Chapter 286

"Serena, listen to me..." Alex's voice carried a trace of panic as he gripped my wrist tightly, his hold strong enough to make it hurt. I yanked my hand away with force, rubbing my wrist as I glared at him. "What's there to explain? What do you take me for? Your puppet on a string?" He froze for a moment but quickly regained his composure. "That's not what I meant. I just—" "Just what? You just think I should obediently follow your arrangements, go to the company you picked, and live the life you've planned for me?" I cut him off. "Alex, what makes you think you have the right to control my life? What are we to each other that you think you can meddle this much?" He opened his mouth as if to say something but nothing came out in the end. Alex just stared at me in silence with a complicated gaze as if he had a thousand words to say but didn't know where to start. I didn't want to be entangled with him any longer and turned to leave. But he grabbed my wrist again, this time with a