"Abstinent, Overbearing CEO"

Chapter 10: Is That Thing Hurt?

After work, Rosalina received a message from Zhuang Shufei. "So, how did it go, Rosalina? Did you manage to resign?"

"No, I’m still figuring out a way."

"s**t! I knew it! How could Desmond let you go so easily?!"

Rosalina put her phone down and slumped forward on her desk, her head hanging low. For some reason, she felt overwhelmingly exhausted, the kind of tiredness that made her want to cry. She missed her parents terribly. Maybe she would visit their graves this weekend. The car accident that claimed their lives had happened years ago, and Rosalina had been in the car too. If it hadn’t been for her mother holding her tightly, she would have died with them. She still vividly remembered the suffocating feeling as her mother pressed her to her chest. That was the moment her mother passed away, and her father, after several days in the hospital, finally followed her.

This was why Rosalina always left the top buttons of her shirt undone—it made her feel suffocated, reminding her of that tragic accident, of losing her parents. If only she had gone with them, then she wouldn’t have had to live this difficult life, enduring the cold stares of others. She wouldn’t have been bullied at school, nor would she have been treated as a mere object for Desmond’s desires. Her life could have been simple and full of childhood joys, free of so much pain.

At that moment, a light tapping sound broke her thoughts.

"Rosalina."

She lifted her head and saw Desmond standing in front of her desk. His gaze lingered on her tear-streaked face, the flushed redness of her eyes, and the tear tracks down her delicate cheeks. He froze for a moment. His heart tightened painfully. Why was Rosalina crying? Was it because of pain? Was she crying because she didn’t want to be with him? Or perhaps because he wouldn’t let her resign?

"Mr. Desmond." Rosalina hastily wiped her face.

"What about the business trip schedule?"

Desmond continued to stare at her, unable to look away. Each second spent gazing at her made him feel as though his heart was skipping a beat.

"Sorry, Mr. Desmond, I had to make some changes because of the hotel booking. I’ve updated the itinerary and sent it to you." Rosalina quickly picked up the folder on her desk.

"I printed another copy for you."

Desmond took the folder, still staring at her, lost in his thoughts.

"If there’s nothing else, I’ll head home now," Rosalina said, bowing slightly.

As she was about to turn away, Desmond said something he had never uttered to any woman in his entire life:

"Would you like to have dinner with me?"

The words left his mouth before he could stop them, and for a moment, even he was shocked. Was he really inviting a woman to dinner?

Rosalina frowned, unsure if she had heard correctly.

"Sorry, Mr. Desmond, could you say that again?"

Desmond, suddenly feeling awkward, dismissed it.

"It’s nothing." He turned and walked back into his office.

The black Rolls-Royce glided smoothly along the road, heading toward Desmond's private mansion nestled on a hill in the city outskirts. Desmond sat in the backseat, his legs crossed and his fingers rhythmically tapping on the armrest. He stared out of the window, his face as cold and stern as always, but his mind was far from calm.

Was he… addicted to being with Rosalina after spending two nights with her?

The car pulled into the driveway of a large estate, its golden gates leading to a sprawling mansion surrounded by lush green lawns, towering trees, and vibrant flowers. The estate was so large that it took ten minutes just to reach the front door. This kind of property, located in the heart of the city, was a rare sight.

Desmond didn’t frequent this mansion often, as he spent most of his time in the city center, but he occasionally came back to visit his grandparents, who lived here.

He stepped out of the car and walked into the mansion. In the living room, his mother, Qian Xu, was sitting gracefully on a redwood sofa, sipping tea. She was dressed in a black silk dress, her hair styled elegantly, exuding an air of refined sophistication.

"Finally decided to come home?" she asked without looking up.

Qian Xu’s delicate features and fair skin made her naturally beautiful, and Desmond’s face bore a striking resemblance to hers.

"Mom," Desmond greeted casually as he sank into the sofa, crossing his legs.

Qian Xu shot him a glance. She immediately noticed that something was off with him today. Without missing a beat, she spoke sharply,

"Put your legs down."

Raised in the prestigious Qian family in Jiangcheng, Qian Xu had been taught to act with grace and composure. She was the one person who could easily command Desmond’s obedience. He reluctantly lowered his legs and looked around.

"Where’s Dad?"

"He’s gone to D City for a golf tournament."

"And Grandpa?"

"He’s busy arranging another potential match for you."

Desmond’s face darkened at the mention of his grandfather. Since retiring from his position as the chairman of the company years ago, Grandpa had been obsessed with finding a suitable wife for Desmond, always seeking out potential matches for him.

Just then, the door opened, and the family’s butler, Sun, led in Desmond’s grandfather, the elder Mr. Li. Despite his age, he appeared energetic and youthful. Upon seeing Desmond, his face immediately broke into a wide grin.

Desmond stood up.

"Grandpa."

"Ah, Desmond, you’re back. How did things go with that girl from the Qin family?"

The mention of Qin Mengyan brought an image of Rosalina’s face to Desmond’s mind. He immediately stiffened, a wave of discomfort washing over him. Why was he thinking of her again? Damn it, what was wrong with him?

Desmond quickly composed himself.

"Grandpa, was it you who asked her to come to the company to find me?"

"Yes, of course."

Desmond instantly understood why Rosalina had come to his office so boldly.

"I had her escorted out, and she even hit my secretary. I made sure to make it a hot topic on social media," Grandpa added, his tone a bit too cheerful.

The elderly man almost lost his balance as he leaned on his cane. Qian Xu laughed softly,

"Don’t stir up trouble. This kid isn’t interested in women anyway."

Desmond remained silent, his mind elsewhere. In truth, he had never shown much interest in women, but something about Rosalina stirred something inside him.

Just then, his grandfather, clearly agitated, turned and went upstairs.

"Call me when dinner’s ready."

After he left, Desmond sat back down, irritated, and peeled an orange absentmindedly. His long fingers moved carefully over the fruit, as though creating a work of art.

Qian Xu watched him, astonished. Desmond, who always had a strong sense of cleanliness, was peeling an orange with his bare hands. His mood must really be in turmoil.

As he finished peeling, the juice from the orange stained his nails. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, but as he did so, something fell out.

Qian Xu bent down to pick it up and gave him a knowing look.

"You’ve got something from her."

Desmond frowned and extended his hand, silently asking for the object.

Qian Xu raised an eyebrow. She held up a small tube of ointment, its label clearly visible: "For gynecological use."

Desmond froze. He had grabbed this ointment from the hotel room that morning without thinking, and now it had ended up in his mother’s hands.

Without a word, he snatched the ointment from her and shoved it into his pocket.

Qian Xu, still watching him intently, raised her voice slightly.

"You’ve hurt that part of yourself, haven’t you? Or maybe you’ve changed your mind about women?"

Desmond didn’t respond, merely keeping his gaze fixed forward. The tension in the room was palpable.

The butler, Sun, entered at that moment.

"Sir, madam, dinner is ready."

Qian Xu stood up, glancing back at Desmond with a final piece of advice.

"Don’t go too far."

"I know," he muttered, his mind still racing.