<h4>Chapter 90: Chapter 90 Ice and Fire</h4>


    Cecilia’s pov


    After a moment’s silence, Alpha Sebastian arched an eyebrow.


    "Are you deliberately punishing me?"


    "I swear to God!" I clutched my chest dramatically.


    "I’m trying to save you!Do you think hauling all this ice up here was easy? Yourck of appreciation is honestly heartbreaking!"


    Alpha Sebastian lifted one muscr arm from the icy water and rested it on the edge of the tub. His pale skin had taken on an almost ethereal translucence from the cold.


    "Then I should thank you for your exceptional care. Perhaps I should award you MOST DEVOTED SECRETARY OF THE YEAR ?"


    "I’ll ept that award with pride," I replied without missing a beat.


    Alpha Sebastian stared at my face before breaking into augh—the kind thates when someone has pushed you beyond frustration into reluctant amusement.


    He’d been soaking for over an hour.


    His handsome face had turned nearly translucent from the cold.


    "I think that’s enough," he said, making a move to stand up.


    "Absolutely not!"


    I rushed forward, bending to press my hands firmly against his shoulders, my expression deadly serious.


    "This is precisely when the drug wille back with a vengeance! If you get out now, the effects will return even stronger than before."


    Alpha Sebastian leaned back into the tub, his expression unreadable.


    "Have you considered that this method might bepletely useless?" His voice carried a barely detectable note of danger.


    "How could it be useless? You said you’re feeling better, which proves the drug effects are gradually subsiding," I reassured him, even giving his shoulder a gentle, encouraging pat. "Just hang in there a little longer. Trust me, this works."


    I straightened up, the hint of a mischievous smile ying at my lips.


    As I started to step back, my wrist was suddenly caught in an iron grip.


    Before I could process what was happening, I was yanked forward with incredible force and plunged into the bathtub.


    The dual shock of surprise and ice-cold water made me shriek. "Ahh! What are you doing? It’s freezing!"


    I thrashed around, trying desperately to climb out.


    Underwater, a pair of strong hands locked around my waist. "Oh, so you do recognize it’s cold?" Alpha Sebastian’s voice was dangerously soft.


    My teeth chattered as I pushed against the hands at my waist. "Why did you pull me in? Let go! Let me out!"


    Alpha Sebastian’s question came again: "Is it really cold?"


    "Obviously!" I snapped. "It’s ice water—of course it’s cold!"


    Alpha Sebastian tightened his grip on my waist, pulling me closer. "Then don’t you think I might be cold too?"


    I stopped struggling, my eyes darting sideways before meeting his gaze again. "Our situations are different. You were drugged. You need the ice to cool down. I imagine... you probably don’t even feel the cold."


    "Of course, if you’re truly suffering, you could always get out," I added quickly.


    "I’m just trying to help you, Alpha Sebastian. You wouldn’t be unreasonable enough to take it out on me, would you?"


    Alpha Sebastian gave a coldugh but said nothing.


    His eyes, like a misty mountain forest, watched me steadily.


    I felt a chill run down my spine that had nothing to do with the icy water.


    I was already cold, but now I felt frozen to my core.


    Underwater, my leg began to cramp painfully, forcing me to change position from sitting sideways to straddling him—putting us face to face.


    Alpha Sebastian tensed slightly.


    I tried prying his hands off. "I need to get out!"


    His grip on my waist tightened, almost painful, yet his palm radiated heat through the icy water into my skin.


    His face moved closer. "I think you’re right. I should continue a bit longer. And you’ll keep mepany."


    My heart was pounding wildly.


    Something was definitely wrong with him again.


    Whether it was the cold creating hallucinations or sheer panic, I suddenly felt like the air between us had fogged over.


    Through the haze, I could see his ck silk robe clinging to his muscr chest, water droplets gathering on the fabric, emanating something that could only be described as pure desire.


    "Alpha S-S-Sebastian, you c-c-can get out now! R-r-really, you c-c-can get out!" I stammered, cing both hands against his chest.


    "You said this method works. I believe you."Alpha Sebastian shifted his position, pinning me beneath him.


    Almost immediately, his fingers spread across my lower stomach, pulling me forcefully back against him with undeniable intent.


    In that moment, I felt the thick ridge of his cock deliberately slide against the cleft of my ass, its friction persisting even through the wetyers of our clothes.


    His broad, muscr chest pressed firmly against my back while his hips remained locked against me.


    Then, his ice-thin lips exhaled scorching breath as they hovered dangerously close to my face. Unable to bear it any longer, I twisted away forcefully, grabbing the edge of the tub to pull myself free.


    As I moved, his thick cock scraped against the thin, soaked cotton of my underwear.


    He simply trapped me in the bathtub. "Cecilia, why are you on your stomach? Do you prefer this position?"


    Blood rushed to my face.


    I hated that I instantly understood his meaning!


    This drug was truly turning him into someone else! How was an hour in ice water not working?!


    "You’re not thinking clearly! Calm down!!!"


    "I don’t particrly care about my reputation," he murmured, his breath ghosting across my corbone.


    I was about to lose my mind.


    I thrashed in the water so violently it seemed I might break through the tub.


    "Stop moving!"


    Alpha Sebastian hadn’t anticipated such an intense reaction.


    His suddenmand halted me in ce.


    We both froze.


    Our bodies were pressed together without a millimeter of space between us, like a bomb that could detonate at any moment.


    Every tiny movement felt charged with tension.


    I leaned against the tub’s edge, my face burning red.


    I briefly closed my eyes and in that moment of crisis, my mind unhelpfully supplied a dark humorous thought... with that rock-hard cock, this could literally be deadly.


    Behind me, his breathing was heavy.


    The ice water was rapidly warming to room temperature, perhaps even heating up further.


    I didn’t dare look back, nor did I dare move... staying still offered a slim chance of survival, but moving would surely lead to...


    After what felt like an eternity:


    "Do we have enough ice?" His voice sounded as if he’d suffered severe internal injury.


    "Yes! Yes! I’ll get it right away!"


    Alpha Sebastian moved back, reclining against the tub.


    I scrambled out on all fours...


    When I finally stopped moving, I found myself standing dripping wet in the kitchen, with no memory of how I’d gotten there.


    I considered simply leaving the house altogether.


    After ten minutes of indecision, I gritted my teeth and gathered more ice.


    My n was to leave it outside the bathroom door, then retreat to my room and lock myself in.


    But when I returned with the ice, I discovered the door that had been locked was... his.


    Shouldn’t I be the one locking my door in fear?


    Standing there with the ice in hand, I fell into deep confusion.


    ...


    Morning arrived.


    I woke up at nine o’clock.


    After returning to my room in the early hours, I’d anxiously listened for any sound from next door.


    After half an hour of vignce without hearing a single noise, I finally took a hot shower and got back into bed.


    Still, I couldn’t sleep soundly, only managing to doze off around six in the morning.


    I got up and dressed, then tiptoed to his bedroom door.


    I wanted to knock but hesitated, drawing my hand back.


    I pressed my ear against the door instead, trying to hear if there was any movement inside.