As soon as Angela had the chance to complain, she leapt for it. "Let me backtrack to that day in your office, if you would stop what you're doing for one moment. Thank you. Now, I told you what was up, but you ignored me. You remember that? Thought so. I have nothing to say sorry for."

Arvin screwed up his face in utter dismay. That day? Maybe Angela was right; for a moment he had no words to give his confusion shape. He just kept cleaning her hair for her. 'I used to sleep with you every day and it was blissful. Now nothing is the same as it once was. No, everything is different, and I don't know where to go from here. Silly Angela,' Arvin thought, thinking that he hadn't seen some action for a while.

If Arvin even had an inkling that it was Angela who he had slept with, he wouldn't act so rough with her as he was now, every day and night.

When Angela's hair had been almost totally dried, Arvin took out a box of ointment from the table and started to apply some on Angela's bruises.

Some time later, Arvin walked out slapping his hands together having washed his hands. He told Angela in a soft spoken voice, who, by the by, was stiffly covering her face out of shame with the towel, fearful what she was now expected to do, "Let's go and eat something? What do you say to that?"

Angela almost cried with shame. She shook her head and refused, "I don't want to eat anything. I just want to go to sleep. I've been tortured for days, and I'm exhausted. Please, just let me die."

She was so tired that she barely knew her own name, what day it was, or what room led to which. She couldn't even explain how she made it into the bathroom. 'This is all Arvin's fault,' she kept repeating. It was the only thing she truly did know with any certainty.

But Arvin wouldn't take no for an answer. Bit of a delayed reaction. He held Angela close, and walked with her towards the dining room. Angela trembled as the temperature changed between rooms. What new tortures awaited her here? When she was seated, he simply fed her dinner.

"Good," he said menacingly. It wasn't the only meat he would make her eat. After dinner, Arvin bolted the doors and took a shower. When Arvin came out, Angela was so sleepy. However, as Arvin sat down beside her, Angela immediately opened her eyes and called to him, "Arvin?"

"Yeah?" Arvin replied tentatively. Just now he thought Angela was asleep.

When she heard him, Angela leaned close to hold his waist and said, "Let's play a game, shall we?"

'Play a game... That sounds like something the old Angela would do. I see I have yet to crush her spirit.' Arvin didn't say a word.

"Well, if you don't want to play, do not sleep with me tonight. To play, or not play, that is up to you." Seeing that Arvin had no response, Angela pretended to be unhappy and threatened him.

Bad mistake. Arvin turned over and Angela was pinned under him. Arvin seemed a little angry. The next moment, Angela heard Arvin saying, "Are you threatening me?"

Anybody else would have been frightened by Arvin's deplorable actions. But Angela was not afraid. On the contrary, she pushed him off of her and turned her back to him.

...

After he sighed heavily, he rolled over to hold Angela in his arms. Then he kissed Angela's long hair and had to compromise to her will, "So what are the rules?"

Angela got her way. She approached Arvin a little happily and announced the rules. "Well, it's quite simple, really. I say a word and you follow with another. And these words combine together to be a phrase that makes sense. Make sure you say it loud and fast because that shows how smart you are!"

'Is my IQ not high or doesn't she know my IQ scores? In reality, is not a measure of one's intelligence marked by how much money one makes?' Arvin shook his head and thought in mind. This game sounded so lame but he couldn't say that out. That would dampen Angela's spirits.

So he agreed to play the game. ...

Seeing Arvin was strapped for any answer for the first step, Angela secretly smiled and laughed at his stupidity. So she clutched Arvin's ten fingers with her own and started the game, "Nongfu."

"And a snake," Arvin mumbled.

"No. The answer is 'nongfu spring'." Angela corrected Arvin.copy right hot novel pub