TEST DRIVE: A Night of Forbidden Desire

Max looked at his wristwatch. The working hours had ended. He stood up, grabbed his suit from the hanger, and put it back on. After picking up his briefcase, he walked out.

Just as Max stepped out of the room, Vonda also stood up from her seat. Their eyes met. Max was forced to pause as something crossed his mind.

“What’s wrong? Choking while eating. What were you thinking?”

“Thinking about that night.”

Oh no. Now I’m the one thinking about her words.

Before him, Vonda also hesitated, her face turning red. It seemed she diverted her gaze elsewhere before Max spoke.

“Come on. Let’s go. We’re leaving now.”

Vonda bit her lower lip. Max’s invitation to go home together made her feel a mix of emotions. She was not sure what scared her the most. Talking about her responsibility or the plan to meet Max’s parents?

Oh dear! Good thing I’m already crazy from the start, so I don’t have to worry about going crazy.

Max closed the door behind him. He took a step and could sense Vonda following behind. His hands reached into his pants pocket, taking out a key, and inserting it into the lock, turning it twice.

Just as Max was about to open the door, he suddenly realized that Vonda was the craziest woman he had ever met in his life.

At the exact second Max opened the door; Vonda immediately took action. With a swift and quick movement, she seized the opportunity while Max had to step back at the same time he pulled the door.

Zuut!

Vonda ran and said, “I’m going first. Bye.”

For a moment, Max could only gape. Until he realized that he had just been outsmarted by Vonda. He growled.

“That girl!”

Max squeezed the door leaf in frustration. His face hardened, feeling embarrassed to be outmaneuvered by Vonda at the last second.

If I knew she would sneak away like this, why did I spend eight hours alone with her?

Max wanted to explode.

*

Vonda smiled and hummed happily as she entered her apartment. Escaping from Max’s trap earlier really made her feel delighted.

“Besides, who says that a guy should ask a girl for responsibility?” Vonda asked playfully as she sauntered in. Her two hands held different items-a food package in her right hand and a pair of high heels in her left.

Briefly, Vonda placed the shoes in the wardrobe near the hallway connecting the unit’s door and the living room, then continued her steps. She placed the food package on the living room table, thinking to take it to the kitchen later. She preferred to go to the bedroom first.

After putting her work bag on the table, Vonda unbuttoned her shirt as she kept walking. This time, she headed to the bathroom.

Feeling the cold water pouring over her head, Vonda gently massaged her skin. Her eyes blinked when the water splashed her face. Something came to her mind.

“Well, if I don’t follow his words, I’ll be at a loss too,” Vonda realized. “My phone and car keys are still with him,” she said in disbelief.

Vonda was fortunate to have gotten into the habit of giving her office phone number to her co-workers. They were used to contacting Vonda via the office phone rather than messages on her mobile phone. Of course, through email too.

However, still, without her phone, it meant that Vonda was virtually cut off from civilization. She did not know if there were any new gossip in her group chats or other hot news.

The most important thing was that for three days now, she had not posted any photos on her Instagram account. At the wedding party of the CEO that night, Vonda had changed poses countless times just to get cool photos to upload. But now, she could not even upload, as her phone was still with Max.

Vonda realized that she could not easily get all her belongings back from Max. He would definitely use her phone and car keys to control her.

“Argh!”

Vonda could think about buying a new phone. However, not the car keys. Moreover, both the main key and the spare key were not in her possession right now.

It was a tough decision, but Vonda was determined to avoid Max. She would do her best to completely avoid him. She really did not want to discuss that terrifying responsibility.

“Meeting his parents?”

Vonda could not believe it when she laid her body on the bed that night. Her head shook on the bed.

“Not even in my dreams would I want to meet his parents.”

After muttering those thoughts, Vonda closed her eyes. Sleep and her spoken words merged, turning into a show in her subconscious. Nightmares resurfaced, disturbing Vonda’s rest.

A pair of parents broke into her apartment unit’s door so brutally and then captured her. She was tied to her chair and tortured.

“You don’t want to take responsibility, Von?”

“You want to escape from the crimes you’ve committed?”

Vonda swallowed her saliva.

“We won’t let you roam free while Max has to suffer and live his life alone.”

“You have to marry Max, or we will kill you.”

“Nooo!”

Vonda woke up from her sleep with the same uneasiness as the night before. Breathing heavily, trembling, and with sweat as big as corn kernels soaking her face.

“Oh God.”

Her chest rose and fell in a hurry, as if during her sleep she couldn’t breathe. Highly frustrated, Vonda wiped her face up to her head. She looked so miserable and grimaced.

“Even in my dreams, I am forced to meet Max’s parents.”

Vonda clenched her hair.

“Not in the real world, not in the dream world,” she said in horror. “Why do I have to experience such terror?”

