ica'

cried too the night before. My cheeks still felt damp and the pillow beneath me was a mess of smudged ma

re te

cold, unusually so, but maybe it was just me. Maybe it was the emptiness in my

ve me. But now, after a night of grieving, a strange sense of resolve wrapped around me

or what little of it crept through the thick curtains and lit up the room in golden strea

, I found myself breathing easier. Every drop felt like a silent vow. You

nstead, I chose something simple but laced with silent defiance, a deep blue tube dre

nd this time. With trembling fingers, I pressed the call icon, my heart thudding like a war drum in my chest

ssi

n't realized I'd been ho

hen a sigh. "Sorry, I haven't b

at on the edge of the bed, curling one leg beneath me. "Tim... I'm pl

voice was low. "Babe, if you escape, you'll be on the ru

just a little. "But stayin

me to come up with a solid plan. Stay and play his game, make him like

o a faint smile. "

I sound like someone who doe

I thought of how free and happy I was before. I could go anywhere

t him win,"

eplied. "Just be smart and

open. I gasped and quickly ended the call, hiding t

am, Mr Raymond wants you

my hair behind my ear like nothin

handeliers. Raymond sat at his usual spot, a glass of champagne lazily twirling

lowly, shoes clicking softly on the floor and sat three chairs away

tation on his face; good, I

of us with mechanical precision. The head chef stepp

nd turned to me. "Perhap

an eyebrow, c

h dish, commonly known as beef Wellington. The beef is seared, then wrapped in mushr

could come and show me one or t

nd left. The rest of the kitchen staf

ill in hand. "Well, I suppose my

g in. The old me would've stayed si

"Thank you," I said sweetly.

twitch i

y, voice light. "By the way..

before it reached

piece of asparagus. "I'm curious. You two w

is eyes. He stood up without answering, throwing

e... then chu

y one, maybe but it was mine. Afterward, I slipped on a silk

uid glass. I slipped in, letting the cold hug my body. For a while, I just swam,

hose heavy and

body was... god, it was perfect. Muscular but lean, like someone carved him with cruel intentions. Br

, I couldn't

brow, amused. "L

but I didn't look away. "You don't

n his posture infuriatingly attractive. "Careful

g space, but I smiled. "

me like he was trying to read my soul. The ai

," he said fin

before he turne

he water, my

me, own me, twist me into

't made of glass. I was made of fir