Ch. 1041..1050

Loving You In Secret Chapter 1041-By the time she returned to the living room, both Tyler and Aurora were gone and she assumed that they had returned to their rooms.

Vicky's confession and reluctance did not stop them from staying in her house.

Since she could not get them to leave, she decided to remove herself from the situation instead.

She packed her belongings and decided to travel overseas to visit Cece and Jennifer, all the while saying she was to do research about migrating overseas.

As soon as she booked the ticket, she received a call from the airline company.

"Ms. Shaw, I’m terribly sorry, but there's some issue with your documents and we can't accept your purchase. The payment has already been refunded. Please clarify any issue with your personal documentation before purchasing another ticket."

The airline company did not give much information, but Vicky instantly knew who was responsible for all of this. After all, only one man was capable of such a thing in Zendonia.

She set her phone down and glanced at her suitcase.

If she could not travel overseas, she could stay at a hotel and leave the mansion to Aurora and Tyler.

Just as she hung up the phone, Vicky's phone rang again.

On the other end of the line, Aurora's voice sounded anxious and urgent. "Vicky, are you at home right now?"

"I am. What's wrong?"

"I just called Tyler, but he's not picking up no matter how many times I tried. I'm worried that something might have happened to him. Could you go and check on him for me?"

Vicky's eyebrows slightly furrowed with reluctance." Shouldn't you be home too?"

"No, the entertainment industry in Molivia is under the control of my parents, so it's hard for me to make a breakthrough there. That's why I decided to come here and give it a try. I've sent out a lot of resumes before, and today a production team finally contacted me. I'm currently out for an audition."

Vicky's grip on her phone tightened as she remained silent.

Aurora pleaded, "Vicky, please, it would be a great help if you could go and check on him... He's injured now, and if something goes wrong, we'll both be in trouble."

Knowing the reason for his injury, Vicky was unable to refuse after hearing her words. "Alright, I'll go and check on him for you."

Aurora's voice sounded relieved. "Thank you, thank you so much."

As she walked out of the room, Vicky started to regret her decision.

Her relationship with Tyler was complicated, and now she was voluntarily putting herself in his presence, so it felt as though she was willingly walking into the lion's den.

Although he was injured and was unlikely to do anything to her, she could not know for sure if he would suddenly go berserk.

Vicky hesitated for a long time without going downstairs.

A few minutes later, another call came from Aurora. "Vicky, have you gone to see Tyler? How is he doing?"

"I... I have something going on, so I haven't gone yet. Miss Starling, can you see if he..."

Before Vicky could finish her sentence, Aurora interrupted her.

"Oh, then go and see him quickly, and let me know later. It's almost my audition time, so I can't talk to you for now.

Goodbye." 1

Before Vicky could react, the call abruptly ended from the other side.

Looking at the disconnected phone, Vicky could only sigh and head downstairs knowing that a headache might form soon after.

Just like Aurora, Tyler lived in one of the guest rooms on the ground floor.

Due to Aurora's conservative attitude, they did not stay in the same room.

Loving You In Secret Chapter 1042-Vicky walked over to Tyler's room and knocked on the door, but there was no response.

She tried again, and the outcome was the same.

She had learned her lesson before and decided that she would not enter the room unless Tyler came to the door.

Another ten seconds went by, and Tyler had yet to respond.

Just as Vicky was about to leave, the door burst open and Tyler appeared in a bathing robe.

Vicky's brows furrowed the moment she saw him. "Were you taking a shower?"

She noticed that his hair was still damp.

"What's wrong with doing that?"

"Don't you know that you aren't supposed to shower shortly after the surgery?"

"I do," he said casually. "I didn't let the wound come into contact with water.”

Vicky wanted to say something, but then she realized that she was a nobody to Tyler anymore, and she had no right to interfere with his actions.

"Miss Starling called you several times, but you didn't answer. She's really worried about you, so she asked me to check on you," Vicky explained her intention. "Since you're

fine, I'll go now. Miss Starling is waiting for my reply."

