*WARNING: The following content may contain mildly mature content that may not be suitable for younger audiences.
A man called her name, a sense of urgency in his voice. It was deep and smooth, but also familiar. Gradually, Mimi's consciousness returned, and she slowly opened her eyes. She could see him in front of her, but she couldn't tell if it was a dream or reality.
"...Tobias."
She felt the warm and large hand holding hers tighten its grip.
"It's me. I'm right here." Tobias gently kissed her bandaged wrists. A soft smile on his handsome but tired face.
When she heard his voice and felt his gentle actions, Mimi suddenly felt emotional.
"...Tobias." Tears welled up in her eyes and began to fall.
Tobias's expression stiffened at the sight before discomfort etched his face. He rose himself from the chair and held her head to his sturdy chest with his strong arms and gently caressed her back. Then he repeatedly whispered in her ear that it was okay.
The feeling of his lips pressing gently against her forehead warmed her heart.
'She couldn't live without this man.'
At the sudden thought, Mimi's arms around his waist squeezed even more. The two stayed in this position until they heard the sound of a door slide open.
"Mimi!" The familiar sound of her brother's voice entered her ears.
Tobias stepped back, giving her a clear vision of Alec as he walked toward her side and stared.
"You...were you crying?" Alec was stunned to see the wet streaks running down her face.
Mimi gave out a soft laugh and wiped her eyes. "Geez, what a way to greet someone, big brother."
Alec scratched awkwardly scratched his cheek and cleared his throat. Coming over with some wet wipes, Tobias began cleaning the tears from her face. Mimi smiled and allowed the man to pamper her. Watching on the side with a helpless smile, Alec sighed.
"How are you feeling?" The concern on his face was evident, his eyes landing on her bandaged wrists and bruised cheek.
"I'm fine. Although a little scratched up, he didn't do too much to me." Mimi giggled.
Alec frowned. "But still...he knows—"
"That won't be a problem." Tobias cut him off calmly, but his voice held a hint of warning.
Pursing his lips, Alec could only sigh at the matter. Mimi understood her brother's concern and just smiled. To be honest, she never considered the possibility of revealing herself to her father.
If anything, it would have brought her more satisfaction to destroy him while looking him in the eye. But now...
Mimi had remembered the words Shen Jue said to her before he knocked her out. She bit her lip and dug her fingernails into her palms.
"Mimi." A hand brushed aside her sweat-dampened hair with gentle movements.
Mimi flinched and lifted her head. She had fallen too deep into thought. With a smile on her face, she chuckled.
"Sorry, I'm just a little tired."
Tobias looked at her with a deep gaze before he sounded a faint grunt.
"You should rest more. We'll keep you in the hospital for one more day just to make sure, then you can return home." Tobias explained while he touched her soft cheek.
Mimi pouted. She hated hospitals. Not only did they smell funny, but there were too many sick people. Not to mention death. However, she could bear with for a day.
"Okay." She obediently nodded her head.
Tobias's gentle smiled remained unchanged while he continued touching her cheek. Alec suddenly cleared his throat, his narrowed gaze on the hand touching his sister's cheek. Reluctantly, Tobias pulled his hand away, while Mimi frowned with annoyance.
"You're just jealous I stole Toby away from you." Mimi huffed.
The eyebrow on Tobias's face raised. Meanwhile, a furious blush bloomed on Alec's cheeks as he quickly shook his head.
"I'm not gay! I told you, I'm straight as a stick!"
Mimi covered her mouth and looked at Alec pitifully. "But big brother...not all sticks are straight."
"Shut up!"
Turning toward Tobias with her beautiful and pitiful eyes, Mimi pouted.
"Toby, do you see that? He's jealous of me! What if he tries to flirt with you and snatch you away from me?" She tugged on his clothes and spoke in a soft voice filled with complaint.
Mimi's eyes stared up into his with such intensity, his heart stirred. Tobias just smiled at her pitiful act as he gently stroked her head.
"Trust me...If I'm ever going to bend for anyone, it's going to be for you."
Not just Mimi, but Alec also was dumbfounded by his words. Clearing her throat, she let go of his clothes and straightened herself up.
"I'm a little tired now." She evaded his intense eyes.
Tobias nodded and kissed her on the forehead despite Alec's warning stare.
"I'll be right outside if you need me."
Mimi nodded and propped her head gently on the pillow. Tobias smiled and stroked her cheek with his thumb. He leaned down and moved his lips gently to her ear to whisper.
"Happy birthday."
After speaking, Mimi's eyes widened. With everything that happened, she didn't even have time to remember it.
She was eighteen now.
Mimi looked at him with flashing eyes as he just smiled.
"Rest." He touched her forehead before turning away.
When they left, she stared up at the ceiling with a stoic expression. Memories start to flood her head, slowly blossoming darkness within her heart. Her head swam, her mouth flooded with saliva. She felt as though she was going to throw up.
Taking a deep breath, she let out a heavy breath. She couldn't see properly – tears were stinging her eyes; everything was suddenly a blur.
...
