?Chapter 1478:


    It wasn’t unfamiliar. They had crossed this line before.


    Still, each time felt different.


    His voice brushed past her ear, low and close, warmth following every word. “Try to rx. I can’t get in.”


    The bluntness of it made heat rush straight to her face.


    But his touch softened, unhurried, and without realizing it, her tension eased.


    What followed rolled over her in waves, one after another, until her thoughts scattered and her sense of time dissolvedpletely.


    When it finally stopped, she sat there dazed, barely aware of where she was.


    William, uncharacteristically patient, helped her straighten her clothes. His gaze drifted to the untouched dishes on the table. “Still hungry?”


    She had just exerted herself, and perhaps she needed to replenish her energy.


    He sounded almost gentle. Maybe it was the aftermath. Maybe his mood had simply shifted. Either way, the sharp edge from earlier was gone.


    Ste shook her head. The thought of food made her stomach turn. She curled up against the sofa cushions, small and guarded, like an animal backed into a corner.


    For a brief moment, William felt the urge to push her again.


    But he held back.


    “If you’re not eating, we’re leaving.”


    He stood first. Ste tried to follow, but the moment she put weight on her feet, her knees buckled. She dropped back onto the sofa with a soft gasp.


    William turned to look at her, his expression making it clear he found her inability to stand almost ridiculous.


    She stared up at him, a mix of frustration and embarrassment tightening her chest. “My legs won’t hold me up…”


    More chapters avable at gα?ησν??s


    He always liked pushing her until she couldn’t take it anymore.


    Usually, this happened at the vi. Not outside.


    Her eyes flicked around the room, unease creeping in. What if there were cameras? If anyone found out what had happened here, she wasn’t sure she could live it down.


    Her thoughts must have shown on her face.


    “There aren’t any cameras,” William said tly.


    She froze for a second, then visibly rxed. Relief washed through her body, leaving her even weaker than before.


    Clutching the edge of the sofa, she looked at him quietly. “I really can’t stand. Can you help me?”


    She was like this because of him.


    Surely he wouldn’t just leave her.


    William’s gaze lingered on her for a moment before he stepped closer and lifted her from the sofa.


    Ste gasped softly and instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck.


    .


    .


    .