With that, Vicky turned to leave, but just as she turned, Tyler grabbed her wrist.

Vicky's expression darkened, and she quickly pulled her hand away from him when she felt a slight static shock." What do you think you're doing?!" Her eyes squinted as she looked at him wearily.

Seeing Vicky's strong reaction, Tyler's dark eyes slightly narrowed. "What do you think I'm doing?"

Vicky did not dare to get too close to him and said cautiously, "If you have something to say, just say it. There's no need to get all handsy."

"Handsy?" He seemed to find that statement rather amusing. Tyler took a few steps forward, his tall figure exuding a daunting presence. "If this is what you consider handsy, then... What do you think about this?"

With a strong pull, Tyler dragged her into his embrace, lowered his head, and kissed her without hesitation.

'He's gone mad!' Vicky thought and forcefully pushed her hand against his chest.

Tyler's body stiffened.

Vicky took advantage of this opportunity and broke free from Tyler's embrace.

After all the commotion, the bathrobe on the man's chest was stained red with blood.

Due to the sudden sharp pain, Tyler's face turned pale as he lowered his head to look at the wound on his chest. He raised his head to gaze at Vicky to state the obvious. "The wound reopened."

Vicky's gaze darted around hysterically, but she managed to grit out, "You deserved it."

In the past, Vicky would have been overly anxious and would hurry over to check on his condition. Now, she stood motionless in place, indifferent, unbothered, and even said that he deserved it.

This sudden change of attitude displeased Tyler, and his gaze grew even colder.

He parted his thin lips and uttered coldly, "Come here."

Tyler planned to take advantage of her, so there was no way that she would listen to him.

Instead of going over, Vicky decided to quickly leave and stay away from him, so she turned to walk away.

However, before she could take a step, Vicky suddenly found herself lifted off the ground by Tyler.

Her eyes widened. "What are you doing?!"

Tyler lowered his gaze to her. "It seems like you enjoy it when I’m being forceful."

That's crazy! Let go of me!

Loving You In Secret Chapter 1043-Tyler sneered. "When I try to talk to you normally, you don't listen. You only respond when I resort to forceful methods. Does it make you uncomfortable when I’m being kind to you?

"That was you being kind to me?" Vicky stared at the man's handsome face, which was just inches away. "You think saying a few words in a normal tone is considered being kind to me? If that's the case, don't you think your kindness is too cheap?"

"Cheap?" Something seemed to have struck Tyler's mind, causing his steps to suddenly halt. His previously indifferent expression turned icy and cold as frost. "Hasn't my kindness always been the cheapest thing in your eyes?"

People never cherished things that come too easily, and that was something Tyler had known all along. That was precisely why he swore to never be kind to her again.

Tyler carried her into the bedroom and slammed the door shut with a loud bang.

Just as Vicky was considering whether or not to tend to his wound, his chilling voice echoed from above. "Go and find the first aid kit, and rebandage my wound."

With that said, Tyler let her go, causing Vicky to look at him with disbelief.

Meeting her skeptical gaze, Tyler raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong? Are you disappointed that I made a move on you?"

Vicky certainly did not feel disappointed, but she also did not want to be alone in a room with Tyler.

"Aurora is still waiting for my reply," she said in a nervous tone. "I should message her first. I'm not good at dressing wounds so I'll go and call the family doctor for you."

A sinister smirk appeared on Tyler's face, sending chills down her spine. "It looked like you were ready for me to do something to you."

Sensing the darkness in his eyes, Vicky unconsciously took a few steps back. "Tyler, you just had surgery. The doctor said... You shouldn't engage in strenuous activities. You-"

Vicky tried to persuade Tyler, but he coldly interrupted her." If you don't want me to do anything to you, then just go and fetch me the first aid kit."

Vicky's lips moved, and as she looked at the increasingly gloomy and impatient expression on his face, Vicky finally gave in. "I'll go and get the first aid kit."

