Chapter 163 - Freedom

Alvin noticed Anya staring into the air without focus. He witnessed her disgust morph into determination. The seriousness on her face looked like she was mentally preparing for a huge battle. 

Without knowing what was running through her mind, he tilted his head to meet her eyes and flicked his fingers in front of her face to get her out of the thoughts.

Just when Anya thought she could manage, his handsome face came to her view. All her efforts to put on indifference vanished into thin air as the images of Alvin carrying her out of the bathroom played in her head.

He lifted his brows to receive some response and Anya felt her face on flames. "Ahh…" She groaned as she buried herself in the duvet again. 

'Don't worry?' If he was a stranger, never going to meet her, then she could have ignored it easily. 

She scoffed trying to hide her agitation, "Do you think I have no shame like you?" He must have seen many beautiful women and she might not matter to him but it was her first time facing that situation.

'Shame!? What will I do with that?' He wondered when he recalled she had caught him stark n.a.k.e.d in her bathtub, "It isn't like you haven't seen me." He snorted.

Anya: "…"

Anya wanted to check what was in his head. That wasn't how one should calm anybody. Now she recounted her 'help' to him in the bathtub, she was even more abashed to come out of the duvet.

She squeaked unwilling to listen to him say more that was buried in the heap of embarrassment, "Get out. Don't talk to me."

Alvin: "…"

'This is my bedroom.' He didn't utter it loudly, else she will use the same line against him.

Instead, he teased her, "We should complete what we started, Little Donut." He meant watching the footage.

Suddenly remembering that she will appear n.a.k.e.d again on the screen when he puts clothes on her, she cried out, "Turn it off… Don't watch it… Alvin Matthews… Shameless man… Pervert, don't play…"

Alvin didn't listen to her yammer. He skipped the video to half an hour forward and adjusted to the video when Harper's men entered the bedroom. Meanwhile, he didn't miss listening to her whines.

He flicked on her head, "Look at the screen."

She shook her head and sniffled hard. She wasn't ready to watch it with him. She wanted to leave the room but didn't want to face it.

His voice turned cold and threatening, "Are you sure?"

Anya started crying loudly in protest, "Heartless man… Do you have any conscience?… I don't want to see you… Get away from me…"

He heard her drama for a few seconds and tugged the duvet saying, "Fine…"

"Ahh…" She squeaked thinking he would pull the whole duvet away from her. So she opened the duvet enough for her eyes to look outside. Well, she shut them immediately, "Don't look at me."

He sighed, if she had behaved the same in front of others, they would have thought she was faking to appear naive when she already had a child. Well, he knew she was inexperienced. 

He looked at the television as he played the video. Anya opened her eyes when she heard the faint voices from the speakers. 

Slowly she poked her face out to breathe some air. His duvet had a lingering scent that was making it hard to forget what she saw on television. 

At the same time, she felt insecure about going out of the duvet. She didn't like how she was behaving but it would be fake if she behaved as nothing happened.

Alvin frowned when he saw a man make Anya breathe the scent of liquid before they started tearing down everything in the bedroom. 

Anya who was on a roller coaster of emotions, teared up watching her sweet home turn into a disaster while she was laying on the bed like a log. She couldn't bring herself to watch more. "Turn it off." She murmured.

Kyle wasn't with them. Since the camera had caught the faces of the men, it was enough for further process of her investigation.

Alvin turned to her hearing her cracked voice. Despite asking to turn it off, she couldn't peel her eyes away from the screen. Her eyes had turned red and lips were pressed to a thin line while she held her breath to stop her tears from rolling down on her cheeks. Her chin quivered faintly as her flustered red face turned gloomy.

If her previous loud cries and sniffles were due to protest and embarrassment, he could see how she was deeply affected watching the men destroy her home.

He stopped the video and stood up. Fetching the remote controller, he set the television back to its place while she was collecting herself and lost in the deep thoughts.

When he stood in front of her, she blinked a few times and slowly pulled the duvet over her head, still unprepared to face him.

Shaking his head in resignation. He thought to give her some time and turned to go to his wardrobe but felt a gentle tug. 

