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

his voice low. "Don't move, Chloe. I can't promise what I might do if you

every muscle in place. I didn't dare move, didn't even dare

laugh drifted down from above me. "Chloe, you're so sweet.

said sharply, meeting his

with his art. His words might unsettle

I found myself unable to smile or even cry. My body felt like it had been

into another room. This one was nothing like the others. Instead of sculptures, it was filled with shelves of jars, strange devices, and stacks

secrecy, creating dangerous, illegal drugs that the

he placed me into a large bathtub. Panic

"Chloe, if you run, I'll have to cut off your legs. That

clutching the edge of the tub. I forced myself to stay calm, even as fear clawed at me.

out, patting my head like I was some kind of

refused to obey any urge to run. For all I knew, cameras were hidden

my voice

passing second. Though he hadn't laid a hand on me inappropriately, the idea of being so exposed around him made my skin

endured. A single day with Yael was suffocating enough. She had

had she managed to endure

water. Then he stood and motioned for me

hadn't asked me

clothes, I climbed into

wet clothes

than the alternative.

me to clean myself up. But I couldn't have

Its label looked unfamiliar and untraceable, the kind of thing no legitimate pharmacy would carry. "What's in that?" I asked, trying to keep my voice from

though it were precious. "It's something to help you get clean,

wash myself," I said quickly. "There's no need to add

calmness in his voice that chilled me. "Don't worry, Chloe. I'll make sure you're perfectly clean. Not

the water. As the

without a trace. I couldn't

"What... what is

a sharp, searing pain shot up from

"Ah!"

clothed, every part of my skin that touched the