She knew that Tyler was not a man who could control his impulse simply because they were in her house. He would always do as he pleased with her regardless of where they were.

Since he was injured and would not do anything in normal circumstances, it would be best for her to avoid provoking him.

After finding the first aid kit, Vicky returned to the living

room of the house.

Tyler had his eyes closed and was leaning back on the couch.

Perhaps due to blood loss, the man's handsome face appeared slightly pale.

Vicky's heart sank at the sight. "Is it really okay not to call a doctor?"

Upon hearing her voice, Tyler opened his eyes. "The doctor prescribed some medicine. Applying some hemostatic drugs will do."

As Vicky unwrapped the bandage, she saw the wound - that she had stabbed and now reopened - bleeding profusely. Only at that moment did she realize the weight of her actions and how hard she had stabbed him.

The scent of rustic blood permeated the air.

Staring at the bleeding wound, Vicky's fingers inexplicably trembled and for some reason, she found it difficult to continue.

Tyler could sense that she was terrified and said, "You didn't seem scared when you stabbed me, how are you scared just by looking at my wound?"

Her lashes fluttered and she took a few deep breaths before regaining her composure. Still, her fingers were trembling when she tended to the wound.

Tyler did not seem to feel any pain and did not even flinch once.

After some time, Vicky finally finished tending to the wound and quickly left Tyler's room.

This time, Tyler did not stop her.

Upon returning to her room, she grabbed her suitcase and decided to leave for a hotel.

However, her phone rang once again before she had the chance to step out of her room.

Loving You In Secret Chapter 1044-She took out her phone, and it was Elijah calling.

"Vicky, are you free later? Grandma misses you." "I am." Vicky did not want to be in the same house as Tyler and said, "Come pick me up."

"Okay."

40 minutes later, Elijah's car stopped at the front gate.

Vicky dragged her suitcase and walked out of the mansion. Just as she reached the door, she ran into Aurora, who had just returned from an audition.

Aurora looked surprised seeing Vicky with her suitcase." Vicky, where are you going?"

"My fiance is taking me to the Harrisons' house for a few days."

"To the Harrisons' house?" Aurora's expression changed slightly. "Vicky, have Tyler and I been bothering you?"

Tyler's injury was caused by Vicky, and logically, she should take responsibility for it, but she couldn't rest peacefully under the same roof with them.

"No," Vicky said slowly. "His grandma is getting older and needs someone to take care of her in every aspect. That's why I'll be going there to take care of her for a while. Also, since my wedding with Elijah is approaching, I have to keep an eye on him to prevent any problems from emerging before the wedding."

"But..." Aurora wanted to argue, but Vicky did not give her a chance.

"Miss Starling, he's actually waiting for me outside, I'll be going now." With that, she opened the car door and got into Elijah's car.

After a few seconds of stunned silence, Aurora hurriedly caught up. "Vicky..."

Vicky quickly said to Elijah, "Drive, please."

Elijah could see that Aurora was chasing after them and felt puzzled. "Vicky, why is Miss Starling here with you?"

"Start driving first. I'll explain later."

Spotting Vicky's anxious expression, Elijah floored the accelerator. Before Aurora could catch up, the car darted off.

Sitting in the car, Vicky briefly explained that Aurora was staying at her place because of conflicts with her parents and did not mention Tyler at all.

Although she had recently grown closer to Elijah, she did not consider him her confidante and it decided it was best for him to know as little as possible.

After listening to Vicky's explanation, Elijah suggested,"

Actually, Grandma has been talking about you a lot lately... How about staying at my family's house for a few days?"

Vicky instinctively refused, "There's no need. I'll stay at a hotel."

"Don't worry. I'll talk to my family and make sure we won't be staying in the same room. I don't want my girlfriend to get jealous either," Elijah said with a smile.

Vicky hesitated at the mention of his girlfriend. Staying at his house would definitely be better than staying at a hotel. She could also show Tyler that her relationship with Elijah was going well and hopefully convince Tyler to give up.