*

Max looked at his phone the next day, waiting for a moment, and then smiled. He raised his hand, placing it on his waist, and looked up before bursting into laughter.

“Hahaha.”

Max laughed heartily.

“Finally, today can start without any phone drama from Mom.”

However, his laughter stopped after a moment. His face drooped, and this time his forehead wrinkled.

“Ah! Just because Mom didn’t call this morning doesn’t mean the problem is solved.”

Max scratched his head, shaking it once. He realized that his happiness from a few seconds ago was quickly replaced by another reality.

“Anyway, I can’t keep avoiding Mom forever. There’s no way I’ll avoid her for the rest of my life. That’s just impossible.”

Max thought.

“When I think about it, why do I feel so unlucky? How can I meet two women who both drive me crazy like this?” Max asked irritably. “First Mom, and now there’s Vonda.”

Max took a deep breath. In his mind, he was determined. Whatever happened, today he had to be able to get Vonda to talk to him privately. He had to make an agreement with Vonda to meet his parents.

So, don’t be surprised when Max entered and found Vonda sitting in her chair, the guy immediately locked the door. Yesterday, Max had planned and deliberately brought the spare key for their room. He did not want Vonda to take the initiative to hide the key and outsmart him again.

Vonda blinked her heavy eyes, anticipating Max approaching her with a threatening gaze.

“You won’t be able to escape from me again. Watch out. I’ll drag you back later.”

Vonda swallowed her saliva, while Max immediately walked into his room, leaving Vonda to ponder her next move. She was searching for ideas to escape from Max, and it came in the form of Sarah. Vonda grinned meaningfully, confident that she could escape again later in the evening.

When it was time to leave the office, Max had already anticipated Vonda’s cunning plan. So, he thought of a way to restrain her. Max held Vonda’s hand as soon as she got up and left her desk.

Vonda was surprised, her eyes staring in disbelief as she realized Max’s big hand holding hers.

Max narrowed his eyes, looking at Vonda.

“Why?” he asked. “Does it remind you of something else when I hold your hand like this?”

“Eh?”

Max paused for a moment, then lifted Vonda’s hand up. Right between their faces, forcing Vonda to raise hers to see Max’s dark brown eyes. His question made her breathless.

“Um… holding your hand like this… does it remind you of that night? When I held your hand and pinned it against the wall?”

Vonda widened her eyes, realizing where Max’s conversation was heading. But as if everything needed to be clearer, Max added.

“When we did the wall lizard style.”

“Oh my God.”

Vonda gasped in horror; her face filled with terror. One of her free hands rose and covered her agape mouth.

“What you say, oh my goodness!”

Max grumbled, “It’s like you’ve never thought about what you want to say.”

He lowered his hand and let out a long breath. Vonda’s face turned red because of his words. Strangely, it made Max feel amused instead of annoyed like a few moments ago.

“Enough!” Max said. “Let’s go back and stop by first. Anywhere, as long as we can talk alone.”

Vonda shut her mouth tightly, allowing Max to pull her hand as he moved towards the door.

At the door, Max was in a dilemma. One hand held Vonda’s hand, and the other held his work bag. He glanced at Vonda briefly, who had her bag slung over her shoulder. Without hesitation, Max extended his work bag towards her. Vonda, looking confused, accepted it with her free hand. As Max turned the key, Vonda waited with anticipation.

Creak!

Max pulled the door open, and a cheerful greeting immediately hit his eardrums.

“Good afternoon, Sir.”

Max blinked, finding a girl standing in front of the room, smiling, and greeting him warmly. Confused as he did not recognize her, Max politely responded.

“Good afternoon.”

The girl maintained her smile. “I’m Sarah, Sir. Sarah Roberts from the HRD department.”

“Sarah,” Max said the name with confusion, feeling a sense of familiarity and muttering softly, “Sarah Robbers?”

Sarah blinked in response. “Huh?”

As if realizing what had slipped from his lips, Max stuttered, “Oh, Sarah. What can I do for you?”

Confusion was evident on Sarah’s face, but before she could answer, the half-open door, which Max was still holding, swung open with force.

“Sarah!”

Sarah’s gaze shifted to Vonda, whom she suddenly noticed standing behind the door with… Sarah blinked again, this time at Vonda’s hand, which was held by Max!

Oh, my! Vonda.

Vonda noticed Sarah’s gaze. She immediately pulled her hand away from Max’s loosening grip due to Sarah’s presence.

“Eh?”

Max turned around, glaring at Vonda for letting go. He felt like swearing, but Vonda beat him to it, handing her work bag to him, seemingly drained of energy.

“Excuse me, I’ll leave early.”

As if nothing had happened, Vonda grabbed Sarah’s hand and quickly fled from there, leaving Max gripping his work bag and grumbling with frustration.

“That girl!”

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