Forbidden Passion

Theodore stood outside the door, holding a delicate paper bag, and waved it in front of Phoebe. "I noticed you didn't bring any clothes, so I had Jack buy you a set. Want to try it on?"

Phoebe opened the door a bit wider and extended her hand. "Give it to me."

Seeing Phoebe's defensive stance, Theodore's lips curled into a slight smile. "You're so wary of me. You know, I won't force you if you don't want to."

Phoebe pursed her lips and reached for the paper bag in Theodore's hand. He didn't let go, his gaze fixed on her.

Fresh out of the shower, Phoebe looked incredibly alluring.

Theodore wanted to take back his earlier words; perhaps forced intimacy wasn't such a bad idea after all.

Feeling Theodore's intense and unwavering gaze, Phoebe felt uncomfortable. She tugged the bag with a bit more force and pulled it away.

Then, with a "bang," she slammed the door shut.

The smile never left Theodore's face as he turned and went downstairs.

Theodore was no longer the frustrated man he once was. He had developed the patience to win Phoebe's heart back, step by step.

Phoebe took the paper bag into the room and pulled out the clothes. It was a long white dress reminiscent of her old style.

But the underwear was a different story.

The bra was semi-transparent lace, and the panties were even more daring just three thin straps, barely covering anything.

Was this the classic case of 'good girl on the outside, wild girl on the inside'?

When did Jack become so unreliable?

Phoebe glared at the underwear, feeling embarrassed just holding it, let alone wearing it. It was a challenge to her limits.

She turned to the bathroom and decided to wash her own underwear and dry it with a hairdryer. She couldn't bring herself to wear the other set due to her psychological barrier.

After washing her underwear, Phoebe looked around but couldn't find a hairdryer. She was about to break down. In the end, she hung the washed underwear in the bathroom and turned on the heater, hoping it would dry them.

After hanging the underwear, Phoebe walked out, picked up the other set, and reluctantly put it on. Even though it was quite revealing, wearing these few scraps of fabric still gave her a sense of security compared to wearing nothing.

Downstairs, Theodore sat on the couch with a laptop on the table. Ethan's snores filled the air; he was exhausted from playing at the amusement park and was sleeping soundly.

Theodore glanced at Ethan for a moment and then heard footsteps from upstairs. He instinctively looked up.

Phoebe came down wrapped in a bathrobe, exuding a lazy, relaxed vibe.

"Why aren't you wearing the dress?" Theodore asked as she walked through the living room and approached them. His gaze fell on her slender legs, and his breath noticeably quickened.noveldrama

Theodore regretted his earlier words. It was hard to be a gentleman in front of Phoebe. All he wanted to do was strip her and pin her to the carpet, and then...

Phoebe felt nervous under Theodore's intense gaze but kept a composed exterior. "Is Ethan still asleep?"

Theodore averted his gaze. "I'm going to take a shower."

He couldn't stay here any longer, or he would act out all the thoughts in his mind. Theodore got up and hurried upstairs.

Phoebe watched Theodore's figure disappear at the top of the stairs and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

She sat down by the couch and made a video call to Evelyn. The call was answered quickly, and Evelyn's face appeared on the screen.

"Phoebe, when are you coming over?"

Phoebe glanced upstairs and whispered, "I might not make it today. The wind and sand outside are so strong that you can't see the road. It's too risky to bring Ethan out."

"Yeah, how did we end up with a sandstorm?" Evelyn frowned.

"Mom, is there food in the villa? If not, call room service and have them bring some. Stay at the eco-park tonight, and we'll head back to the city once the sandstorm stops tomorrow," Phoebe advised.

"We have food. The fridge is stocked with vegetables and fruits. I'll make dinner for the kids later. Just be careful when you're with Theodore, and don't let him take advantage of you," Evelyn said, clearly worried about Phoebe.

Being alone with a man, especially one who was once her closest partner, could lead to unexpected situations.

"I know. How are the kids?"

"They were exhausted and scared today. They fell asleep as soon as we got back. Don't worry, I'll take good care of them," Evelyn assured.

Phoebe felt relieved and ended the video call. She sat by the couch and noticed Theodore's laptop was on, with a document open on the screen. It looked like a bid proposal.

Phoebe glanced upstairs. How could Theodore be so careless, leaving a bid proposal out like this? Wasn't he afraid she'd peek at the bid details?

Phoebe leaned over and closed the laptop.

Outside, the sandstorm grew thicker, and the sky darkened, making it almost impossible to see anything. After sitting for a while, Phoebe felt hungry and went to the kitchen.

Opening the fridge, she found it well-stocked, even with seafood.

Phoebe took out the ingredients, washed, chopped, and plated them. The sink faced away from the kitchen entrance, and the sound of running water masked the approaching footsteps.

She didn't realize Theodore was behind her until he hugged her from behind, nearly causing her to drop the vegetable basket. She quickly broke free from his embrace.

A blush spread across Phoebe's cheeks. "Why do you walk so quietly? You scared me."

Theodore looked at her with a dazed expression. When he walked into the kitchen and saw her back, it felt like he was transported back to three years ago, before their divorce.

But now, Phoebe's eyes were filled with wariness and distance, not the gentle look he remembered.

Leaning against the counter, Theodore's gaze slowly cleared. "What are you doing?" "Making dinner. It's already dark. If we call room service, the food will probably be full of sand. It's better if I cook," Phoebe said, glancing at him. "You should leave. I can handle it."

"I'll help you," Theodore said, not moving from his spot. "What do you need me to do?"

Phoebe didn't want to share the small kitchen with Theodore. "Go watch Ethan for me. I'm afraid he'll fall off the couch."

"I've placed cushions around the couch. Even if he falls, he won't get hurt," Theodore replied.

Phoebe pursed her lips. "Fine, crack two eggs for me. I'll make steamed eggs later." "Okay."

They busied themselves in the kitchen for an hour, preparing a feast. After placing the

last dish on the table, Theodore took out his phone. "Let me take a picture for my Feed."