Her urge to be rid of Tyler was one of the reasons why she agreed to put on an act with Elijah.

She nodded and said, "Alright, then. Sounds good."

Vicky received a warm welcome from every member of the Harrison Family upon her arrival. No one raised any question as to why she had decided to stay in their house or showed any confusion when Vicky requested to be placed in a separate room on her own. Their enthusiasm filled her heart with guilt as Elijah's family did not know that they were merely pretending to be a couple.

After Vicky left the mansion, Tyler tried to call her.

Loving You In Secret Chapter 1045-Vicky did not pick up and soon after, Tyler sent her a text message.

[If you get back here now, I can pretend that this never happened.)

Vicky ignored his text and pretended it didn't exist.

She thought that Tyler would continue to call or text her to threaten her, but Tyler fell into absolute silence afterward.

A peaceful week went by before Vicky received a call from Aurora, who had not contacted Vicky for a while either.

"Vicky, have you gone home recently?"

"No," Vicky said.

"Oh. So you haven't been home either?"

Vicky keenly sensed the implications in Aurora's words." Miss Starling, are you not with him?"

"Yeah, I went for an audition, remember? The director called me in the evening and said I got the part. I'm on set now." Aurora's tone was light and cheerful.

'If Aurora has been filming, then who is taking care of Tyler?' Vicky thought.

Aurora quickly answered Vicky's confusion, Because of the filming, Tyler and I had a big fight. He hasn't answered my calls for a week. I'm not sure about his current situation or if

he's still at your place. That's why I called you to check."

"I'm not sure about it either. We haven't been in contact recently."

"I see..." Aurora's tone carried some concern. "When I have some free time, I'll go back and check on him."

After hanging up, Vicky stared blankly at her phone, wondering if Tyler had actually left her house.

Just then, someone knocked on her door, and a servant's voice came from outside. "Ms. Shaw, dinner is ready. You can come downstairs now."

Vicky snapped out of her thoughts. "Okay, I'll be there right away."

After adjusting her mood, Vicky descended the stairs.

To her surprise, Elijah and his parents were all sitting in the living room.

Although Vicky had been staying at the Harrisons' house for the past few days, Elijah and his parents did not actually live there.

They had their own house and only came over for meals.

Elijah had found an excuse for a business trip to avoid any suspicion, which made Vicky feel more at ease.

Usually, when she had free time, Vicky would chat with Old Madam Harrisons, play chess, and tend to the flowers and plants. Now that all the Harrisons family members were here, she felt out of place.

This was not supposed to be a day for a family gathering.

As Vicky descended the stairs, she noticed a heavy atmosphere as Elijah and his parents had grim expressions on their faces.

Vicky approached them and asked, "What's going on?"

Elijah and Mister Harrison did not speak, but Missus Harrison sighed. "A major financial investment of the Harrisons encountered a significant problem a few days ago. The current situation... doesn't seem too optimistic."

Vicky scowled. "How bad is it?"

Missus Harrison's eyes suddenly reddened. "We might face bankruptcy."

Vicky was taken aback. "Seriously?!"

"It's all my fault. I made a wrong judgment and fell into the other party's trap..." Mister Harrison shook his head and sighed. "Well, so be it. Fortune favors the bold, and it's all up to fate."

When Vicky heard the word trap, her body stiffened instinctively as she thought of Tyler.

Tyler had been unusually quiet lately. It was unlike his usual self despite the fact that she had stabbed him.

Given his vindictive nature, it would have been impossible for him to remain silent.

Unable to hold back, Vicky asked, "Could you share with me what exactly happened?"

Loving You In Secret Chapter 1046-Mister Harrisons seemed unwilling to bring it up again, and waved his hand in dismissal. "Never mind, let's not talk about that for now. The main reason we came here today is to take you and your grandmother away from here."

"Leave... What do you mean?"

Elijah's tone was heavy. "This place has already been mortgaged by us. Tonight will be our last dinner in this old house. After we finish eating, you and Grandma will have to pack your things. We're moving elsewhere."

