Chapter 426: No Self-Respect?

Zeke Walton felt like his entire worldview had crumbled.

Looking at Amina’s shy, evasive gaze, he wanted nothing more than to grab her by the neck and strangle her.

’What the hell is going on in your head?’ he wanted to demand. ’For a scumbag like that? Have you fucking lost all your self-respect and dignity?’

But he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Amina held a fatal power over him.

As long as those large, lively, obsidian-like eyes of hers fluttered, Zeke was powerless to do anything crude to her.

"Fuck!"

All he could do was kick the coffee table, sending the scattered cups crashing to the floor.

"Yes, that’s right! Right now!"

Amina, startled by his sudden kick, spoke quickly.

"Okay. Then Linden is off the hook. I’ll go out and tell him to leave first."

With that, she ran out the door with a THUMP THUMP THUMP.

Linden was standing on the lawn in the center of the yard, his heart burning with anxiety. Seeing Amina come out, he rushed to meet her.

"How did it go? What took you so long? Did Sir forgive me?"

"He forgave you. Now go. Just forget about yesterday’s wages. From now on, go deliver food with your parents."

Linden hadn’t expected him to be so accommodating and was moved to tears with gratitude.

"Sir is such a good person. I... I’ve let him down. I’ve really let him down. Alright, I’ll go, but before I do, I have to go inside and apologize to him properly..."

Amina stopped him. "Don’t. He’s forgiven you, but he’s still furious. You should just go."

Linden was at a loss again. "Huh? Then... did he take his anger out on you? Are you okay?"

Amina replied, "I’m fine. Don’t I look fine? Just hurry and go."

Linden started to leave. "Aren’t you coming with me?"

Amina said again, "Sir’s house is a mess. I’m going to help him clean up before I go. You go first. Don’t make me repeat myself."

Linden left, looking back with every step.

Amina locked the villa’s main gate and ran back inside.

’She didn’t dare hope for any physical contact with Zeke Walton, no kisses or hugs. Just being able to stay with him peacefully for a little while, to say a few words, would be enough to satisfy her.’

When she entered, Zeke Walton was leaning against the sofa with a dark expression, his eyes closed as if he were asleep. There were heavy, dark circles under his eyes.

She walked over to him. "Did you not sleep well last night? Go back to sleep for a bit. I’ll go get you some porridge. You rest, and I’ll help you tidy up the house."

Zeke’s eyes snapped open again, and he looked at her with displeasure.

"What is this? You don’t want to do it, so you’re trying to stall?"

Amina stammered, "...O-okay, then. Where’s the room?"

Zeke Walton walked ahead, leading her to the second floor.

He pushed the door open. Inside the vast room, there was only a clean bed frame and a mattress.

The mattress still had its protective plastic wrap on, to say nothing of pillows or blankets.

"Did you just buy this place? How are we supposed to sleep without a blanket?"

When Zeke Walton saw that she was actually taking this seriously, his tone grew even nastier.

"Can’t you do it without a blanket? Do we need a blanket for a time like this? It’s better without one! Didn’t you know I like it that way?"

Silently recalling their past in her mind was one thing, but having him spell it out so crudely to her face was another entirely.

It was early in the morning with the sky bright outside, and what he said made Amina extremely embarrassed.

"Could you please not talk like that?"

"What right do you have to be picky?"

To Zeke Walton, she was now like a woman who would sell her body for a man.

He despised her for it, yet lacked the willpower to push her away. The conflict was tearing him apart.

"Go take a shower!"

He was in a foul mood, and his words were crude, but Amina still loved him.

’In her heart, he would always be her good Zeke.’

"Okay. But I want to ask a question first. Do you... do you have any..."

"Condoms?"

Seeing her hesitation, Zeke finished her sentence. "No."

’He’d only asked her to stay on a whim, without any real intention of... Besides, he hardly ever came to this villa, so why would he have those things on hand?’

’And now she even dared to ask about it herself? Ha!’

Zeke Walton deliberately humiliated her. "You go buy them. And buy a few boxes while you’re at it."

In the past, Zeke had never made her do such a thing. He felt it was too embarrassing and not something a girl should have to do, so Amina had no experience with it.

But clearly, she did now, because she agreed.

"Okay."

She took off her food delivery vest, balled it up, and placed it at the foot of the bed.

"Wait for me a little bit, then."

THUMP THUMP THUMP. She hurried downstairs.

Zeke Walton stood at the window, watching her run out of the villa and towards the gate. He paced the room several times in frustration, then picked up her vest and slammed it onto the floor.

He wanted to stomp on it viciously, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

After staring at it for a while, he picked it back up.

He fell back onto the bed and covered his face with the vest.

The scent that was uniquely Amina’s—clean, like sunshine and laundry detergent—instantly enveloped him.

Zeke Walton remembered his own clothes used to smell like this.

Amina had a real knack for picking out laundry detergent. The lavender-scented kind. It was cheap, but it washed everything so clean and left a fresh fragrance.

He loved watching Amina when she folded his clothes. She would chat with him as she folded, looking so capable, so innocent, so adorable.

"Amina, Amina..."

Zeke murmured her name, inhaling the familiar scent. As he waited, sleep unexpectedly began to claim him.

By the time Amina returned, flustered and carrying several boxes, he was already fast asleep.

Seeing him curled up on the bed like a child, eyes shut tight, quietly clutching her vest, Amina’s heart swelled with a mix of tenderness and sorrow.

She stood by the bed, just watching him silently. She watched him for several minutes, but it wasn’t enough. She took out her phone and recorded a short video of him.

Then she set the items down and went downstairs.

When Zeke Walton woke up, the room was just as it had been—quiet, empty, and with no sign of Amina.

His heart tightened, and he shot up.

’Didn’t she take the day off? Don’t tell me she saw I was asleep and ran off to work.’

Zeke Walton hurried downstairs.

The living room, which had been a chaotic mess reeking of an after-party, was now spotless. It smelled fresh and sweet, and the floor was polished to a shine.

’Ha! So Amina really was that "kind." A woman of her word. She actually cleaned up for him!’

Did Zeke Walton give a damn?

’That stupid woman! She had no idea why he’d gone to all this trouble to make her stay! She’s heartless!’

The opportunity he had gone to such lengths to create was gone just like that, and Zeke Walton’s frustration grew.

He threw himself onto the sofa in frustration. Just as he was debating whether to call Amina and order her back, a sound came from the doorway.

Zeke Walton shot up from the sofa like a spring and ran to the window to peek.

He saw Amina in the yard, bustling toward the house. She was carrying two large bedding bags in her hands, another hoisted on her shoulder, and several bulging bags of linens hanging from her arms.

Zeke quickly opened the door and stood in the doorway, a displeased look on his face.

Amina was drenched in sweat. When she saw him, her face broke into a smile.

"You’re awake?"

"I saw you were asleep without a blanket and was worried you’d catch a cold, so I went out to buy some. I grabbed some sheets and pillows, too. The security guard wouldn’t let me ride my bike in, and this stuff is a little heavy. Quick, give me a hand."