He Owned Me First

CHAPTER 1 - He Is Getting In My Nerves!

Alexa’s Point of View

“WHAT are you doing here?”

My eyes widened in shock when I saw Phoenix enter our house, and I was even more surprised to see his suitcases being carried up to the room one by one by his staff.

“I am here to live with you,” he plainly said.

I immediately panicked.

“What are you saying?! You can’t live here!” I hysterically said.

What is he saying? He can’t live here! We can’t live together in the same house. We don’t get along because Phoenix has a careless attitude. Everyone in his family is bad except my husband.

Phoenix smirked. “Who told you that? I am going to live here whether you like it or not.”

He is so proud! His presence makes me annoyed automatically! Then he still wants to live here?

I saw Phoenix signal to his men to continue what they were doing, so I immediately blocked them.

“No! This is our house. My husband and I own this! I’ll be the one to decide who can live here and, evidently, it’s not you!”

It’s only been five months since my husband died and now they are messing up my life.

“Say anything you want, but you can’t get me out of here. Remember his last letter for my birthday?” Phoenix asked sarcastically.

I know what Phoenix is referring to, and that is the letter he received on his last birthday when my husband was still alive. And that is to guard and watch over me. I rolled my eyes in annoyance. “Even so! I can take care of myself and I don’t need your care!”

Phoenix grinned loudly. “As if I will take care of you. I am only here to guard you, not to take care of you. My brother just died. I will not let you live with another man here!”

My eyes widened at what he said. “Who says I am going to do that?!”

He didn’t answer after that and just took a deep breath. Didn’t seem to understand what I was saying. “Do you have something to eat?” he asked later and sat on the sofa. Phoenix leaned his back and crossed his legs as if he felt that this was his home.

“You haven’t eaten yet?!” I followed him and raised an eyebrow. “I haven’t done the groceries yet. Just eat out and don’t come back here.”

He stood straight and grinned at me. “Let me eat you instead.”

My eyes widened. “P-Phoenix!” After I reprimanded him, I turned back. My cheeks immediately got hot because I was embarrassed! The courage for him to say that here at my husband’s house.

He laughed out loud. “I was just joking. Let me know if you like it. I can eat you non-stop.” And I was terrified when I heard him speak close to my ear.

I quickly faced him and pushed him. “S-Shut up!”

THE NIGHT came before I knew it. I was so annoyed with Phoenix that I fell asleep in my room. I don’t want to go out because I don’t want to see him. I don’t think my long patience can handle it when I see him walking here in my husband’s house.

But…

I closed my eyes in annoyance when I felt my stomach churning. I glanced at the large wall clock hanging on the wall. My eyes widened. 9 o’clock in the evening? That’s how long I slept? I can not believe it. However, I decided to get up. Nothing will happen if I stay here in the room. This is my husband and I’s house. Why am I the one who’s awkwardly roaming here?

I quickly went to the kitchen. I don’t feel Phoenix’s presence. Maybe he left. I just hope he leaves because I don’t want him to live in the same house.

While I was cooking for my dinner, I was thinking about how I can live quietly because that is all I want. I want a peaceful life. Free from the Jackson family, who did nothing but pester me.

“What you’re frying is about to burn. You’re still dumbfounded.”

My eyes widened when I saw what I was cooking. My fried egg is about to burn! “Oh, my God!”

“Stop thinking about me, Alexa. Look what happened.”

I immediately turned off the stove and glared at Phoenix. “Why aren’t you leaving yet—” I couldn’t finish what I was going to say when I looked at his body.

He is just wearing a boxer, for Pete’s sake!

I heard Phoenix smirk. “Drooling over me?”

I quickly looked away. “This is not a beach or what? Can you wear clothes? It’s disgusting to see your body!”

He laughed sarcastically. When I caught a glimpse of him, he slowly approached me.

My eyes widened. “W-Why are you—”

“Did you find my body attractive, Alexa? You can touch it. I don’t allow other women to caress my body. But when it’s you, I won’t resist.”

