Aren shrugged out of his jacket and covered my shoulders before moving away from the bed and facing his grandfather. “Your grandson was trying to rape my fiancée, and he deserved to be punished,” he commented sternly. “Punished?! I bet that this bitch seduced him! Why else would he be inside that room?!” Vanessa spat while assisting two servants in getting Callan up to his feet. Callan looked at me with his swollen eyes, and a faint smirk curled the corner of his lips. He had a broken nose and a few other injuries. It was unclear what kind of injuries they were because his whole face was covered in blood. He was clearly in pain, but his hatred for Aren was strong enough to surface in his expression even at that moment. It was terrifying.
Augustus processed the situation and stepped toward me. “Did Callan try to force himself on you?” he asked, raising his chin in a judgmental gesture as a warning for me to watch my mouth.
I guessed that he still doubted that Aren and I were in a genuine relationship. My jaw clenched as I glared at him. Taking a deep breath to soothe my still trembling body, I said, “He broke into the bedroom that I locked and tried to… He tried to...”
“Enough with that questioning!” Aren hissed, standing between me and Augustus. “I know what I saw, and I should have killed that piece of shit, but he is only slightly injured.” He pointed at Callan, who was tripping over his feet as he was led out of the room by servants, supporting his every inept step.
James walked to Aren, an uncomfortable grimace painting his face. “I‘m sure he didn‘t mean to
I burst out in bitter laughter. My inner rage rose beyond the point of my control. Why did all those people figure out that they needed to coax Aren while ignoring the fact that I was that bastard‘s victim?!
“Of course!” I snapped. “He didn‘t mean to break into the bedroom, knowing that I was alone inside! He didn‘t mean to pin me down on the bed and touch me without my consent! He didn‘t mean anything bad... He is just too used to getting whatever he wants!” Aren‘s eyes landed on me in an instant, guilt surfacing in his expression before he shifted his gaze to his father and grandfather. “We are leaving. Feel free to take that piece of shit to the hospital. Just know that I will kill him the next time he tries to get anywhere near Cora.”
A second later, he scooped me from the bed and carried me out of the room, bridal–style. I was barefoot, wearing a silk nightgown, and was only covered by his jacket, yet I didn‘t question him. I wrapped my arms around him and placed my head on his chest as he carried me down the stairs.
“Aren!” Augustus yelled angrily while standing at the top of the stairs. “Let‘s try to be reasonable here!”
Aren turned around, his eyes sending out a terrifying glower. “This is me being reasonable. And I suggest you pray that never changes because then I won‘t hesitate to wipe every single Winton from the face of the Earth.” He kicked the door open, and we left.
My choice
put me in the backseat while Marcus went inside to get our suitcases. A minute later, we were driving away from the mansion. I stayed silent until we left Greenwich, heading back to New York City. I wrapped myself in Aren‘s jacket, finding myself shivering from the cold, even though it was a warm night and Marcus turned on the car heater for me. As we hit the interstate highway, I finally
can you be
to get the evidence you wanted… It‘s because of me...” I said, lowering
of that fucker and only because of him. Don‘t even try to blame yourself for
we stayed there and”
stay, and I couldn‘t allow us to stay there either. If I‘d chosen to stay, Augustus might have been satisfied, but he would have also become suspicious, and I needed him to
I couldn‘t get rid of the feeling that Aren would have
we arrived at the underground parking lot, Aren took me in his arms again and carried me to
the suitcase and walk by myself, but hearing his curt “no,” I decided to shut up and let him carry me. His body warmth was soothing. It kept my thoughts away from Callan. Yet as
It became even worse when I entered the shower. Once the water stream fell on my skin, it felt like Callan‘s nauseating touch. As I saw the bruises he left on my wrists and arms while trying to restrain me, it all became unbearable. I turned off the water
172
tears stopped falling, and I became numb. I longed for some comfort. I needed someone to tell me I wasn‘t worthless, someone to help me silence those demons inflicting fear on me l used to tell myself that I could deal with anything. I was smart and intelligent, and I had read a lot of books to know how psychology works. I kept repeating to myself that I was sale and that there was nothing wrong with me, but this time everything within me screamed otherwise. Fisting my hands, I got out of the bathroom, put on my loose T–shirt and panties, and lay down on my bed. The second I closed my eyes, I saw Callan above me, panting and laughing viciously. I opened my eyes, sitting up and gasping in fear. I ran out of the bed, and before I knew it, I was standing in front of Aren‘s
mouth opened but no words came out. I didn‘t even know why I
inside.” He grabbed my hand and led me inside
do you want to spend this night?” A wave of
as shivers tickled my
down. “Allow me to overwrite your painful
asked faintly, my heart hammering stronger by the second.
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