Vicky had not expected the situation to be so severe that they had to mortgage their property. Worried, she asked," Isn’t this old mansion a heritage of the Harrisons? Hasn't it been here for generations? Are we really giving it up just like that?"

Mister Harrisons shot her a bitter smile. "In a few days, our family name will be gone, let alone this house. Not ending up on the streets would be considered fortunate for us."

As they were speaking, Old Madam Harrisons was also brought down by the servant.

When everyone saw Old Madam Harrisons, everyone quieted down.

After dinner, Mister Harrisons said to Old Madam Harrisons, "Mom, I'll have the servants help you pack your luggage.

We're moving elsewhere to stay tonight."

Although Old Madam Harrisons was old, she had a sharp mind and was not the kind of senile old lady.

Old Mister Harrisons passed away early, and when she was young, she managed a large company on her own.

Therefore, she was no ordinary old lady.

Old Madam Harrisons did not raise a single question and directly said, "I've already packed everything. You can go upstairs and bring them down."

Mister Harrisons was taken aback.

Although they had not told Old Madam Harrisons anything, she understood the situation clearly.

Looking at Old Madam Harrisons' calm expression, Vicky grew a hint of admiration in her heart.

When Old Madam Harrisons was young, she toiled tirelessly. After finally raising Mister Harrisons and stabilizing the situation, just as she was about to enjoy her later years, she was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Now, the family was on the verge of bankruptcy.

In the face of such tribulations, how could one not admire Old Madam Harrisons' ability to remain so composed?

Old Madam Harrisons turned her head and met Vicky's gaze. In a gentle voice, she said, "You should go and pack your things, you lot. I need to speak with Vicky alone."

Mister and Missus Harrisons nodded and left, while Elijah hesitated and looked at Vicky.

In the end, he did not say anything and got up to leave.

After everyone had left, Old Madam Harrisons held Vicky's hand.

"Vicky, has Elijah mentioned our current situation to you?" Vicky remained quiet for a few seconds and nodded gently.

Mister and Missus Harrisons and Elijah had already discussed it with her earlier.

"Good, then." Old Madam Harrisons sighed. "I've lived long enough to see pretty much everything. Wealth is nothing but a whiff of smoke that eventually vanishes, but for you..." She looked at Vicky. "You are still young and you have so much potential. You shouldn't get dragged down alongside us. Vicky, I hereby announce that your engagement with Elijah ends here."

Vicky paled slightly and opened her mouth to argue." Grandma, I-'

Old Madam Harrisons tapped on her hand with a smile." Vicky, I know what you want to say. Even if you don't marry Elijah, I will still think of you as my granddaughter... It would make my day if you could come by to visit me whenever you have time in the future."

Vicky studied the endearing look on Old Madam Harrisons' face and felt a lump in her throat.

She could definitely proclaim her undying loyalty to the Harrisons if she was truly Elijah's girlfriend, but the entire engagement was nothing but an act. It was sad to say that their relationship was bound to end at one point, she just didn't expect it to come so soon.

Loving You In Secret Chapter 1047-Moreover, they had been deceiving Old Madam Harrison all along, which made Vicky feel guilty. It felt like she was taking advantage of this opportunity to redefine her relationship with Elijah.

With these thoughts in mind, Vicky did not argue and lowered her gaze, before taking the bracelet she was wearing off. "Grandma, please, I should return this bracelet to you..."

Old Madam Harrison pushed the bracelet back. "A gift given away should not be taken back. From the moment I offered you this bracelet, it became your possession."

"Grandma, this bracelet is a precious heirloom of the Harrisons. I cant accept it."

Old Madam Harrison smiled. "When I said it was a family heirloom, it was just to let Elijah know that you are the granddaughter-in-law I have chosen, and that he shouldn't treat you casually. This is a gift from me to you, regardless of the situation... you should accept it."

Vicky became even more hesitant about accepting it upon hearing her words. "Even if this bracelet isn't a family heirloom, it's still invaluable," Vicky said, looking at Old Madam Harrison. "Perhaps we can sell it to get through this difficult time."