My eyes widened even more when he said that. And in shock, I just found myself running towards my room. I was panting when I sat on the edge of the bed.

What the hell did he just do?!

I need someone to talk to! I need Valerie right now!

I hurriedly picked up my phone at the side table and dialed Valerie’s number.

“Hey,” she answered the call.

“Can I sleep with you? Can I live there with you? I don’t want to live here with him!”

“W-Wait. Give me a second, please.” Valerie took a deep breath on the other line. “Who are you talking about? And why are you suddenly asking me that kind of question?”

“Phoenix!” I yelled.

“Your husband’s brother?”

“He is getting on my nerves! He suddenly came into the house and said he will live here to guard me! Who said that I need a guardian?! Did they think I am a child that needs to be guarded?!

And God! He is talking like I really like him! He doesn’t respect my husband and I’s house anymore! He doesn’t respect me!”

“Calm down, Alexa...”

I took a deep breath to calm myself down. “I just want peace, Valerie! You know that! I don’t want to be engaged in their family anymore, so I’m the one who stays away. I don’t go to their family gatherings anymore because I don’t want to be with them. Especially Phoenix! And this is what happened?” I stopped speaking for a moment. “And just now! That’s why I called you because I was so annoyed. I was preparing my dinner and suddenly he appeared! He is just wearing a—”

Boxers…

My eyes clearly saw the shape of his body. His well-built body, a masculine one. The perfection of its shape. I wonder how hard his fully-packed abdominal muscles are.

“Alexa. Are you still there?”

I blinked. “W-What are you saying again?”

“Come back to your senses. I can sense that you are in big trouble.”

“What?”

“Hold yourself back, Alexa. He is your husband’s brother. You can’t fall in love with him.”

After Valerie said that, she ended the call. I was just dumbfounded and couldn’t accept what he said.

I won’t fall in love with him. I swear that.

WEARING a one-piece red swimsuit, I immersed myself in the pool here in the yard of my house. It was late at night, but I decided to soak in the pool to calm my system. Whenever I am stressed, this is what I do. Water is at my side whenever I don’t understand my surroundings.

After Valerie and I talked, I suddenly thought of soaking myself in water. And I guess I’m not in the right state of mind. Why did I wear a swimsuit?! For sure, Phoenix is just around the corner. He might think of what I was wearing.

But to hell with him! I am comfortable wearing this whenever I want to swim.

I sighed heavily when I reached the edge of the pool.

I miss Peter… I miss my husband.

Our house is enormous, but I didn’t feel spacious back then because I have Peter with me. But now, it feels empty.

I took a deep breath and swam again from where I was to the far end of the pool. When I got up, it surprised me to see Phoenix innocently looking at me in surprise.

He looked down at my breast. “What’s that?”

I just ignored him. Phoenix is a pervert, and that is a given. How many of their employees has he used in bed? I wonder how good he is and almost every girl in their company drools over him.

I galloped to the wooden deck chair where my robe was placed. I wrapped myself up and when I turned to look at Phoenix; he swallowed and looked away.

What is that reaction?

He approached me, and I immediately pushed him. “You are suffocating me!”

Phoenix laughed sarcastically. “Should I give you air using my mouth?”

I was about to leave, but he stopped me. I couldn’t balance myself when he turned me towards him. My eyes widened.

“S-Stop it, okay? I am your brother’s wife!” I pushed him.

“And so?”

I swallowed. “H-Have some respect!”

"What am I doing to you?”

"Are you flirting with me?!” I asked him, annoyed.

It’s not that I think it is dirty. But what is his reason for saying such words to me? What does he call that? Isn’t that flirting?

He grinned proudly. “Do you think I am flirting with you?”

I took a deep breath and shook my head. “You’re nonsense, Phoenix! Stop what you are doing or else I’ll kick you out of here.”

After I said that, I turned back again, but before I could take a step, Phoenix quickly pulled me closer to him.

