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.

could react, he bent and lifted

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

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

"Chloe, you're

I said sharply, meeting

desire in the way he was obsessed with his art. His words might unsettle me,

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

into another room. This one was nothing like the others. Instead of

so-called geniuses who thrived in secrecy, creating dangerous, illegal drugs that the world would never see. Yael moved past the lab and into

he placed me into a large bathtub. Panic surged in

stopped me cold. "Chloe, if you run, I'll have to

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

his head and gave me a look that felt almost amused. Then he reached out, patting my head like I was some kind of pet. "You're right. That's my fault. Stay here, and I'll clean it properly. Don't

were hidden in every corner of this place. Running without understanding

I murmured, my voice tight. "I

and began scrubbing it with meticulous care. His dedication was unnerving. My anxiety rose with each passing second. Though he hadn't laid a hand on me inappropriately, the idea

inkling of what Whitney must have endured. A single day with Yael was suffocating enough. She had survived years under Taylor's

she managed to endure

with warm water. Then he

he hadn't

clothes, I climbed into the water fully

but wet

than the alternative.

thought the ordeal was over. That he'd simply wanted me to clean myself

later, holding a small, dark bottle. Its label looked unfamiliar and untraceable, the kind of

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

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

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

bottle and poured the liquid into the water. As the blue substance mixed in, a wave of

disappearing without a trace. I couldn't

pulse quickened. "What... what

sharp, searing pain shot up from my

"Ah!"

that touched the