"Silly child." Old Madam Harrison sighed softly. "Since the Harrisons have reached the point of mortgaging the old mansion, even if this bracelet could be sold for a billion, it wouldn't be enough to save us from this crisis."

Vicky fell silent.

To ordinary people, a billion was an astronomical number, but for a noble family that was going through bankruptcy, a billion dollars might not even cover the debt they now owed.

Old Madam Harrison looked around and said with sorrow," Vicky, there is no need to refuse. Perhaps this is the only good thing I can leave behind in this world."

Vicky felt a lump in her throat, and it became even harder to refuse the bracelet.

Old Madam Harrison was right. If the Harrison family really reached the point of bankruptcy, everything in the old mansion would be sold and mortgaged, leaving nothing behind.

Vicky only had a few belongings with her as she was just temporarily staying at the Harrisons' house, so she managed to pack everything swiftly.

Just as she was about to talk to Elijah, he approached her first.

"Elijah, what's really going on? How did the Harrisons suddenly face bankruptcy?" She asked.

Elijah paled. "It was just as Father said, we fell into a trap. That's how the financial world works. You can become rich overnight, but you can also lose everything the same day."

After hesitating for a moment, Vicky asked, "The Harrisons have been thriving in the financial world for many years. It's hard to believe that you fell into a trap. Is there something fishy going on that you're keeping from me?"

Elijah's expression changed, and he opened his mouth several times, wanting to say something. In the end, he covered his face in remorse. "Father only said he was outsmarted and fell into a trap set by someone else, but he doesn't know that all of this happened because of me..."

Noticing that there was more to the story than meets the eye, Vicky asked, "What exactly is going on?"

Elijah remained silent and stared at Vicky with a knowing look.

She instantly understood what he meant and asked, "Tyler did this, didn't he?"

Elijah moved his lips, but did not deny it.

Her eyes widened. "Elijah, tell me exactly what happened in detail."

The night was dark and quiet when Vicky returned to her own mansion with her suitcase.

It was dark inside the mansion and she was uncertain if Tyler had gone to bed or if he had been long gone.

Even with all that was happening, she took a deep breath and bravely opened the door to go inside.

Loving You In Secret Chapter 1048-Past the door, the hall was empty and deserted with nothing but the gentle moonlight shining across the floor, casting a silvery glow.

This was the place she had called home for four years, and even with her eyes closed, she could navigate it with ease.

She did not turn on the lights, but instead ventured forward in the darkness, ascending the stairs.

The house was quiet, and the sound of her footsteps sounded particularly crisp. As she pushed open the bedroom door, Vicky sensed that something was amiss.

A scent that did not belong to her room hit her immediately.

She widened her eyes, and suddenly caught sight of a tall and slender figure standing by the windows.

In the darkness, the crimson flame at the end of his cigarette flickered intermittently.

At the same time, a whiff of smoke drifted into her nostrils.

Instinctively, Vicky reached for the switch on the wall and light instantly illuminated the room, causing her to squint her eyes until she adjusted to the new scene.

Once her eyes fully adapted, Vicky looked in the direction of the windows at the cold and familiar figure before her.

He stood by the window with a cigarette burning between his fingertips; white smoke enveloped his sharply defined face, rendering him somewhat blurry under the light.

Vicky was momentarily stunned at the sight of him, but soon regained her composure.

Tyler turned around slowly, and his unfathomable gaze fell upon her.

There was no surprise on his face, as if he had already anticipated her arrival. His gaze resembled that of a pet owner welcoming their wayward pet home.

"Come over here,"' he spoke lightly, his voice as cold as ever.

A sense of reluctance grew in Vicky's heart, and she remained rooted to the spot.

Tyler's eyes narrowed as he observed her feeble struggle, and a faintly mocking smile tugged at his thin lips. "What's the matter? Do you want me to come to you instead?"

