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 me into

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

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

above me. "Chloe, you're so

said sharply,

by desire in the way he was obsessed with his art. His words might

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

This one was nothing like the others. Instead of sculptures, it was

secrecy, creating dangerous, illegal

into a large bathtub. Panic surged in me as I instinctively tried

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

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

felt almost amused. Then he reached out, patting my head like I

I knew, cameras were hidden

I murmured, my voice tight. "I won't

My anxiety rose with each passing second. Though he hadn't laid a hand on me inappropriately, the idea of

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

managed

he stood and motioned for me

that he hadn't

clothes, I climbed into the water

wet clothes

than the alternative.

thought the ordeal was over. That he'd simply wanted me to clean myself up. But I couldn't have been

of thing no legitimate pharmacy would carry. "What's in that?" I asked, trying to keep

though it were precious. "It's

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

Chloe. I'll make sure you're perfectly

liquid into the water. As the blue

blended completely, disappearing without a trace. I couldn't even tell where

"What... what

could finish, a sharp, searing pain

"Ah!"

was fully clothed, every part of my skin that touched the water