MIDNIGHT Bride The CEO's TEMPTATION

Joyce stared at the television carefully. She was trying to find fault with Eric, to make herself feel better. But the more she looked at him, the more fascinated she became. She wished that she could take Crystal's place. If wishes were horses - she thought sadly - then beggars would ride...

The makeup artists were fixing Nancy's makeup, and as she looked in the mirror, she thought - I wonder if people will be able to see - She had been told that there would not be a lot of people and the ceremony - So, why are there so many journalists?

There was chaos all around her, and everyone was busy. Crystal was doing an interview with the journalists, and she worried that they would want to talk to her next. For the moment, at least, she had been left alone, which was a mixed blessing. It was nice not to be the center of attention, but she would have felt better if she had Noah by her side.

Paul came up behind her, smirked, and said, "No amount of makeup will cover your natural ugliness. I don't know why you even try..."

Nancy frowned. He was the last person that she wanted to see. She tried to stand up so that she could walk away, but he pressed down on her shoulders and forced her to stay sitting.

Paul looked around the room and ordered everyone - including his bodyguards - to leave. It took a moment for everyone to shuffle out, and he closed the door behind them. Then he walked back to Nancy and pinched her jaw. "Look at you," he hissed. "Your face is a picture of lust and dissatisfaction. Doesn't Noah Laurent satisfy you? Why do you need so many men?"

Nancy sighed. "You don't know what you're talking about. You never do! What are you doing here anyway?" She pushed his hand away, and without waiting for a reply, she said, "Get out of my face! Go away! I don't want to see you!"

The sight of him was enough to trigger the memories of him assaulting her. The memories haunted her, humiliated her, and made her feel dirty. She stared at him with disgust, as if he were a piece of shit.

When Paul saw the look in her eyes, he frowned. "Hey!" He said, "Today is your big day. I am only here to give you my blessing."

Nancy smirked and said, "Thanks, but I don't need your blessing. Just leave."

Paul scowled. He was used to being in charge, and he did not appreciate Nancy ordering him around. "Do you hate seeing me so much?" he asked. "How can you be so heartless? How can you forget your ex-husband so quickly? Was it so easy to replace me?"

Nancy was confused. She did not believe that he was only there to offer his blessing, but she could not figure out his real motivation, and she certainly did not know why he was talking this way. After all, he had replaced her with Michelle. He had been the one who had asked for a divorce, and he had driven her out of their home. And just the other day, he had ordered her to get out of the house.

Paul touched her cheek and said, "You loved me once, didn't you?"

"You know that I did," Nancy replied. Paul smirked and said, "I guess it's true what they say: You can never trust a woman." He looked at Nancy's reflection in the mirror. With the makeup, her delicate features appeared to be prettier and more attractive than they usually were.

With the bright red lipstick, her lips were intoxicating. While they were married, he had forbidden her from wearing makeup, especially rouge lipstick. From the moment he had taken her home, he had treated her as his possession. He had not allowed her to show her beauty to anyone, and the thought of his "possession" marrying another man upset him. He squinted and wiped her lips with his thumb.

Paul's thumb was rough, and when Nancy flinched away, she accidentally dropped her veil on the ground. When he saw that, he sneered and said, "You'd better mess up your hair, shred your dress, and walk into the church in disgrace. Then everyone will see what kind of a person you actually are!"

Nancy was finally fed up with Paul's disrespect. "What the hell do you want?" she shouted.

"Didn't you sleep well last night?" he asked, changing the subject and deflecting her question. "What's with the bags under your eyes? You weren't up prematurely knocking boots with Noah, were you?!?!"

"What I do is none of your business!" Nancy snapped. "You can't humiliate me because I don't care about your opinion!"

"Don't you?" Paul chuckled. "The lady doth protest too much, methinks..." As he finished speaking, he thrust his right hand into her dress and grabbed her breast.

Nancy froze momentarily, and then she began to yank at his arm. He was too strong, though, and as she pulled, he squeezed her breast. "Let go of me!" she shouted. "Paul Burnett, you pervert! You're hurting me!"

"This is what you deserve." He twisted her nipple until tears were streaming down her face. "You know that I hate it when women tell me what to do," he said. "Did you actually think that I would follow your orders?" And instead of letting her go, he licked her neck.

Nancy trembled, and her body broke out with goosebumps. She finally understood what he had come for. "You want to destroy my wedding and embarrass me," she said. "Do you deny it?"

"I do not." Paul laughed. He let go of her breast and said, "I told you that I never wanted to see your face again, but here you are, strutting your stuff for the whole world to see - and that is why I am here!"

Nancy stood up abruptly. She hoped that if she could catch Paul off guard, she could make it to the door and escape. After taking only one step, though, he had her by the waist. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his arms. She called Crystal. "Help me, Crystal! Help me!"

"She can't help you!" Paul laughed. "She is surrounded by journalists.. She can't even hear you."