Vicky's brows twitched, and with legs that felt as heavy as lead, she inched forward to stand before the man, knowing that the outcome would not change even if she walked at the slowest pace she could manage.

Tyler seemed to be oblivious to her reluctance; more precisely, he simply did not care.

Tyler pressed her against the transparent windows, kissing her recklessly.

Vicky instinctively resisted when Elijah's words echoed in her mind.

"I used to think that Tyler and the Harrisons operated in different domains, so he wouldn't have the means to do anything to us... but I've severely underestimated him. Although our fields are different, his connections alone make him extremely formidable. With the support of the Starlings, he easily crushed us with a flick of a wrist. Vicky, you need to know that this isn't your fault. It is the result of my own misjudgement, and I'm paying the price for it. Regardless, thank you for helping me all this time..."

It was because of her that the Harrisons had suffered and gone bankrupt and it was at that moment that she realized Tyler stopped bothering her because he was busy setting a trap for the Harrisons.

His kiss came to a sudden halt and Vicky looked up, thinking that he was done, only to meet his cold, dark eyes.

"You seem distracted... What's on your mind?"

She did not look away and whispered, "Whatever happened to the Harrisons... must have been your doing, right?"

Tyler did not deny nor confirm it, he only stared back at her.

Tears welled in her eyes. "Tyler, Old Madam Harrisons is ill and she doesn't have much longer to live. Why can't you let her live out her remaining days in peace?"

In contrast to her hysterical state, Tyler seemed unbothered. "You of all people should know why I did it."

"I was the one who crossed you. The Harrisons have nothing to do with this. You could have come after me for revenge, so why do you keep targeting the innocent people around me?!"

Loving You In Secret Chapter 1049-"That works best, doesn’t it?" He caressed her cheek gently." Look at you. You came back, didn't you?"

She slapped his hand out of the way in disdain.

She had already lost all expectations and hopes for Tyler. Now that he blackmailed her into compliance, it disgusted her even further.

A man of his status had plenty of ways to force her back into the house, but he chose the nastiest way to settle the score.

"You disgust me, Tyler Hart!" She said coldly.

He did not seem to care about the resentment she spewed and chuckled. "Want to stab me again?"

With the Harrisons at Tyler's mercy, Vicky dared not to act recklessly. " What on earth do you want, Tyler?"

"You know what I want."

Vicky clenched her fists, raising her gaze. "So, you just wanted to keep sleeping with me?"

There was no trace of surprise or satisfaction on Tyler's face, as if everything was just as it should be as he said casually, "Old Madam Harrison is reaching the end of her life and yet has to endure such suffering. It's truly pitiful."

"Are you implying that everything the Harrisons have gone through is because of me?"

"Hasn't it?"

'He has the logic of a bandit. He would never admit his own fault!' She thought angrily. 'If that's the case, what's the point of arguing about it?'

After a moment of silence, Vicky asked, "I've already agreed to sleep with you. Can you spare the Harrisons now?"

"I never said that I would spare the Harrisons if you agree."

"Why do you keep messing with me?"

"I don’t want to kiss a lifeless body every time and go to bed with a dead fish." Tyler's thin lips curved into a tantalizing arc. "If you want me to spare the Harrisons, it depends on how well you can satisfy me." i

Understanding the deeper meaning of his words, she clenched her fist, her face flushed with a mix of shame and anger.

Tyler said indifferently, "I don't like forcing people into doing things they don't want. You can refuse and leave right now."

'How dare he say such a thing?' She thought. 'That is worse than making me obey by brute force.'

Vicky could not accept the thought that she had involved the Harrisons, causing Old Madam Harrison to suffer at such an old age.

She took a deep breath and said with resignation, "I... will do it."

The man chuckled lightly and lowered his head to kiss her.

After everything was over, the sky outside had started to brighten.

Vicky resisted her drowsiness and waited for Tyler to come out of the bathroom.

"Now, can you spare the Harrisons?" To prevent Tyler from misunderstanding, she added, "Old Madam Harrison is in poor health and can't withstand any more hardships."

