?Chapter 46:


    The Evans family kept a rigid routine, down to the minute. Once the clock struck eight, the house fell into near silence—no loud voices, no thudding footsteps. Over time, the rule became second nature, and by nine, the entire household typically vanished behind closed doors.


    But tonight broke the pattern.


    Everyone headed to their rooms as usual, yet no one truly settled in. Each person lingered in hushed anticipation, ears straining for the faintest noise beyond their walls, wondering what might unfold after Cole finished that bowl of soup.


    Cole, for his part, had an urgent video conference and headed straight to the study after dinner. The meeting dragged on for nearly an hour. By the end of it, a strange heat had crept through his body. He slipped off his suit jacket and tugged at his cor, but the stifling warmth only worsened, making his skin itch with restlessness.


    He knew exactly what this was. Rising from his chair, he stepped into a cold shower, letting the icy water anchor his senses. Afterward, he changed into a fresh set of pajamas and returned to his bedroom.


    Tonight, Elliana was supposed to give him an answer. He didn’t want to rush her—he wanted something gentler, more deliberate, something threaded with charm. So despite the fire in his blood, he reined himself in and forced his desires back into silence.


    By the time he stepped back into the bedroom, Elliana had already showered and slipped into her pajamas. She sat cross-legged on the bed, idly scrolling through her phone.


    She wore a modest nightgown, her long, damp hair spilling over her shoulders and trailing past her waist. The golden glow of the overhead light softened her silhouette, casting a gentle radiance over her features.


    The moment she heard him approach, she nced up.


    That one look shattered hisposure. He closed the distance in two quick strides, snatched the phone from her hands, and flung it aside. Then, he leaned down, bracing his arms on either side of her, caging her against the headboard.


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    Their faces hovered close enough for their air to intertwine.


    Elliana felt the heat rolling off him in waves, and the raw hunger behind his eyes sent a shiver down her spine. Something about this version of Cole made her…


    Instinctively, Elliana recoiled. She inched back and turned her face away. “Mr. Evans, maybe you need a cold shower.”


    “I already did—and it didn’t do a damn thing.” The moment he spoke, Cole angled her chin up to face him squarely. “Honey, where’s that answer you promised me?”


    He might’ve been asking a question, but his body betrayed his real intent—edging in closer until his feverish lips hovered a breath from hers. It was as if he expected her to say exactly what he needed to hear, and once she did, he’d im the kiss waiting between them.


    Elliana couldn’t take the blistering heat rolling off him. She pressed her palms lightly against his chest, urging him back. “Please sit down properly.”


    To her, pushing him away felt like drawing a boundary in the sand before talking things through with him. After tonight, whatever existed between them needed to be kept clean—no mixed signals, no gray areas. Serious matters called for a serious approach. But with him so near, her resolve threatened to dissolve, the tension gnawing at herposure.


    Cole’s grip on control was slipping fast. Her delicate fragrance curled around him like a whisper, coaxing him closer, urging him to close thest bit of space between them, to fuse together and never pull away.


    He had started out with both feet on the floor, bent at the waist, palms braced t against the headboard. But the second she gave him a shove, he shifted without warning.


    One long leg hooked over hers as he climbed onto the bed, dropping to one knee. He bent his arms and pressed his elbows to the headboard instead, drawing their bodies flush—nearly indistinguishable in the dim light.


    The air between them pulsed with rising heat. Cole’s gaze darkened, a red gleam flickering at the edges, and his voice came low and ragged. “Honey, this is killing me. Please—don’t push me like this.”


    Then, he dipped his head and buried his chiseled face in her hair, his lips ghosting across the curve of her neck.


    Elliana’s pulse stuttered, and she instinctively edged away from the heat of him. The building tension pressed in now—palpable, inescapable—and this wasn’t the time to worry about a serious approach. If she didn’t speak now, he might never give her another opening. She drew a shaky breath, forced the words past her tight throat, and said, “I refuse.”


    Cole stiffened, caught off guard, his eyes narrowing slightly in disbelief. “What did you just say?”


    Her fists curled tight at her sides as she summoned everyst ounce of nerve. “I’m rejecting your proposal. I don’t have feelings for you, and I don’t want to be your wife. Once the issue with the marriage certificate is cleared up, I’ll walk away on my own. I won’t get in the way of your future.”


    Cole held her gaze, unmoving. “You’re sure about this?”


    “I am.” Her nod was firm, her voice steady.


    “Even now? You see the agony I’m enduring, and that doesn’t change your answer?”


    “If it’s really that unbearable, you have two options.” Her tone cooled as she locked eyes with him. “First, I know some treatments that could ease the symptoms—discreetly. No one else needs to know, and we can keep up the act tomorrow.”


    As she finished, her face lost all softness. Her eyes turned icy and unflinching, cutting through the lingering warmth in the room. “Or, you can step out that door and find someone else to take care of your needs…”


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