Who grabbed my clothes last night? Besides, who do you think put you into your pajamas?"

Feeling uneasy all of a sudden, she looked down at her pajama-clad body. Did he change her clothes for her? If so, then her body would have been completely exposed to him.

"How could you do that?" she said in an alarmed voice.

"You are to become my wife. Why can't I see your body?" He liked the woman's shyness. She was as pure as a blank piece of white paper, and he couldn't resist teasing her a little.

Then, he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bathroom.

The bathtub was as big as a room, and delicate rose petals were scattered on the water's surface. Hans gently put Moira down on a chair beside the bathtub and said, "Lois, the bath's ready for you. Enjoy your soak-it's good for your health."

Looking up at him with a timid look, she wondered why he hadn't left yet. Although he was her future husband, she still couldn't accept baring herself in front of him like this.

Hans had already seen through her. He stood still on purpose and stared at her.

Uncomfortable under his wavering regard, Moira had no choice but to say, "Well... you can leave now."

With a sly smile on his face, Hans teased, "Lois, since when have you become so formal with me? I used to bathe you all the time."

She blushed at those words, even her neck turned red. She said in a slightly anguished tone, "You'd better go out now. I can do it myself."

"Lois, when did you begin to dislike me?" Before he could say more, he was hurriedly pushed out of the bathroom by the brightly blushing woman. This woman's innocence was just too irresistible.

At the moment when the door was closed, Moira breathed a sigh of relief. In the past, was she really as intimate with him as he had described? Now, she didn't even remember his name. He told her that she was in a car accident. Was she deeply in love with him before it? Was their relationship as sweet as a young girl's first love, as shown on TV? What was their own love story like? She was curious about her life before she lost her memories.

Ralph didn't sleep for the whole night. Just before dawn, his phone suddenly rang, breaking the silence. He thought that the caller was Moira, but he was filled with disappointed when he heard a different voice on the other end.

"Dad, why are you calling?" Ralph was a little surprised that his father called him at this time.

"Ralph, come home tonight. I have something to discuss with you." Before he could reply, his father hastily dropped the call.

'Come home? Why is asking me to come home? Perhaps...'

Ralph helplessly tossed the phone aside and hurried out of the room. He still had to go and look for Moira. He swore never to give up until he found her.

Celia arrived. Fortunately for him, Moira's best friend helped him look for her, or else he wouldn't have had a clue where to start.

"Ralph, I heard last night that Moira went to a bar in the suburbs on the night of her disappearance. Someone saw her in the bar."

Hearing this, Ralph's gloomy face lit up as if he was tossed a life-saving straw. "Really? Celia, thank you so much. Let's go to the bar now."

Celia smiled. "Let's have breakfast first, or you will be sick before you can find Moira." Then, she reached out and offered him the food in her hand.