Tyler glanced at her indifferently. "When you wounded me, you didn't care much, yet you're so concerned about an old lady unrelated to you."

Vicky was taken aback. She recalled that ever since she returned, all her attention had been focused on the

Harrisons and she had completely forgotten about his injury.

It had been over a week since she left the mansion and she assumed the wound on Tyler had healed, or he would not have the strength to sleep with her at all.

Vicky lowered her eyes. "When I left, the Harrisons were in the process of moving. I don't know where they moved to. Old Madam Harrison has a terminal illness, and her time is running out. The weather has been chilly lately, and I'm worried that her frail body won't be able to handle the cold."

Loving You In Secret Chapter 1050-Vicky looked up at him. "You don't want to be a murderer, do you?"

Tyler stared at her quietly for a moment, before saying," Seeing how you performed well today, I can let the Harrisons off the hook. For now."

"For now?"

"That's right. If you upset me again, the Harrisons will suffer again."

Vicky's heart sank.

With Cece and Jennifer gone, Tyler had resorted to using the Harrisons as his hostage.

"For how long?" She said abruptly.

"What?"

"How long do you want me to keep sleeping with you?"

"Obviously, until I lose interest in y-"

Before he could finish, Vicky interrupted him.

"Our arrangement ends on the day of your wedding." Determination and resolve flickered in her eyes. "If you still want to use the Harrisons to pressure me into doing what you want after your wedding day, then I'll just let you be." i

Tyler was somewhat surprised. "You don't care about the Harrisons anymore?"

Vicky's tone was calm. "I don't want to hurt one person for the sake of another. Besides, if the Harrisons face bankruptcy today because of you, they might face it due to someone else's schemes some other day. I have limited abilities, and I'll do my best for the Harrisons. The rest... The rest will be beyond my control, and I'll leave it to fate to decide."

She could bow down to Tyler's coercion if necessary, but she would never let him manipulate her forever. If he pushed her to the edge, she wouldn't fear confrontation and would let go of everything so he would have nothing to hold over her.

Confronted by her bright and clear eyes, Tyler momentarily lost his composure.

He knew she had her limits; even if he could threaten her into complying temporarily with all means at his disposal, he could never control her forever.

If that day truly came when she decided that she had enough, the heartlessness she would display would exceed everyone's expectations.

She was never the type of woman to silently endure the pain.

Vicky did not notice Tyler's reaction and reminded him once again, "Since you've temporarily spared the Harrisons, can you call your assistant and inform your people to stop targeting them?"

Tyler glanced at Vicky and picked up the phone from the bedside table, before making the call in front of her.

Upon hearing Tyler's instructions, Vicky's body visibly relaxed.

Exhaustion and drowsiness overwhelmed her, and she closed her eyes, falling into a deep sleep.

She woke up around noon the next day. Picking up her phone, Vicky noticed several missed calls, all from Elijah.

Vicky returned his call. "Elijah, did you call me for something?"

Elijah's voice came from the other end of the line. "Vicky, the situation with the Harrisons has temporarily stabilized. The other party is no longer forcing us to leave the old mansion. In fact, we've already settled back in."

Vicky had intended to inquire about the situation during the day, but upon hearing Elijah's words, she felt relieved. "I'm glad to hearthat."

After a brief hesitation, Elijah asked, "Vicky, did you... Were you the one that went to Tyler for a favor?"

Even if Vicky did not say anything, Elijah knew very well that the turning point in the family's situation was likely related to her.

Vicky's voice carried an apologetic tone. "I'm sorry for causing trouble for the Harrisons."

Elijah shook his head. "It's not your fault. It's my own

problem. I knew that Tyler wasn't someone to be trifled with, but I didn't make the severity of our relationship clear to my father. Thank you... for resolving this whole mess."

"How is Grandma doing?"

"For now, she's alright. She was a bit exhausted from the events of yesterday. Whenever you have time, you should come and visit her."

"Of course, I'll come by when I have the time."