Alaric's crazy laughter echoed in Poppy's head. His wide eyes that sparkled with mischief made her blood turn cold.
Poppy didn't realize it until now, but he wasn't normal... He was mad!
Since he was very close and there was no way to avoid him, she closed her eyes and shielded her chest with her arms like that would help the impact.
Just when he was about to crash into her, a body slammed into him, knocking him to the ground. "We've got him! Sedative, now!"
Alaric cackled on the floor while struggling with the three guards that held him down.
Poppy watched in horror as she tried to catch her breath.
But even as they injected him, he didn't stop laughing or staring at her. And when his body started growing weak, his laughter only dissolved into a wide smile.
Still, his eyes stayed glued on her.
That grin terrified Poppy more than she dared to admit.
But even after all she'd seen, she couldn't look away from him.
Somewhere deep within her, it was heartbreaking that a man that beautiful, with such a perfect face and body was not in his right state of mind.
"What the hell are you doing in here?!" The two guards from earlier rushed to her.
Poppy blinked. "I-I didn't mean to— You ran inside and—"
One grabbed her arm roughly and impatiently.
"Let go! You're hurting me!" She cried as they dragged her to the gate.
They shoved her outside.
"This place is off-limits to strangers!"
"What is wrong with the both of you?! Poppy snapped, but her voice died down when the men raised their guns at her. "I'm not here to cause trouble. I just want to see Mr. Alaric Langford. It's important!"
The guards exchanged a look before their faces hardened.
"Go away, Lady! As you can see, this is not a very good time for you to pull these useless stunts just so you can meet with our young master." One said.
Young master...?
"But—"
"He's not in a good mood. And neither are we. So unless you want to be forcefully removed, I suggest you walk away. Now!"
Poppy's face drained of color as she began to piece everything together. "That man who ran at me naked, laughing like a lunatic... You called him young master. Is he Mr. Alaric Langford?"
The men frowned heavily. Their Young Master's identity was meant to be kept a secret.
"You need to leave. Now!" They raised their rifles without hesitation.
Poppy raised her hand in surrender. "P-please don't shoot! I-i'm leaving, okay? I'm leaving!"
She hurriedly got into her car and drove away.
...
Poppy forced herself to breathe as she stared at the photo of the man on her marriage certificate.
It was him!
That naked lunatic was her husband, Alaric Langford.
Her stomach twisted.
She didn't recognize him because his hair was properly trimmed in the photo and unlike earlier, he wasn't laughing wildly. His face was stern. But that only made his divine features more prominent.
She was told at the registry that she'd been married for almost two years.
How could that be when this man was insane and she was just meeting him for the first time?
A knock on her window made her jump. She sighed as she rolled down her glass.
"You can't park here, Miss Poppy. It's blocking the main entrance," the elderly security guard from her apartment building warned.
"I'm sorry, Mr. David," Poppy murmured. "I was going to drive into the parking lot, but I… I just needed a moment."
David nodded understandingly. "Did you come to get your things?"
"Why would I come to get my things? I live here!" Poppy said, but his brows furrowed.
"Weren't you informed? The owner gave instructions for your apartment to be cleared out this morning."
"What?! Cleared out?! Are you kidding me right now?!" Poppy stormed toward the building.
"Miss Poppy, wait! You still need to remove your vehicle!" David called out behind her.
But she wasn't listening. She only stopped when she saw her boxes, clothes, and properties piled outside like garbage beside the entrance.
"No..." Her heart sank to the pit of her stomach as she rushed over. "What the hell is this? Why would he do this?!"
She dialed Mr. Patrick, the owner of the building's number, at least twice, but he wasn't picking up.
Frustrated, her hands slumped to her side. That was when David saw the caller ID and felt pity for her.
"Mr. Patrick wouldn't pick up. That has been going on since he sold the building."
Poppy blinked. "Sold the building?"
"Yes! Right after you moved in to a certain Mr. Sinclair."
Poppy smiled bitterly. "You've got to be kidding me!"
...
"Miss Poppy, please! Mr. Rowland said he doesn't want to be disturbed!" A maid cried as she hurried after her.
But Poppy didn't care!
She threw the doors to her Father's private study open and stormed in. "Father!"
She expected to see her father, but instead she found Dale leaning casually on her Father's desk, like he'd been waiting for her.
He smiled lazily. "Leave us."
The maid bowed quickly and hurried out, shutting the door behind her.
Poppy crossed her arms. "What are you doing here? Where is my Father?"
"He stepped out," Dale said still smiling. "But it's funny how you walked in just when I was thinking about you."
Poppy scoffed. "You're even more disgusting than I thought."
The smile on Dale's face vanished.
"You don't get to talk to me like that after everything you did! I should be the one disgusted by your behavior. For heavens sake, we were supposed to get married, but you lied and made a fool out of me at the registry!"
Poppy smiled weakly as she remembered the text from Layla. What a shameless gaslighter!
"I'm not going to apologize again for what happened there, Dale. It's your business whether or not you chose to believe me. But can you stop reminiscing about the past? Everything we had is gone! You're married to Layla now. It's time you act like it."
Dale's jaw ticked.
He only married Layla to make Poppy suffer. To make her beg, cry, and crawl back to him after divorcing the unknown man she was married to. But why wasn't she doing any of that?
It drove him insane!
"Your'e angry, aren't you? You're angry I got married to Layla. That's why you're talking all tough, lying with that scumbag you got married to, and acting like you don't care."
Poppy smiled mockingly. "I really wish I was acting, Dale."
"No, you are!" His eyes flared. "You still love me! I can see and feel it. All these tough talk is just your pride speaking."
He reached for her face, brushing his thumb gently against her cheek.
"You should be grateful I'm still fond of you. Don't worry, I know how to soothe your anger..."
Poppy's jaw clenched. "Don't."
But he didn't stop. The thought that Poppy was married to someone else only drove him more insane.
His finger traced her bottom lips before gently caressing it. "You belong to only me, Poppy," he whispered.
Just when he was about to lean into her lips...
Chomp!
"Ahh!" Dale shrieked and jerked his hand back in shock.
Poppy smiled.
"You bit me?! You insane little—"
Before she could react, he shoved her against the desk.
"You belong to me! You're mine whether you like it or not!"
He tried to kiss her again. This time, forcefully, but Poppy slammed her knee straight into his groin.
"UGHHH!" Dale crumpled to the floor, groaning and clutching himself in agony.
Poppy straightened her cloth. "Let this be your final warning. The next time you try that, I'll sue you!"
She walked over him to the door. The moment she opened it, Layla was standing in front of it.
Her eyes widened as she saw Dale and she immediately rushed to him. "What did you do to him, Poppy?!"
Layla helped Dale up, but immediately her eyes fell on the bite marks, she lost it.
"What is this?! You attacked my husband?!"