The Seductive Pretty Boy of the Matriarchal World-Chapter 36: Her Enraged Fury

Serena Blackwood gazed down at Elias Kane in his submissive posture, even though it had been forced upon him through her threats and coercion. Yet a powerful wave of satisfaction washed over her, deeper and more intoxicating than the thrill of securing her very first major project in her younger years. The sight of him yielding like this, however unwillingly, sent a quiet thrill through her veins that no business victory had ever matched.

She reached out, petting his hair with the slow, possessive rhythm one might use on a favored cat. His strands felt incredibly smooth, flowing like liquid silk between her fingers—impossible to fully grasp yet so pleasurable to touch that each glide sent a subtle shiver of delight through her. The texture was perfect, almost addictive.

But that head of cheap golden-blonde hair was truly an eyesore. If it had been natural, perhaps it would have been acceptable, but this was clearly the result of a low-end salon job with bargain-bin dye. The color was garish, nearly unbearable to look at. And as time passed, the original dark roots were pushing through, creating a patchy, yellow-black mess that looked utterly ridiculous and beneath him.

Serena’s voice cut through the air, cool and commanding. "That blonde doesn’t suit you at all. Dye it back."

In a twisted way, though, the tacky color almost fit Elias perfectly—it symbolized his lowly status and position in her world. Still, for the sake of proper training and control over him, Serena resolved to have him revert it to something more suitable, something that would mark him clearly as hers.

Elias lifted his eyes for a fleeting, covert glance at her, his mind racing with cynical detachment. Enough already. She’s controlling my hair color now? Next, will she dictate the color of my underwear too? He dismissed her words entirely, letting them slide in one ear and out the other like meaningless noise.

This was the first time Serena had been this physically close to Elias outside the confines of the bedroom. She took the opportunity to study him intently, searching his face for any hidden tells. Finding none, her gaze shifted to the oversized jacket draped over his frame. It was far too wide and long, clearly not tailored to his build. It wasn’t his—it screamed feminine ownership at first glance.

Serena’s expression shifted abruptly from satisfaction to a stormy cloud. She raised her hand and pinched both sides of his cheeks firmly, forcing his lips into an involuntary pout.

The move came without warning, and Elias’s face twisted in pain. He grabbed at her wrist with both hands, struggling desperately, but he was no match for her strength. His efforts were futile against her single grip; she pinned him effortlessly, rendering him immobile. Then, with her free hand, she seized the collar of his jacket.

The moment her fingers touched the pristine, snow-white collar, she felt its superior texture—exquisite in a way even an average person would notice. For someone of her elite status, it was obvious this wasn’t merely expensive; it was unattainable with mere money. This had to be a private custom piece, crafted by one of the world’s top designers.

Serena herself kept one of the absolute best designers on retainer. Only a handful matched her caliber, and one of them was right here in the city. She even knew exactly whose home that designer was currently visiting...

Giselle Frost’s residence.

Just the thought of those words shattered Serena’s pleasant mood in an instant, obliterating it completely.

Even without concrete proof, even if it was all speculation, Serena trusted her instincts implicitly. The hand that had been softly stroking Elias’s hair suddenly clenched into a vicious fist around his strands. With brutal force, she yanked him upward.

"Ah!" Elias let out a sharp, involuntary cry. To ease the searing pain, he had no choice but to rise to his feet, pulled along by her unrelenting grip. Once he was at eye level with the seated Serena, she grabbed his collar again, dragging him so close he nearly tumbled into her lap.

"Who?"

This time, Serena’s anger was profound, not flashing across her features but simmering dangerously in her voice. The two words were clipped and rapid, like the deceptive calm before a raging storm. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Watching this unfold, Liora Voss, who had been about to settle into the vacant chair, froze mid-motion. Her hazel eyes darkened as she took in the scene.

Only now did she register the oddity of Elias’s jacket; on the way here, she’d been too focused on conversing with him to notice.

Elias’s neck was constricted like a vice, his breath stolen entirely. Suffocation gripped him as blood rushed visibly to his pale cheeks, staining them—and even his neck—a deep crimson, like fresh blood seeping across fresh snow. All he could manage were broken, muffled sounds: "Ah... ugh..."

Serena finally registered that he couldn’t speak in this state. Just before his vision began to blur, she released him abruptly, tossing him to the floor like discarded trash.

"Cough, cough, cough..." Elias clutched his throat, sprawled sideways as violent coughs wracked his body, as if he were trying to expel his lungs. His face bloomed like a vibrant peach blossom, flushed an intense, blood-red hue.

After a full half-minute of hacking, Elias finally caught his breath. His glasses had tumbled to the ground, and his eyes were bloodshot, veiled with a thin mist of unshed tears that made him appear heartbreakingly vulnerable.

Serena observed it all without a trace of mercy or softening. In the exact same measured tone and pace, she repeated, "Who?"

In his mind, Elias snarled back: Your father!

He’d been wearing Giselle Frost’s jacket for so long, and Serena was only noticing it now. Couldn’t she take her role a little more seriously, match his own dedication to the tasks at hand?

At least Serena was excelling at playing the part of the ultimate possessive woman.

If not for his pain conversion skill, that yank would have cost him a third of his life.

In truth, Serena already knew the answer in her heart. She was merely testing whether Elias would confess honestly.

Even at this point, the CEO still held herself above everyone, convinced that the untouchable Giselle Frost held no real comparison to her.

She had given Elias enough money to live comfortably for the rest of his life and had even taken care of his burdensome foster parents. She couldn’t fathom any reason why he would side with Giselle.

With that thought, the icy edge in Serena’s chest eased slightly. She felt she’d been a tad too harsh on Elias just now—but he was hers, after all. How dare he wear someone else’s clothes?

Not knowing his place deserved a lesson.

Now, calming further, she reasoned that with Elias’s stubborn nature and Giselle’s legendary indifference to everyone, there was no way sparks could fly between them. The jacket was probably just...

As she pondered, Serena watched Elias slowly lift his head. His lips were pressed into a tight line, his face etched with that familiar stubborn defiance.

Serena knew this expression all too well. It usually appeared in bed, signaling that no matter what she did that night, he wouldn’t utter a sound. Here, it meant...

He would not reveal that person’s identity, no matter the cost.

The anger Serena had just tamped down surged back to its peak in a flash. It even carried the sting of self-inflicted humiliation, her cheeks burning as if slapped.

"Very good..."

Serena uttered the words slowly, deliberately. Then, without warning, she snatched the wine glass from the table and raised her hand high.

Crash!

Shards of glass exploded across the floor, liquid spraying in every direction.

Liora Voss lowered her hand, which had instinctively risen to intervene. Thankfully, Serena hadn’t completely lost control—the glass hadn’t been hurled directly at Elias.

A heavy, deathly silence blanketed the room.

At that precise moment, a melodious ringtone pierced the air unexpectedly.