The next day, the doctor visited to carry out a thorough check-up on her. When they found nothing wrong after testing the fifth time, Mimi was able to return home. Driving in the passenger seat of Tobias's car, Mimi stared out the window and watched as blurs of scenery passed by.
"Are you okay?" Tobias asked.
She turns her head and smiles. "I'm all right."
He smiled and with one hand on the wheel, he reached the other to grab her hand. Their fingers interlocked, giving her heart a warm and fuzzy feeling. Mimi's eyes softened. She stared at their joined hands and fell into deep thought.
"Everything will be all right now." She whispered.
Arriving at her apartment, Tobias stayed for a few hours, made dinner and then left. A day after, Tobias invited all of Mimi's closest companions to celebrate her eighteenth birthday. This included her neighbors Glen and Grace, who offered to make her birthday cake. It was small, but a heartwarming party.
Mimi stared at the group before her with a soft gaze. Who would have thought, after everything, she was able to meet such wonderful people.
Emilia Yimo as a gift gave her a wardrobe of the most recent collection from her company. It had been months since it launched, and it was already trending amongst women and men.
"Thank you," Mimi giggled and hugged the girl warmly, to Emilia's surprise. It was the first the girl engaged in physical contact that wasn't childish or perverted.
Happy, she hugged her back only to feel a hand touch her behind.
"Have you been doing squats lately? Your butt seems bigger?" Mimi glanced down and fondled the soft flesh between her fingers.
Emilia's face burst into an intense and heated blush.
"Pervert!"
Mimi laughed and revived disapproving stares of everyone within the room. Even though she had just become an adult, there was no help changing awful habits.
For the remainder of the night, everyone conversed, play games, watched movies and ate cake. When it was over, everyone helped clean the mess before going home and wishing Mimi a happy birthday.
Waving at everyone at the doorway, Mimi sighed and looked up at the night sky. The depths of her eyes darkened before she went back inside to eat the rest of the cake.
The following days were peaceful as if the situation that happened before never happened.
As if it were one terrible nightmare for everyone.
Since then, Mimi hadn't seen Shen Jue. She wasn't sure if he ran away or her father did something to him. Either way, she hoped the bastard wasn't dead.
Tobias ordered that Mimi took a break from work for the next couple of days while she recovered. Outside she appeared fine, but he knew something must have happened when her father took her. Every so often, he would see stare off into space with a vacant expression.
It worried him.
A week had past and things became even calmer. Too calm.
That day, Tobias left work early to visit Mimi's apartment. When he opened the door, the lights within every room were off. His dark eyes dimmed a little.
Quietly, he set his spare keys on the kitchen counter and walked in after removing his shoes. Making his way toward the bedroom, he paused. The door was closed. Tobias's heart stirred a little.
Slowly, he opened the bedroom door and entered. The first thing he saw within the darkroom, was a lump in the center of the bed. Despite the darkness, he could see a slight trembling.
The depths of his eyes darkened. Loosening the tie around his neck and removing the suit jacket from his shoulders, Tobias settled down on the bed – moving closer to the lump on the bed. The figure inside the blanket tensed. Pulling her closer, he rest his head on what he believed to be the top of her head.
After a long moment of silence, he slowly unwrapped the blanket to reveal a pink nose and a pair of bloodshot eyes. It was clear she had been crying.
Tobias's heart gripped in pain. He reached out and encircled her in his arms, gently kissing her forehead. Mimi's face was pressed against his chest as she sniffled. She gripped his shirt and breathed in his calming musk.
Mimi raised her pale lips and pressed them softly against his strong neck. Tobias groaned, his hold on her tightening.
"Mimi..." He murmured breathlessly.
She ignored him, continuing to suck his neck before sitting up and wrapping her legs around his waist. She was straddling him now.
The girl's lips captured his fiercely. She sucked on his lips a little then she bit his lower lips lightly and licked it. Then she put her tongue in his mouth.
Tobias groaned into her mouth and gripped her waist in his large hands. His hips ground into her and she moaned when his hard bulge rubbed against her core. She bucked her hips and moaned softly into his throat.
He had found the girl's movements were urgent as if she was afraid he'd disappear.
At the thought of this, his heart trembled. Tobias held her by the waist, turned over, and pushed her down on her back, his lips pressing harder against hers, deeper. His tongue roamed her mouth, lapping at the roof and nearly reaching her tonsils. Mimi whimpered.
Tobias felt her cool, soft hands untuck his shirt then slide across his chest and muscles until he felt their direction slowly wandering down.
He stiffened.
Sensing the destination of her roaming hands, Tobias barely pulled apart from her now wet, pink lips.
"Mimi..." he tried to pull away, warning in his tone.
The girl didn't give him room to speak and once again covered his lips, biting and licking his lips, chin, and throat. The frantic force seemed like the person wanted to swallow him whole - refusing no as an answer. When he finally pushed her away, he was panting heavily, dark heated eyes staring down at her.
Mimi looked up at him, her lips swollen, eyes slightly teary.
"Tobias...I need you." She whispered hoarsely. "I want to do it with you."
Seeing her with reddened eyes that were as if she would cry, Tobias felt a certain stiffness in his heart.
'Damn it.'