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.

bent and lifted

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

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

down from above me. "Chloe, you're so sweet. I feel like kissing

don't," I said sharply, meeting his

consumed by desire in the way he was obsessed with

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

Instead of sculptures, it was filled with shelves of

flooding back-a group of so-called geniuses who thrived in secrecy, creating dangerous, illegal drugs that the world would never see. Yael moved past the

into a large bathtub. Panic surged in me as

"Chloe, if you run, I'll

my fingers clutching the edge of the tub. I forced myself to stay calm, even as fear clawed at me. "The tub is dirty," I stammered, grasping for something-anything-to slow him

my head like

all I knew, cameras were hidden in

voice tight. "I won't

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

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

had she managed to

gleamed, Yael filled it with warm water. Then he stood and motioned for me to get

that he hadn't asked

climbed into the water fully

but wet clothes were

than the alternative.

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

unfamiliar and untraceable, the kind of thing no legitimate pharmacy would carry. "What's in that?" I asked, trying

inside the bottle as though it

I said quickly. "There's no need

chilled me. "Don't worry, Chloe. I'll make sure you're

water. As the blue substance mixed in, a wave of panic surged

a trace. I

"What...

searing pain

"Ah!"

clothed, every part of my skin that touched the water felt like a