“You can’t do that to me.” He grabbed both of my arms and forced me to sit on the deck. Later, he took out a paper bag. “Eat this.”

It was food... for me? God! I was so annoyed that I forgot that I hadn’t had dinner yet. And every time I remember what happened earlier in the kitchen, I was terrified. Why can’t I get rid of his disgusting body?

“I am not hungry!”

I quickly stood up on the deck, but he immediately stopped me.

“Eat it or I’ll eat you instead. Choose wisely.” When I looked at him, I saw him wink, which made me cringe.

Who is he to control me? Annoying! I can’t do anything because he is stronger than me!

If this is his way of annoying me, congratulations! He did great! I curse him to death!

“f**k you!” I exclaimed in annoyance, then started taking the food out of the paper bag.

Phoenix laughed loudly. “Oh, please. Come on, f**k me. I won’t complain.”

I bit my lip to hold back the irritation, but I really couldn’t let him be so bad in one place.

“You know what? I don’t want you here. Now, if you don’t want to leave, I’ll leave!”

Then I carried the food he brought and left it in front of him. He didn’t stop me and I didn’t wait for him to stop me.

But even before I was completely away, Phoenix reached out my arm to make me face him. I looked annoyed at his hand holding mine. But my reaction immediately changed to surprise when I saw the watch he was wearing.

It looks familiar and I am quite sure of that.

That watch belongs to my husband, Peter.

“I’ll leave for a moment. You can eat comfortably now.”

And after that, he turned his back on me. It was too late for me to have a chance to ask him about the watch because he was already gone.

I AM CURRENTLY lying on my wide bed. I want to sleep because I feel so exhausted. It seems like a lot happened today. But I couldn’t sleep because the watch I saw Phoenix was wearing was bothering me.

Why would Phoenix take it? I’m sure he has a lot of money to buy and he won’t be interested in stuff that doesn’t belong to him. But I’m also sure that the watch belongs to my husband. I can’t be wrong because I bought it from him myself. And even if I erase from my mind that I saw that with Phoenix, I know that my curiosity will not silence me.

Should I confront him? Should I ask him? For sure, he will deny that. Or worse, he might even think that I’m making an excuse to see him. I know exactly how flirty he is. And it annoys me big time.

I got up with an idea.

I need to get into his room to search for his stuff. I looked at the wall clock. It is already 11 in the evening. He might be asleep.

When I was in front of the door of Phoenix' room, I smiled. It was open. I slowly peeked inside and there was no one there. I slowly walked in. I walked tiptoed to avoid making any noise. I looked around the whole room. And then I heard the rustling of water in the bathroom.

He is in the shower. It made the bathroom door of matte glass so I can see his silhouette, but he can’t see me from his end. I shook my head when I remembered what had happened in the kitchen earlier.

“f**k, Alexa! Get that out of your mind!” I mumbled to myself. “You’re here to find what you’re supposed to be looking for, not to fantasize about a man’s body.”

I covered my mouth when I realized what I said. I don’t fantasize about his body! Damn!

My mind returned to reality and slowly looked for the watch that I saw Phoenix wearing. For sure, he took it off because he was taking a bath. Where did he put it?

Until I stumbled upon a wooden rack where Phoenix’ attaché case was that he always carried. I was about to open that case when I accidentally saw a white envelope. Out of curiosity, I opened it and took the paper inside.

“Island of Pleasure...” I read what they wrote on the paper. “It is an exclusive island where desires and pleasures are allowed. A perfect paradise where your fantasies become real—”

I couldn’t continue reading when I reached the top of the gurgling water. And my eyes widened when I saw the silhouette of Phoenix coming out of the bathroom. I quickly ran back to my room and immediately locked the door. I clutched my chest as I sat up on the bed. And I was even more surprised when I saw the invitation in my hand. f**k!

But...

I looked at the invitation again. Island of Pleasure...

I want to escape Phoenix’ sight. I want to get away from him.

Is it okay to go here?