The CEO's Hellish Passion

Chapter 7

Sheryl was stunned. Austin wasn't just some idle rich guy; he was the CEO of K.D. Group in Europe? And a member of the Mell family...

The Mell family was a European legend, known to anyone with some knowledge of finance. The European Mell family represented endless wealth and unassailable power.

No wonder even a highly popular star like Nova was willing to throw herself at him.

If she were to release the car scandal she had captured, the magazine wouldn't just be a hit; it would go crazy.

No wonder he went to great lengths to retrieve the memory card. It wasn't just for Nova; it was to protect his reputation as the CEO of the European branch.

She handed the card back to him so obediently—she couldn't believe how foolish she had been.

"Damn it!" Sheryl pounded the table in frustration, almost knocking over her cup.

Her phone rang, displaying an unfamiliar number. Sheryl answered, and a deep male voice came through the phone, "Tuesday night, 10 PM, be at my place."

Before she could respond, the caller hung up. It was bizarre. Was this guy insane? Yes, he was!

With the scandalous photos of Nova and Kendia in her possession, she wasn't concerned about his demands at the moment.

Sheryl quickly forgot about the call, finishing her article and sending it for printing.

The magazine, without censoring the faces of the two stars, sold out in no time.

Within a week, they had to print more copies, and the entire magazine office came to life.

The atmosphere at home improved too, with less yelling from Auntie.

Looking at all this, Sheryl couldn't be sure if her choice was worth it, but she had made it.

Once you choose to sell yourself, there is no room for regret. This was the real world, and there was no undoing your decisions.

The city was still lively at night. Sheryl walked alone, watching the commercial TV on a skyscraper showcasing the beauty of France—sophisticated and romantic.

She stopped and stared, feeling lost. Someone once told her, "Paris is the city of art. Don't you want to learn directing? I'll accompany you."

Those words were spoken during adolescence, with a voice slightly hoarse but captivating. Later, there was no follow-up.

The city of art, Paris, remained an unattainable dream.

Thinking of the boy who appeared repeatedly in her memories and dreams, Sheryl wondered how he was doing.

Had he grown taller, become more handsome? Did he have a girlfriend?

"Giulio, how are you?" She whispered faintly, quickly drowned out by the bustling city sounds.

Amidst the crowd, she stood alone on the street, feeling lonely and fragile.

A black Rolls-Royce urgently stopped in front of her. Sheryl lost in her thoughts, hesitated, but the rear car window slowly lowered, revealing Austin's cold face.

Suddenly, she wanted to escape.

"Are you deaf to my words?" Austin sat in the car, coldly watching her. His anger was evident, and he spoke with arrogance, "Get in."

Did she owe him?

The arrogant expression made Sheryl want to curse loudly, but she held back and managed an innocent smile."Sorry, I have plans tonight."

With that, she turned to leave.

Plans? With a man? Did this woman not understand her position? She belonged to him!

Austin's face darkened. He pushed the car door open and took a couple of steps forward.

He easily brought Sheryl back and pushed her into the car, his tall figure following closely. He ordered the driver, "Drive."

"Austin!" Sheryl yelled indignantly."Are you crazy? This is a public street!"

She couldn't believe he just dragged her into the car like that. Was he a gangster?

"Where were you on Tuesday night?" Austin stared at her intensely, the anger in his eyes palpable. He radiated dominance.

Tuesday night? Sheryl thought of the strange phone call a few days ago.

They hadn't seen each other since then, and he didn't call again.

She assumed someone like Austin, surrounded by women, had probably forgotten about her.

But now, it seemed otherwise. Was he planning to settle scores?

After a moment of contemplation, Sheryl intentionally acted as if she had just realized something.

"Oh... So that call was from you. I thought it was a prank call."

Austin's face darkened even more. Did she not recognize his voice?

Good. She successfully ignited his anger.

Austin glared at her, full of suppressed rage. The fire in his eyes flickered, making Sheryl shiver. She turned her head away, refusing to meet his gaze.

Suddenly, his hands came towards her.

Austin pressed her down on the back seat, kissing her fiercely. The scorching heat of his touch covered every inch of her mouth.

"Um..." Sheryl's eyes widened in shock. She tried to resist, pounding him with her hands.

Austin, however, slipped his hand under her thin sweater, showing domineering authority that allowed no resistance.

His fingers were just as skilled as his kissing technique.

Her body inexplicably heated up. Her mind gradually went blank, overwhelmed by a different sensation.

Slowly, Sheryl's attempts to resist weakened...

"Stop the car." Austin sat up, his clothes intact as if nothing had happened. He looked at her with desire, his eyes cold, "Get out!"

Sheryl instantly regained her senses. What was she doing? She almost succumbed to his skilled kisses.

Regaining her sanity, she wanted to slap herself."Fine, I'm leaving!" Sheryl didn't waste words; she pushed the car door open and got out.

Her complete lack of nostalgia infuriated Austin. With a voice like a devil, he said, "You'll come begging for me."

He had forcefully taken her once and could make her come to his mansion the second time. He knew no woman could play games with him.

Whether she intentionally avoided him or played hard to get, he would be the one to dictate the rules of this romantic game.

Without waiting for Sheryl to react, the Rolls-Royce sped away.

What did he say? She would come begging for him? What a joke! No one would beg him!

The car was driving too fast; otherwise, she might have kicked it one more time to vent her frustration.

However, three days later, Sheryl unsurprisingly found herself at Austin's mansion, a move that made her want to slap herself.

But she had no choice. Just as Austin had confidently predicted, she had come to plead with him.

The economic companies behind Nova and French star Kendia, both affiliated with Nova, took the"AZ" magazine to court.

Leaving aside whether they could win the case, the legal fees alone posed a huge financial burden on them.

When Sheryl collected money from her aunt, she seemed delighted. But now, she refused to contribute a single penny and even threatened to divorce her uncle.

Her uncle, known for his gentle and kind nature, valued the family above all else.

If the family were to fall apart, Sheryl couldn't fathom what he would become. She had to do her best to help him salvage the situation.

The one person who could change the circumstances was Austin.

Sitting on the plush sofa in the living room, Sheryl glanced at her wristwatch.

As the hours passed from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., her anxiety grew. Austin still hadn't returned.