Loved You Once But He's My Forever

Chapter 391 My Precious

I couldn't shake the memory of what I'd seen in the basement. The bodies under those white sheets-completely exposed-had been coated with some strange substance. The thought churned my stomach.

Even though he hadn't done that to them, the idea of him manipulating lifeless forms was disturbing enough.

"Yael, I'm really tired today," I said, my voice trembling. "Maybe we can do this another time. I—"

He stepped closer, cutting off my retreat with deliberate ease. "Chloe, there's nothing to worry about. I won't hurt you. I just need to see your body. Silas damaged your original one, and I've regretted it ever since. This new body-it's flawless. I want to study it properly." "Yael," I stammered, my mind racing. "It's cold. Undressing isn't a good idea right now."

"Chloe," he replied, his tone calm. "This island stays warm all year. You won't get cold."

His hand moved toward my collar, fingers grazing the buttons of the shirt Carter had dressed me in earlier.

"Yael, stop!" I cried, my heart pounding.

With a swift motion, he yanked at the fabric. Two buttons popped off, and my shoulder was left bare, the strap of my top slipping into view.

Horror washed over me as I realized what he could see. The marks Carter had left on me bruises, kisses-spoke volumes about the night we'd shared.

Yael's expression darkened. His voice grew icy.

"Chloe, your body is ruined."

Panic gripped me. "Yael, you know I'm married. It's normal for a husband and wife to-" My words faltered.

"Marks like these destroy the beauty," he interrupted, his tone detached, almost clinical.

His focus wasn't on me as a person. It was his relentless pursuit of perfection in his art. Yet, the tension in the room made it hard to breathe.

I scrambled to calm him. "They'll fade in a few days. We can continue once they're gone, okay?"

A small smile crept across his face, but it brought no comfort. "There's no need to wait. If something's dirty, you clean it."

"Clean it?" I asked, dread creeping in. "How?"

Images flooded my mind-horrific scenes of being scrubbed raw with a stiff brush or held down in some cruel attempt at purity.

Or perhaps something even worse. An assault so cruel that only existed in stories.

react, he bent and lifted me

low. "Don't move, Chloe. I can't promise what I might do if you fight. You're so beautiful,

froze. Fear locked every muscle in place. I didn't dare move,

above me. "Chloe, you're so sweet. I feel

I said sharply, meeting his

with his art. His words might unsettle me, but

sense of relief evaporated almost immediately. I found myself unable to smile or even cry. My

like the others. Instead of sculptures,

thrived in secrecy, creating dangerous, illegal drugs that the world would never

a word, he placed me into a large bathtub. Panic surged in me as I instinctively tried to climb

"Chloe, if you run, I'll have

as fear clawed at me. "The tub is dirty," I stammered, grasping for something-anything-to

patting my head like I was some kind of pet. "You're right. That's my fault. Stay

were hidden

voice tight. "I won't

meticulous care. His dedication was unnerving. My anxiety rose with each passing second. Though he hadn't

I felt an inkling of what Whitney must have endured. A single

managed to

he

that he hadn't asked me

clothes, I climbed into the water fully dressed. It

wet clothes were

than the alternative.

over. That he'd simply wanted me to clean myself up.

holding a small, dark bottle. Its label looked unfamiliar and untraceable, the kind of thing no legitimate pharmacy would carry.

the bottle as though it were precious. "It's something to help

myself," I said quickly. "There's

worry, Chloe. I'll make sure you're perfectly clean. Not a single

the bottle and poured the liquid into the water. As the blue substance mixed

trace. I couldn't even tell where it had

pulse quickened. "What... what

I could finish, a sharp, searing pain shot up from my

"Ah!"

of my skin that touched the water felt like