?Chapter 333:


    Julio spotted Dres at the entrance of the alley. He stepped out of his car, tossed his cigarette to the ground, and crushed it underfoot. Then, he approached her.


    The streetlight cast his face in shadow, making it unreadable. His features gradually became more distinct as he drew closer.


    Dres, taken aback by his piercing gaze, instinctively turned to flee.


    His long strides quickly closed the distance. He grabbed her by the wrist, hoisted her over his shoulder, and strode back to the car.


    Before she could struggle free, he was already inside the car with her, locking the door with a key before tossing it onto the front passenger seat.


    “What do you want?” Dres clutched her bag tightly, her eyes widening with a trace of fear.


    “What do I want?” Julio’s voice turned cold. “That’s what I should be asking you. Why do you keep showing up, even going as far as joining the Ferguson Group like this? Wasn’t the lessonst time enough for you? How strong is your desire to sleep with me?”


    His biting words struck Dres deeply. She clenched her teeth and eximed in anger, “Jerk!”


    A light chuckle escaped Julio as he removed his tie, seized her hands, and tied them together with it.


    His hands wererge and formidable, overpowering her with ease.


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    Panic rose within Dres as she struggled futilely. She tried to kick him, but the backseat was too cramped. She only managed to strike his thigh once.


    The next second, she found herself in his arms, his fingers unbuttoning her blouse. His cold fingertips brushed her skin asionally, making her shiver.


    “Let go of me!” she cried out.


    Tears streamed down Dres’ cheeks. The sheer brutality of Julio’s actions and the intense humiliation overwhelmed her. She hadn’t thought he would do this again.


    Julio seemed deaf to her pleas, tugging her dungarees down slightly and leaning in to nibble her chest.


    All Dres could see were the pronounced veins on his neck, signaling his malevolent intent.


    He was clearly determined to have sex with her here, in this narrow alley, inside the cramped car!


    “Julio, will you marry me?” Dres demanded, her voice sharp with anger and desperation.


    Julio paused, his hand continuing its exploration beneath her clothes, and looked up at her with a sneer.


    “Marry you? What can you give me? Do you match Eileen’s skills, or do you possess the status of the daughter of a wealthy family that could benefit me?” Julio said.


    Dres clenched her teeth, her eyes brimming with tears as they mirrored Julio’s indifferent expression.


    His voice cold, Julio continued, “Oh, I forgot, you can please me, but what good does that do? If it doesn’t bother you, you can be with me secretly without any recognition. How about that?”


    “You’re despicable! A jerk! How can you be so shameless?” Dres hurled insults at him as she wept. “I must have been blind to have ever seen you as my savior, to have had feelings for you. Let me go!”


    She cried uncontrobly, trapped and helpless, like amb in the jaws of a tiger, while Julio remained as emotionless as a predator. He persisted in his ways, watching her eyes swell with loathing, yet he still didn’t release her.


    Julio believed that only by doing this would she be scared of him and stay away.


    The car was hardly a suitable ce for sex, especially with Dres resisting.


    Despite their previous encounters, she still captivated him with an addictive allure.


    The backseat bore the evidence of his desires.


    Afterward, Julio handed Dres two emergency pills, his harsh words cutting through the air.


    “If you joined the Ferguson Group because of me, then congrattions. You’ve achieved your goal. I do have a liking for someone like you. You’re wee toe to me as long as you’re okay with staying out of the public eye. But don’t get any false hopes. You’re not fit to carry my children.”


    He then handed her a bottle of water. “Take the pills.”


    Dres adjusted her dungaree snaps, her eyes red and swollen from tears, her body aching.


    The cramped space in the car had prevented Julio from losing control like before.


    Yet, this only deepened her humiliation. He treated her like an object, his hands, which had once gently urged her to excel at school, now invading her privacy.


    The torment was unbearable.


    Dres grabbed the water and took the pills. “Julio, I hate you!”


    “Really?” Julio responded with a light smile. “Apart from your humble background, do I really appeal to your taste?”


    “I did not join the Ferguson Group for you!” Dres’ voice was sharp. “I didn’t even know this job was with the Ferguson Group before. Get that straight!”


    Julio raised an eyebrow, amusement flickering in his eyes. “Is that so? Well, that’s good.”


    The cramped car was thick with the remnants of their intimacy, now tainted by Dres’ resentment, creating a peculiar atmosphere.


    “Then keep your distance from now on!” Dres was adamant about setting boundaries with him, as she always had been.


    After a pause, Julio looked at her. “That’ll be hard. Just seeing you stirs something in me. So, stay out of my sight, or find someone and get married.”


    Neither option was simple for her.


    Dres bit her lip, her gaze locked onto him. If she neither left nor married, would she have to endure humiliation from him every single day?


    “Leave,” Julio said. He was the first to unlock the door and step out.


    Outside, a gentle drizzle fell, thete summer breeze cool against his skin.


    He watched with a cold expression as Dres exited the car.


    Dres paused, the misty rain falling around her. After a moment’s hesitation, she turned around and delivered a sharp p across Julio’s face.


    She had used all her strength for it.


    Without another word, she turned and walked away.


