Alex's P.O.V.

I'm speeding, trying to keep up with Stella, but she isn't slowing down.

If she keeps driving like this, she's going to hurt herself.

No. I can't let anything happen to her.

"Stella, stop..." I shout, even though I know she can't hear me.

Then, without a second thought, I swerve my car right in front of hers. Her car screeches as she applies the brakes. Her car stops only a few inches away from mine.

"Thank God! Finally, she stopped the car." Closing my eyes, I sigh with relief.

I jump out of my car and rush to hers.

After yanking the door open, I pull Stella out of the driver's seat, grasping her arm. "Are you out of your mind? You could've killed yourself."

Tears trickle down her cheeks as she looks up at me. Fuck... my heart! It aches so bad.

"Yes. I'm losing my mind." Her body shakes as she breaks down, sobbing uncontrollably.

I clasp her face gently and lock my eyes with hers. "Just take it out, Flower. Whatever is bothering you. Just take it out. I'm here for you."

She collapses against me, crying even harder and I embrace her. Between sobs, she tells me everything, "My boyfriend, Jade cheated on me with my best friend, Leah. He... He said I never satisfied him. I'm not desirable. I always put him above myself, thinking that he loved me. But he did this."

I feel immense rage at her words. Her boyfriend cheated on her and then put all the blame on her. I hate men like him.

Jade, you're going to pay for this. I won't leave you.

My grip tightens around her, and she cries hysterically, trembling in my arms.

Fuck! Why is it hurting me so damn much? No one's pain has ever affected me like hers.

Witnessing her condition, every muscle is screaming to unleash on that asshole, Jade. How dare he treat her like that? How dare he hurt her and break her down like this?

But right now, I need to push my anger aside because Stella needs me more than anything.

I stroke her hair, trying to calm her down, but her sobs just grow louder. The pain she's feeling—it's like I can feel it too, every tear, every broken piece of her heart. "I'm so sorry, Stella. You didn't deserve any of that."

Her hands grip my shirt as she buries her face against my chest. "I loved him, Alex. I trusted him, and he betrayed me. And Leah... how could she? She was my fucking friend."

"They both don't deserve your tears, Stella, please stop crying."

"No. I deserve it. There must be something wrong with me, that's why they did this to me. I'm not a desirable woman."

Hearing these words from Stella's mouth is a complete shock. I've never seen her talk like this before. She's always been strong and confident in her own way, but now she sounds broken like she truly believes the lies they've made her think about herself. I grit my teeth in fury to hear her say these things. She deserves so much better than this.

How can they make her feel like this?

"Hey, listen to me." I pull back slightly to cup her face in my hands. Her tear-filled eyes lock with mine, and my heart clenches. "None of this is your fault, you hear me? That guy is a piece of shit, and he doesn't deserve a single tear you're shedding for him."

She shakes her head. "But he said—"

"I don't care what he said, Stella." My voice is firm, but gentle. "He doesn't get to define your worth. You're beautiful, you're strong, and if he couldn't see that, then he's the one who's blind. You're the most desirable woman I've ever met. Believe me."

I want to engrave in her mind right now how desirable she is. She has no clue how much fucking I'm yearning for her.

She sobs, not ready to believe me. "No. You're just saying that to make me feel better."

What the fuck, she doesn't believe me. Why is she believing that asshole ex-boyfriend of hers? Damn, I want to kill him for making my Stella feel like this.

"I'm not saying this to make you feel better," I tell her in a stern tone, wiping the tears from her cheeks with my thumbs. "I'm saying it because it's true. You're not unattractive or ugly. Trust me. They just wanted to put all the blame on you."

"No... I'm not desirable. That's why..." Before she can say that bastard's name, I close the distance between us and capture her lips.

I just can't stand seeing her blame herself anymore. I know kissing Stella is crossing all the boundaries, but right now, I just want to shut her up somehow. She gasps in surprise, her lips trembling against mine, but I don't pull away. I kiss her deeply, pouring everything I feel into that one moment.

It hurts to taste the tears on her lips. I was dying to kiss her lips, but never thought I'd get the chance under these circumstances. This kiss isn't just about desire—it's about trying to take away her pain.

I want to keep kissing her and let her know, through this kiss, just how worthy, beautiful, and desirable she is.

Damn! Her lips are unlike anything I've ever tasted before. I've already become addicted to them.

And I'm glad she didn't push me away. She responds, clutching my shirt and pulling me closer to deepen the kiss.

I pull back slightly and rest my forehead against hers, my hands still cradling her face. "You have no idea how much I've been yearning to kiss you since the moment I saw you," I murmur against her lips.

The desires I was once afraid to accept, I now accept it in front of her because I'll do anything to make her feel better.

"You're just saying this because you feel bad for me. You don't have to. I know I'm ugly, that's why he cheats on me." She pushes me away again, tears streaming down her face.

I'm shocked—despite the kiss, her mind doesn't change at all. Damn it, what have they done to such a lively soul? She's so kind-hearted. She doesn't deserve any of this.

"No. Flower, you're not." I shake my head and hold her face in my hands, pulling her closer. "If you could see yourself through my eyes, you'd understand how beautiful and desirable you are."

"You're lying, Alex. You treated me horribly at first because you also thought I was ugly."

She's not ready to hear my words, lost in the pain caused by that asshole.

And now I know what I have to do to shut her up.

I press my lips against hers again, grasping her waist, pushing her gently against the car, causing her legs to bump into it. Her hand rests on the car's bumper.

I'm going to kiss her until she understands I'm not lying, that she is beautiful and desirable in every way.

From head to toe, she's perfect. Her blonde hair, her golden eyes, the dimples that flash when she smiles, and these lips I'm tasting now—everything about her is beyond perfect.

I suck her lips hard and then pull back, both of us panting from the kiss. I whisper against her lips, "Say it again that you're ugly."

"Yes, I'm—" Before she can finish her sentence, I suck her lips again, not letting her speak negatively about herself.

She's taken aback by the sudden kiss, her hands now resting on my arms. I lift her onto the car's bumper and stand between her legs, kissing her lips softly. My hand runs through her silky hair. Damn! The more I taste her, the more addicted I become.

Fuck! Why do her lips taste so damn good?

"No, you're not ugly, Stella. You're the most beautiful woman on this planet," I murmur against her lips, running my fingers through her hair, while my other hand gently caresses her cheek with my thumb.

"I want to believe it, but I know the truth is that I'm ug—"

Fuck! She's still not ready to believe it.

This time, I kiss her roughly, leaning her back on the car as I press my body against hers, devouring her lips.

How could she even think she's not a desirable woman? Her lips are so delicious, and I tighten my grip on her hair, deepening the kiss. Her legs instinctively wrap around my waist, and her body shivers against me, driving me even crazier.

As I kiss her lips passionately, I feel her melt into me, her legs wrapping tighter around my waist, her hands clutching my shoulders. Every single one of her tears, her doubts, her insecurities—I want to kiss them away. I can't get enough of her. The more I kiss her, the more I feel like I've been starving for her all along.

Her lips part under mine, and a soft moan escapes her. Damn, she tastes so good. Her scent, her warmth, everything about her feels perfect like I've finally found something I've been looking for without even knowing it.

I grip her waist tighter, my hands sliding down to her hips as I press her harder against the car. I'm completely lost in her. Nothing else matters right now, not Jade, not her so-called best friend, not anyone. It's just me and Stella.

But then, just as I'm about to pull her even closer, a loud sound pierces the moment—the sound of a phone ringing.