The Teacher's Affair

Chapter 9 You Need Me

“That was just a small injury. It doesn’t need—ah!”

Ruby couldn’t hold back her pain as the medicine stung her wound! It felt like it was burning, slowly sapping her strength.

Her large, fox-like eyes welled up with tears from the pain, likely worsened by the alcohol. She cried out softly, her eyes burning.

"It hurts! Be more gentle!" she complained.

“I’m sorry…!” Jack muttered, alarmed by her scream. “Please don’t scream like that. I’m really sorry…”

Ruby immediately held back and bit her lip to endure the pain. Her pink lip bled, and she could taste the blood. This was what she hated most about getting injured— treatment. The additional pain from the medicine or creams was unbearable for her, and even though she had been drinking, she still felt every bit of the sting.

The troubled look on her face reminded Jack of the nights when she lay beneath him, clinging to his waist and begging him to be gentle. He suppressed the intense desire that surged within him and softened his touch considerably.

“You’ve always been so loud, Teacher Red,” Jack whispered teasingly, making sure Ruby heard him.

Ruby's forehead creased when she heard that, but she ignored it. All she wanted now was for him to leave. They couldn’t stay in the same room alone because Ruby knew she might give in—especially since she was drunk!

The cold ointment gradually warmed under the heat of his palm, and his rough hand gently massaged her knee. Slowly, the pain subsided, and the skin where he touched grew increasingly warm.

“That should be enough. Just leave the medicine. I’ll remember to apply it later,” Ruby said before the ointment even dried on her wound. Her voice was cold.

She tried to pull her leg back, but Jack's iron grip on her ankle wouldn't let her.

Jack’s eyes flicked at the half-empty glass of red wine on the coffee table.

"Why are you drinking alone?"

“That’s none of your business, Mr. Beaufort,” Ruby replied curtly, her tone icy.

Their eyes met, and in the man's dark pupils, she saw a complexity and depth she couldn’t decipher. He slowly stood up, his movements smooth and predatory, like an elegant cheetah poised to strike.

Ruby instinctively wanted to escape, but his large shadow loomed over her, trapping her in the corner of the sofa. He leaned on the armrest with one hand and grabbed her wrist with the other, his grip firm and unyielding, preventing her from moving even slightly.

Jack’s gaze deepened, and she could feel the danger in his piercing stare. She struggled to breathe, feeling as though she was drowning under his intense scrutiny. This was exactly what she had feared would happen…

"Is it because of Carter Florida’s engagement? Are you drinking alone because you're sad and hurting?" Jack muttered, as if certain that she was still in love with her ex and that was why she was drowning herself in alcohol tonight.

But, no. Of all the reasons for her sadness, Carter wasn’t one of them. She could still feel the harsh words of her mother burrowing into her heart, leaving a gaping wound that refused to heal. If she hadn’t learned to defend herself, she would have been married off to a wealthy businessman before she even finished school.

Choosing Carter wasn’t just because he had pursued her for the longest time, but also because of his family background. Even though Ruby hadn’t loved him in the past few years, she still considered marriage.

Her heart was not easily opened, and she thought she would be shattered by one incident like this for the rest of her life. Later, Ruby discovered that he had cheated on her. The trust she had built for Carter was suddenly shattered and crumbled. She began to think that perhaps no one would ever want to marry someone like her.

Of course, she didn't need to explain these feelings to a bedmate like Jack. Why would she even need to explain herself to him?

"Yes, I was with him for three years. I love h—hmp!” Before she could finish her sentence, the man silenced her with a forceful kiss, overpowering her lips. His movements were rough and aggressive, like an army advancing to conquer and plunder, leaving Ruby no chance to resist.

Ruby was stunned. During their three months together, they had been intimate in every way, but he had never touched her lips. Now, the one thing she had reserved for the man she would truly love was taken by Jack.

The wine she had drunk lingered on her lips and teeth, acting as a catalyst. Wearing only a thin nightgown, Ruby was easily accessible to Jack. When Jack touched her, Ruby immediately felt an electrifying shock run through her body. It was as if his touch burned her, causing her to pull away slightly. However, that didn't stop Jack from misunderstanding her intentions.

This was why Ruby wanted to end their relationship—she knew her body's reaction to Jack's touch had become uncontrollable.

“You keep saying you want me to leave and end this, but why do I hear something different in your voice? Like you still want me to stay here with you...” Jack’s hoarse whisper came through, his voice tinged with a mix of desire and frustration.

Ruby’s flushed face showed a look of humiliation, and she immediately pushed Jack away.

“Let me go! You’re disgusting!”

In the past, Jack had been a considerate gentleman in bed. Although his actions were wild and domineering, he had respected her boundaries. But now he seemed like a different person. He didn’t stop and instead lifted Ruby’s chin with his fingers.

“Since we met at school, the most common thing you’ve told me is to let go. But Ruby…” Jack’s voice was cold and raspy, deep with a hint of lust that made Ruby panic inexplicably. “I’m not some trash you can just dismiss at your convenience.”

“What do you really want?” Ruby asked straightforwardly, knowing he wouldn’t stop until he got what he wanted. That was what she had noticed over their three months together.

“Keep things as they are, Teacher Red. I won’t interfere with your life and work. After all, you said it was up to me to decide when it will end,” Jack said, his eyes blazing with intensity.

"Listen to what your body wants, Teacher Red. Admit that you need me... That I'm the one you need right now..." Jack whispered as he claimed her lips.

Ruby wanted to resist, but she found herself unable to. Her strength was insufficient to push Jack away. He knew exactly the words she longed to hear. Ruby's lonely heart cried out at that moment, and Jack could hear it clearly.