Chapter 4 Take Her Away

The man took a step back, as though her touch repulsed him. He bent down, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe the spot where she had touched him, as if her desperate plea were nothing more than a nuisance. Saving her? It didn’t matter to him. The only thing that seemed to matter was whether his clothes were dirty. Natalia was desperate. The few people chasing her were initially startled when they saw the strange man, but after realizing he had no intention of intervening, a tall, skinny man stepped forward and grabbed Natalia from the floor. "You damn girl! What did we tell you before you came here? If you obey, you’ll have a bright future. I--your headmaster, took you out to see the world. Don’t be ungrateful! Come back with me and play with Mr. Hulk!" Natalia barely heard anything. Her instincts kicked in, and she reached out, grabbing the man’s leg. He lifted his leg and flicked it, but Natalia refused to let go. She stubbornly clung to him, as if she wouldn’t release him until death, even if she were dying. "Let go!" The handsome man finally spoke, his deep voice impatient. It seemed too impolite to kick her, so he crouched down and pried her fingers off one by one. His entire body radiated hidden rage, an oppressive aura that couldn’t be ignored. However, Natalia, on the brink of death, was incredibly persistent, refusing to let go until the man had pried off her third finger. Suddenly, a fat hand reached out and grabbed Natalia’s hand from the man’s leg. Once the hand grasped it and pulled forcefully, the last two of Natalia’s fingers were pried away from the man’s clothes. "Dammit, wasting time! Damn girl! Come back to the room with me, and let me show you how I’ll finish you off!" Mr. Hulk cursed, still wearing just a towel. As Mr. Hulk was about to drag Natalia away, a gust of wind blew past his shoulder and ear, and his body was sent flying. He was kicked in the chest and stumbled into the wall. The kick was so powerful that Mr. Hulk immediately fainted on the spot. The man who kicked him didn’t say a word. He simply lifted his long leg again, wiped the top of his shoe with a handkerchief casually, as if still feeling dirty after kicking someone. After wiping his shoe, he threw the handkerchief aside, stuck his hand in his pocket, and walked forward leisurely. The two men who had been helping Mr. Hulk pull Natalia were furious. The guy calling himself ‘the headmaster’ pointed at the man approaching and said, "Kid, I advise you not to interfere in other people’s business!" Alexander Cross had no intention of interfering in other people’s business. He stopped, casually gazing at the ‘headmaster’ with deep eyes, the corner of his lips curling into a half-smile. The one thing he hated most in life was ‘advice.’ "Kid, I’m telling you, don’t make trouble! This is Mr. Hulk from Jutaldis Group. If you offend him, you won’t be able to wander around in Elaris!" the headmaster added with great authority, as if Mr. Hulk were a god. "Heh..." Alexander suddenly sneered. It had been a long time since anyone dared to tell him not to wander around Elaris the moment he arrived. But in a moment, his laughter stopped, and neither of Mr. Hulk’s men saw how Alexander struck them. They were sent flying to the end of the corridor, screaming a few times. Alexander brushed the dust off his arms and legs with disdain and stood still, wanting to see how they wouldn’t let him wander around Elaris. He leaned against the wall in the middle of the corridor, glancing at Natalia on the floor. He had never hit a woman. If not for Natalia grabbing his clothes with her dirty hands, touching him, he would’ve surely cut her hand off! Look at how garish her makeup is—she painted her face so excessively. Alexander squinted, looking at Natalia with distaste. The mascara on her face made her look like a ghost from the crying, half of her clothes torn, and her outfit a complete mess. Alexander really didn’t want to waste even a second looking at her again. He turned around, intending to leave. A commotion in the hotel corridor caught the attention of the hotel security guards. When they arrived, they saw two middle-aged men groaning on the floor, along with the regular customer—Mr. Hulk. They turned around, about to question Alexander, but suddenly one of them whispered, "Is... is this Alexander Cross?" Alexander Cross?! The name sent a chill through the security guards, and their expressions immediately changed. They stepped forward, bowing respectfully. "Mr. Cross, you’ve returned? We... we sincerely apologize for any discomfort we may have caused tonight! Please forgive us..." Several security guards echoed their agreement. The two men groaning on the floor dared not speak a word. Alexander Cross... There were many powerful figures in Elaris, but the most renowned family was the Cross family. Mr. Brydon Cross was a well-known figure, and his children were equally famous. Alexander found their presence irritating. He furrowed his brow and said, "Clear the way. I need to return to my room." Upon receiving his order, the security guards quickly dragged the three men lying on the floor aside, exchanging knowing glances. As they helped Natalia, one of the security guards glanced at Alexander obediently and said, "Mr. Cross, would you like to... enjoy this girl? She’s the school’s prima donna, just eighteen years old, and has quite a nice figure!" They assumed that Young Master Cross must like beauty, so they were doing whatever they could to pique his interest. Sure enough, when Alexander heard the words ‘school prima donna,’ he raised an eyebrow and glanced at Natalia again. However, the makeup on her face still disgusted him. He impatiently said, "Take her away." Seeing that Natalia wasn’t to his liking, a few of the security guards quickly dragged her aside. "Young Master, this phone..." At that moment, one of the guards approached Alexander and handed him a white phone. As soon as Alexander saw the phone, his anger simmered beneath the surface. He turned and glanced at the hands of the security guards dragging Natalia. Alexander changed his mind. He took the phone from the guard and swiped the screen with his slender fingers. The screen showed a beautiful, neat, and sweet-looking girl. She casually raised the corner of her lips and said, "Take her to my room." Upon hearing this final decision, the security guards dared not touch the unconscious Natalia any longer. They took her to Alexander’s room and even sent her bag and belongings along with her. As soon as Alexander removed his coat, Natalia groggily woke up on the floor. The effects of the drug had finally hit her, and she couldn’t remember anything—only that she felt unbearably hot and uncomfortable. "They used such a strong drug on a young girl?" Alexander muttered in disdain, glancing down. He accidentally caught sight of her chest, her skin smooth. He reached out and pinched Natalia’s chin with two fingers, forcing her to lift her head. Damn, no matter how smooth her skin was, her hideous appearance wasn’t enough to stir his appetite! Alexander lifted her and placed her in the bathtub, then quickly turned on the shower. The water was icy cold, and Natalia instinctively thrashed in the bathtub, her hands and feet struggling to break free, splashing water all over Alexander’s body. Alexander cursed under his breath, tossing the showerhead aside. He decided he no longer wanted to waste any more time on her. As he turned to leave the bathroom, he paused, momentarily stunned by what he saw. In the bathtub, the woman’s long brunette hair floated on the water’s surface. Natalia choked as she rose to the surface, gasping for air. She wiped her hair and water droplets from her face with trembling hands, revealing a pure, beautiful face—free of makeup or dirt. Most striking of all were her eyes, filled with an undeniable longing. Alexander’s eyes narrowed, his instincts stirring. Without even realizing it, he stepped toward the large bathtub. As he approached, Natalia’s hand shot out, grabbing Alexander’s shirt and yanking it off with unexpected force, leaving him momentarily stunned. ***