"Abstinent, Overbearing CEO"

Chapter 19: Desmond’s Villa

The next morning, Roselina entered Desmond's office, holding a cup of coffee. “Mr. Desmond, your coffee,” she said, setting it down on his desk. Desmond glanced up, noticing the faint red marks on her wrist and the back of her hand—likely from the man she had been with the previous day. He raised an eyebrow and casually inquired, "Roselina, what happened to your hand?"

Roselina froze for a moment before quickly regaining her composure and flashing a practiced smile. “Thank you for your concern, Mr. Desmond. I accidentally bumped into something while doing housework yesterday.”

Ah, so the little mouth is still stubborn, Desmond thought with an inward smile. He took a sip of the coffee she’d made. It was as perfect as ever. The day she was on leave, he’d tried another coffee, and he could tell instantly something was off—wrong taste, wrong temperature, wrong aroma. It infuriated him, causing an outburst.

"Mr. Desmond, unless you need anything else, I’ll be leaving now," Roselina said, turning to leave. But before she could step away, Desmond grabbed her wrist.

She tried to pull away, but his grip tightened, refusing to let go. After a brief moment of hesitation, she smiled faintly and asked, "Mr. Desmond, is there something else you need?"

Desmond's gaze lingered on her face. That sweet, almost innocent expression—how could it belong to the same woman who had struck out with such fierceness the day before? She was so strong, so capable of handling herself, yet here she was, unable to free herself from his grasp.

A mischievous thought crossed his mind. Standing up, he pulled her into his arms, pressing her against his chest. Her soft, delicate form was in stark contrast to his firm body. Roselina furrowed her brow.

Desmond, like a predator in heat, was uncontrollable—his desires sparking at the most inconvenient moments, his emotions spilling out in the most frustrating ways. He lowered his head, nuzzling into the crook of her neck, inhaling the lingering scent of shampoo from her hair.

"Roselina, come to my place tonight," he whispered.

She stiffened in his arms. "Mr. Desmond, what do you mean by that?"

He smiled softly. "Come to my villa."

Her eyes widened. Desmond’s villa had always been a place where only he resided. The only person to have entered was Wu Yan. Roselina had only ever waited outside the gate to hand him things, but had never once crossed that threshold.

“You mean… spend the night at your villa?” she asked, still in disbelief.

"Yes," he replied, gently stroking her hair. The silk-like softness of her hair fascinated him.

Roselina’s mind raced. Desmond was asking her to come to his home—was he serious? His villa was large and isolated, his only company being the occasional housekeeper who came once a week. He didn’t even seem to mind.

"Mr. Desmond, I… I don’t think that’s a good idea," she replied, trying to maintain some semblance of control over the situation.

Desmond’s expression darkened as a wave of hostility washed over his features. "Roselina, when I say something, I mean it."

He tossed a key at her. "Here. The key to the gate. I'll send you the password. You can go after work."

His cold tone brooked no argument. Roselina understood—this was no request, but a command she could not refuse.

"Understood, Mr. Desmond. I’ll go now," she said, sighing inwardly. With the key in hand, she turned and left his office.

After work, Roselina returned home to grab a change of clothes before heading to Desmond’s villa. Located in a prime area of the city, the villa was a rare gem—quiet and serene like a private oasis, yet right in the heart of the bustling metropolis. It was a place of contrasts: tranquility in the midst of chaos.

Desmond’s villa was a towering, three-story building—the centerpiece of the neighborhood. The intricate black iron gate and the soft beige walls with light red-tiled roofing exuded a sense of quiet luxury. Roselina wondered to herself how someone could live in such a grand home alone. She knew it was typically just Desmond who resided here, with occasional visits from his housekeeper.

She entered through the gate, parking her car on the front lawn. The villa was spacious, with large windows and a fireplace dominating the living room. The view from the back window stretched into the lush garden, but despite its grandeur, the space felt cold, empty—devoid of life.

Roselina placed her bag down and made her way to the kitchen. Opening the fridge, she was met with a sight that nearly made her faint. It was stocked entirely with Desmond's personal Swiss mineral water—nothing else. Desmond... was he surviving purely on mineral water?

She hesitated for a moment before pulling out her phone and ordering groceries. She bought all the essentials: meat, vegetables, fruits, juices, and even ice cream—everything she could think of. If Desmond didn’t eat it, she didn’t care. She wasn’t going to starve in his villa. If he wanted to yell at her or throw her out, then so be it.

The delivery arrived soon after. Roselina changed into comfortable clothes—a short hoodie and loose sweatpants—and tied her hair into a high ponytail. She rolled up her sleeves and began to cook. Since the age of eighteen, when she started living alone, Roselina had perfected her culinary skills. Her cooking was so good that even her friend Zhuang Shufei had once remarked that eating her meals felt like falling in love.

But today, Roselina decided to make only enough for herself. Desmond was a man with high standards, only eating food from five-star restaurants or prepared by his private chef. He found anything else beneath him, so she wouldn’t even bother trying.

By 8 p.m., she had made three dishes and a soup: braised pork ribs, homemade tofu, stir-fried mushrooms with greens, and a pot of tomato egg soup. She had made extra, as her hunger had driven her to prepare more food than usual. Just as she was about to sit down and eat, her phone rang. It was Zhuang Shufei.

“Roselina, where are you?” Zhuang asked eagerly.

“I’m not at home, I’m out,” Roselina replied.

Zhuang’s excited voice came through. “My brother’s back! He just landed! He wants to know when we can grab dinner.”

Hearing that Zhuang Shufei’s brother was back, Roselina’s heart fluttered. She couldn’t hide the warmth spreading inside her. “As long as there’s nothing pressing with Desmond, I can meet up anytime.”

Zhuang Shufei squealed. “Let’s go now! Where are you? We’ll come get you!”

Roselina hesitated, looking at the table of food. “Not now…” she said, feeling guilty about not being truthful.

Zhuang Shufei sensed something was off. “Roselina, where are you really? Don’t tell me you're with Desmond!”

“Um…” Roselina could practically hear Zhuang’s gasp on the other side of the phone.

“Don’t tell me you’re falling for Desmond!” Zhuang’s voice was filled with disbelief.

“Shufei! Don’t say that, of course not! Desmond... he’s threatening me,” Roselina explained, trying to keep her voice steady.

“Roselina, do you even know who Desmond is? Being with him only ends one way—he’ll tire of you and toss you aside!”

Roselina lowered her voice, “If he could throw me out right now, that would be great…”

Zhuang Shufei’s frustration was palpable, but she knew she was powerless in this situation. “Take care of yourself. If you need anything, just tell me. And whatever you do, don’t let my brother find out.”

“Okay,” Roselina replied, hanging up. She felt defeated, like she was sinking deeper into a quicksand of her own making.

She stared at the spread of food in front of her, but her appetite had vanished. Roselina wasn’t the type to sit idly by. She would find a way to escape Desmond's grip.

Just then, a soft beep from the door. The password had been entered.

Thinking it was Desmond returning, she stood up. But when she saw the woman standing at the door, her heart skipped a beat.

The woman was dressed in an elegant, high-end flannel suit, her hair neatly styled in an updo, her pale skin glowing, and her makeup light but refined. She radiated an air of nobility that made her seem almost untouchable. She glanced at Roselina with a slight frown.

“You are…?”