    Julio raised an eyebrow and watched her departing figure for a brief moment. Then, he climbed back into the car, started the engine, and drove off.


    Dres walked down the alley, her vision blurred by the drizzle.


    Gabriy in her crib, fixated on a dangling toy above her.


    At herputer desk, Eileen delved into the Warren Group’s financials, calcting the least amount necessary to acquire it.


    Her phone suddenly broke the silence. She nced at the disy. It was Bryan calling. She answered the call.


    She had left work alone, mindful of the location—right at the entrance to the Ferguson Group. Meeting Bryan there would be far too risky.


    She was determined not to have him appear overly intimate with the Ferguson Group.


    “What’s up? Given our current rapport, I don’t see the need for goodnight calls,” Eileen said. Feeling somewhat helpless, she nced at Gabri, asleep in her crib.


    The nightly calls from Bryan filled her with anxiety. She feared that Gabri would identally make noise and cause Bryan to be suspicious.


    “Is missing you considered important?” Bryan sounded upset by her formal tone. “Why are you still up?”


    The alertness in her voice caught Bryan’s attention. What tasks could be keeping Eileen busy now?


    He understood that she hadn’t met him after work for his sake, and he didn’t hold her distant demeanor against her.


    Eileen replied, “I’m working on the acquisition n for the Warren Group.”


    As soon as she mentioned it, she regretted the slip. The acquisition was supposed to be a secret, and she had just let it slip to him.


    “Warren Group, huh?” Bryan’s voice rose slightly with curiosity. “How much are you investing in this acquisition?”


    After a brief pause, Eileen opted to remain discreet. “Mr. Dawson, don’t you think you should show some professional integrity? It’s not appropriate to probe into these matters. Even if you were my husband, such details would be off-limits.”


    Bryan responded, “So, by not telling me, you’re practically saying I’m your husband now?”


    Eileen was left speechless.


    How could he draw such a conclusion?


    Bryan’s chuckle seeped through the phone. “Can we not hang up? We can go to sleep as if we were not on the phone.”


    His voice betrayed his fatigue, suggesting he had been struggling with insomnia.


    “No,” Eileen replied, her tone cold. Gabri would wake up twice in the middle of the night, crying for milk.


    He would overhear it…


    Even without Gabri’s cries, it wasn’t right for her to do that.


    With a soft sigh, Bryan replied, “Alright, let’s hang up then. Get some rest. See you tomorrow.”


    As the call disconnected, Gabri started to fuss. Eileen switched off theputer and got ready to go to bed with her daughter.


    As she settled into bed, Eileen’s thoughts drifted back to Bryan’s parting words: “See you tomorrow.”


    Had he just thrown it out there, or did he mean it?


    Eileen furrowed her brow, her gaze catching the moonlight spilling through the window.


    The following morning brought a call from Roderick, inviting Eileen to share a meal.


    Eileen pushed the meal to the weekend, quickly ended the call, and made her way to thepany.


    Recently, since making the decision about the acquisition, Eileen and Benjamin had dedicated their days to investigating the Warren Group.


    Amid the whirlwind of her packed schedule, Eileen caught sight of a mark on Dres’ neck.


    Having seen such marks before, she recognized it as a hickey instantly.


    Dres, catching Eileen’s gaze on her neck, seemed to suddenly recall something and hurriedly adjusted her clothing, her eyes misting over.


    “Is it from Julio?” Eileen inquired bluntly.


    “Yes,” Dres answered.


    Eileen paused, choosing not to probe further. She wasn’t privy to the full story of Dres’ entanglement with Julio, but she sensed Dres’ reluctance in the matter.


    With a slight frown, Eileen said, “My hiring methods differ from the norm, so that contract you signed isn’t entirely fair. If this job isn’t what you want, feel free to resign. I’ll let you go.”


    Eileen knew the harshness of the Ferguson family, and seeing Dres so vulnerable stirred a protective instinct in her.


    Having endured simr trials, Eileen couldn’t bear to watch Dres suffer the same ordeal.


    “Can I really leave?” Dres truly considered leaving.


    Eileen gave a nod of affirmation. “Yes, I respect your choice.”


    “What are you two talking about?” Julio approached.


    Upon seeing Julio, Dres instinctively bowed her head and sought refuge behind Eileen.


    Eileen’s attention shifted to Bryan, who stood next to Julio, impably dressed in a sharp suit, exuding charm.


    He really came to see her today.


    Julio cast a meaningful look at Dres before telling Eileen, “Mr. Dawson has extensive knowledge of the Warren Group. I’ve brought him on board to handle some budgeting and evaluations.”


    Eileen was taken aback.


    Could Bryan truly have a deeper understanding of the Warren Group than Benjamin, who had served as a special assistant in thepany for many years?


    Eileen didn’t know how Bryan had managed to persuade Julio, but his presence here meant it wasn’t her ce to ask him to leave.


    “Have Benjamin go to Ms. Curtis’ office for a meeting,” Julio instructed Dres.


    Dres began to walk away, and Julio followed closely behind her.


    Meanwhile, Bryan gently pushed Eileen into her office, pinning her against the door as he embraced her.


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