stol beneath the folds of her dress once more. Testing the waters c

with his speech, confi

r to clutch the weapon firmly, aiming it silently in h

the glaring detail that the inexpensive plastic firearm st

best; her innocent misconception spared

s wheelchair away and announced coolly, "It's late. Do as you

erify her purity moments ago? Why this abrupt dismissal? Did

volatile mood swings, capable of erupting into violence without warning, perhaps even lunging to

, "You don't move around easily; you ought to claim

urtly, shutting his eyelids and adjusting t

urious architecture on the surface, neglect had rendered it forsaken and i

nt through the hours. Yet, as midnight deepened into the early morning, the piercing cold proved relentless. Her gaze drifted to Connor, wh

r to gently drape the quilt o

, Connor's ey

mahogany flecked with subtle azure tones, appearing both distant and pierci

tammered an apology. "Sorry for disturbi

ditions, Connor scarcely registered the temperature.

upt exits of previous arranged brides, would c

efore replying, "How coul

ngly vivid and mesmerizing eyes-how coul

venly, "Your entire body has

aking violently-and one had inadvertently come to rest atop h

would only hasten another unwanted arrangement elsewhere," she confessed openly. "In my posit

d complications, endlessly cycling through alliances struck him as equally boring. Withou

she might have navigated some unspoken trial successfully. To probe furthe

e feigned a light swi

showed no

of sympathy. So strikingly attractive in form and feature, without

.

nt, marking Nicole's uneven

he reality of their binding vows. Resolved to embrace her circumstances fully, she summo

nd damaged furnishings rendered mostly useless. The refrigerator overflowed with pre-packaged conven

this profoundly, why not end his torment decisively? Instead, they isolated him in this gilded prison

ry, she salvaged a few unspoiled staples an

d Nicole's activities meticulously via hidden

etly from the shadows, presenting a thick dossier c

h the pages with det

amuel inquired, "Mr. Reed, have you