Love Unspoken

Quinn's teeth ground together in a grimace, the pain washing the color from her face as she ceased her struggle. Alexander did not press further.

He observed Quinn until she was utterly motionless before relinquishing his hold on her. She slid off the desk, crumpling onto the floor, her hands protectively cradling her stomach.

She dared not move, for every slight shift brought a wave of excruciating pain that pierced her heart."Consider my proposal," his voice echoed from above. He pivoted to depart but felt a gentle pull at his trouser leg. Glancing down, he found Quinn clutching at the fabric.Slowly, she raised her head, her face a mask of pallor. There was no denying the torment she was enduring. She stilled her quivering lips and took deep, measured breaths to manage the pain before releasing him.

Then, with deliberate movements, she signed, "If you loathe me and everything associated with me so much, why don't you just divorce me?"A fleeting shadow passed over his eyes before he abruptly crouched down. Alexander lifted her chin and retorted, "Seems you're having trouble recalling things lately, huh? Have you forgotten what I told you?"Quinn looked at him, her energy depleted.

continually defying him. I feel like a caged dog, left with no option but to wag its tail and plead for mercy from its master.' She signed, "Is this your idea of 'taking care of me for life'? Imprisoning me in a cage?"As he watched the tears shimmer in her eyes, a flicker of something crossed his own, too swift to identify. After a pause, he responded, "If that's your

finally capitulated.Some time later, Quinn opened her eyes and gestured to him, "If I stop seeing Abigail, can you extricate her from her current predicament?""Quinn,

Alexander was descending the staircase just as Juliet was unpacking her belongings. She froze upon sighting him, her possessions impossible to conceal. Her items were too shabby, utterly incongruous in the immaculate villa.He seized his coat from the rack, cast a cursory glance at her, and remarked, "I don't want to see this junk again.""I'll dispose of them immediately,"

"Since she permitted you to stay here, you'd better take good care of her."Juliet remained rooted to the spot until he was out of sight, only then grasping his insinuation. A wry smile etched itself onto her

dropped her belongings and ascended the stairs to find Quinn.At the threshold of the study, Juliet spotted Quinn huddled on her side, her clothes in disarray. She hastened in to assist her and inquired, "Quinn, what's the matter?"Quinn slowly opened her eyes, her forehead and neck slick with perspiration as if she had been submerged in water. She raised a tremulous hand to her abdomen. Only then did Juliet