His lips involuntarily curled up, looking at her slender fingers clutching his shirt while she was still covered. He handed the spy camera to her palm and the hand swiftly disappeared. 

"I have to go to MY office tomorrow." She stressed her 'My' in her meek voice, cuing him that she couldn't take him there. She hoped he wouldn't argue with her.

Alvin understood what she was trying to say. She wasn't a regular cop that he was already aware of. So her office premises wasn't allowed for the public. 

Hearing her reporting her schedule every time, he deadpanned, "You don't have to report to me unless you are leaving the city or feel like you're in danger. Alright?" Though he asked, there was no room for negotiating.

He wasn't going to tie her down thinking Harper will do something to her or Matthews will hurt her. Although he won't accept it directly, he was listening to her advice and has learned that his presence next to her might not always help her. So he was letting her do her work with the restriction that she will have to stay at his place.

Astonished, Anya peeked her petite face out to look at him. He seemed serious about letting her go in and out of the mansion anytime she wanted. So the Oasis security guards won't stop her.

She was happy to see so many positive changes in Alvin just for her. She hoped that she could also get out of her cocoon and step forward for him. 

Earning freedom, she nodded in acceptance with a melodious hum. But her brows lifted suddenly recalling his protectiveness. Her soft voice put up a plea, "You shouldn't put your men to follow me." It wasn't because she felt monitored. His men will be detained and she won't be able to help them out.

Whereas Alvin squinted his eyes. Why did he feel like she wasn't trusting him? He was about to flick her head, she covered herself completely.

Alvin: "…"

He had thought she wasn't uncomfortable anymore when she spoke to him. He went closer and scooped her to his arms with the duvet. "Catch some sleep."

Anya flushed inside the duvet when the images of Aaron carrying her out of the bathroom replayed. Flustered, she pulled her head out and struggled in his arms, "Alvin, put me down… Alvin… I will walk… Alvin…"

Managing to open the door, Alvin went towards her room ignoring her protest. If he lets her run away, she will take forever to get over her awkwardness. He didn't have so much patience to wait. 

He was still in the passageway when they heard a fierce voice of a lady, "ALVIN MATTHEWS!!!"

Alvin paused and Anya mumbled identifying the voice, "Krystie!?" Both looked at the sexy lady.

Krystle was in neon green, one shoulder, bodycon short dress that accentuated her curves like butter melted on her body. Her make-up was bold and her hair was styled in waves that fluttered when she darted towards them on her nude high heels.

Anya smiled seeing her friend while Alvin could sense Loudmouth's anger. She was ready to pounce on him and rip his face by misinterpreting her sight.

How did she enter the mansion? His eyes shifted to the drunk man who was pushed on the couch by the lady. 

He let go of Anya to the floor when she was struggling to pull her hand out of the duvet. 

Stuffing the duvet to Alvin's hands, Anya skipped to her friend whose speed naturally slowed down. Truth to be told, Krystle assumed Alvin took advantage of her friend by hearing her protest and seeing her wrapped in a duvet.

Her eyes repeatedly went from Anya's barefoot to her eyes, confirming her friend was completely fine.

"Somebody is smoking hot." Anya complimented her friend as she lifted her hands and hugged her.

Krystle wrapped her hands around her friend and sighed. She had forgotten for a moment that her friend was a strong woman. However, she also knew Alvin somehow always becomes an exception in her friend's life.

She narrowed her complex gaze at Alvin who stood indifferently while holding the duvet. She just couldn't see Alvin in a good picture after seeing her friend's state in the club five years ago.

The smell of alcohol attacked Anya's nostrils as soon as she hugged her friend. She saw drunk Linus getting comfortable on the couch. Krystle was at the neck of Linus when they met each other in the Oasis mansion. Anya was surprised to see them together, much less her friend came all the way to drop him. 

"You reek." She complained as she stepped back.

Krystle watched her friend and frowned hard, "I am drunk, why are your eyes red?" She started her interrogation.. Her eyes couldn't help brushing over Alvin in suspicion.