He stood at the door, blocking the weak light from the corridor. I looked up and met his eyes. They were so dark. It was as if he had just emerged from the darkness.
"I'm here to pick you up," he answered. And as he spoke, he lifted his hand to let me see the car keys he was holding.
I could hear that Monique had come out of the bathroom, so I pushed Hendrix back a few steps while speaking to Monique, "Monique, I'm going out for a while!"
Then, I closed the door and pulled Hendrix to the stairwell.
I knew it was inappropriate to quarrel at that time and location, so I softened my tone and said, "I'm going to stay here for a while. Don't worry. I'll take good care of myself and the baby."
"Come back to the villa," he coldly insisted, "Minnie can take care of you."
I grimaced, "Hendrix, I..."
"If you really want to live here, Minnie and I will come and stay with you," he continued in all seriousness.
Our conversation had begun to make me feel suffocated. I took a deep breath and said, "It's too small here. It can't possibly fit all of us."
"Then come back to the villa," Hendrix repeated.
I didn't know what else I could say.
The stairwell was empty, and our soft- spoken conversation still slightly echoed through the stairwell.
I looked up at him and made a compromise, "I'll go back tomorrow.¹'
He nodded in agreement but proposed another condition, "Okay. Then I'll stay here with you tonight."
What the hell?
Knowing his perversity, if I didn't go back to the villa with him, he would probably stay for the night.
I gave up and let him have his way. I headed towards the elevator, "Let's go."
As we went downstairs, I sent a message to Monique. I didn't have my car keys, so I got into Hendrix's car.
I climbed into the passenger seat, and I could feel that Hendrix brightened up a little bit. He fastened my seat belt before he closed the door and walked over to the driver's side of the car.
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