Kept But Beloved: Always Been You

Anabelle Blair emerged from a refreshing shower, only to be greeted by the commanding presence of Noah Evans, nonchalantly loosening his tie by the bed. She blinked in astonishment, instinctively tightening the towels that draped over her chest. "You could have at least texted me about your visit..." she said, her fingers clutching the towels as Noah turned to face her, his eyes lingering on her flawless shoulders. He smirked, his voice tinged with a touch of lust. "You'll enjoy this little... surprise. Come here." Having been away on a business trip for nearly half a month, he had suppressed his desires for too long. The moment he laid eyes on Anabelle, he couldn't control the sudden surge of arousal. Aware of his robust physical strength, Anabelle couldn't help but feel her legs growing weak and took a step back. "I'll go prepare a bath for you..." Noah covered the distance in swift strides, reaching Anabelle. He removed the towel on her and firmly grasped her waist. The air instantly became charged, his hand leaving a scalding sensation on her body. In the next moment, Anabelle caught a whiff of a perfume that didn't belong to her, a scent from another woman. Disgust welled up within her, and she struggled against his hold. "Be good!" Noah commanded, exerting force on the grip around her waist and leaving a lingering bite mark on her neck. Before she could react, his lips were on her earlobe, lightly nibbling. That sensitive spot behind the ear always made her tremble involuntarily. Noah's touch was both deliberate and exploratory. One hand firmly encircled her waist while the other traced a path downward, gently teasing the tender areas. His low chuckle broke the charged atmosphere, noting with a hint of amusement, "You are wet." Anabelle, already under his spell, blushed deeply. Observing her reaction, Noah couldn't restrain himself any longer. With a single arm, he lifted Anabelle and headed towards the bathroom. "Let's shower together." Noah Evans was a man Anabelle felt powerless to resist, nor did she want to. Back when Anabelle's father was wrongly imprisoned, and she was still Nathan Evans' girlfriend, Noah had agreed to help on the condition that she became his toy. Noah demanded absolute submission in bed, treating her as if she were a mere object, a toy, all in exchange for saving her father. After the intimacy, Noah lit up a cigarette, saying casually, "I won't come over here again. The house is yours now." Shocked, Anabelle found herself more surprised than relieved. Noah was finally willing to let her go! Finally! "Are you getting married?" she asked. "Yeah." "So, what about us?" "You're free." Upon hearing the word "free," Anabelle finally let go of the tension she had been holding. It was finally over. She had made it through. However, as Noah observed Anabelle's relieved expression, he quietly furrowed his brows. One sleepless night later, dragging her exhausted body, Anabelle rose early for work. She was a senior makeup artist at a studio. Despite the days she spent with Noah, she never gave up her job, not wanting to use Noah's money. Around noon, her boss approached her, saying, "We have a VIP coming today. Impress them." Anabelle confidently replied, "No problem." She was not timid, having experienced significant events before. But this time, she panicked. The VIP was Noah. In the afternoon, Noah appeared with a beautiful woman. Anabelle recognized her. It was Faith Moore, the only daughter of the Moore family. The two were adorned in matching coats, presenting a highly coordinated appearance. Noah's gaze flickered lightly as Anabelle avoided making eye contact with him. Faith followed his gaze and smiled, "Is she the best makeup artist here?" "Yes," the boss replied and brought Anabelle over, which meant she had to greet them.  "Anabelle Blair. It's a pleasure to meet you." Faith, keen-eyed, noticed the hickey on Anabelle's neck and joked, "No wonder you look so drained. You must have had a passionate night with your boyfriend." Anabelle chuckled, "It wasn't particularly passionate. He's not that good." Noah, standing nearby, let out a light and nonchalant laugh. Faith asked curiously, "Noah, sweetie?" Noah simply shook his head. "Nothing." During the makeup trial, Anabelle found Faith staring at her the entire time. "Ms. Moore, is there anything on my face?" "You're fine. I just feel like I've seen you before." Facing Faith, Anabelle felt a twinge of anxiety, worried that her connection with Noah might be exposed, and she wasn't eager for any trouble. Luckily, Faith chose not to delve further into the matter. Once the makeup session concluded, Noah strolled in. Faith stood up, showcasing herself to him. "Noah, how do I look?" Noah's gaze briefly flickered over Faith and then shifted to Anabelle. He subtly curled his lips, remarking, "Hmm, you must be quite good in your field." While ostensibly praising her makeup skills, his words carried a hint of flirtation.  Faith sensed the unspoken tension between Anabelle and Noah but opted for silence. She knew Noah had zero plans of putting a ring on her finger. If it weren't for his family's insistence, he wouldn't even consider marrying Faith. Suppressing the twinge of jealousy in her heart, Faith left with Noah and could not help asking "Noah, do you know that makeup artist?"