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He smiles, a cold and humorless twist that sends a shiver down my spine. “Why not?”

I swallow hard. “You seem to hate me.”

“I do,” he agrees.

“Why?” I whisper.

He shrugs carelessly. “Let’s not rehash all that right now. I wasn’t expecting you to be awake.”

“I was working,” I reply, gesturing to my laptop, though my words feel hollow, like they don’t belong in this moment. Why does he hate me? What does he imagine I have done to him?

His gaze flickers to the screen for a fraction of a second before returning to me. “Still writing those romance novels?”

I flinch, the question striking a nerve. “Actually, I don’t write anymore. I just edit other people’s work now.”

He pauses, his expression showing surprise. For a moment, it’s as though he’s genuinely curious, as though he wants to ask why. And for that brief second, it feels like all the darkness between us dissipates, like the weight we’ve been carrying could finally lift.

But it doesn’t last. Just as quickly, his eyes shutter and the unyielding tension returns, settling back into the space between us. His face hardens, and whatever softness had surfaced vanishes like it was never there.

His smile returns, dark and mocking. Then he takes a step forward and I have to fight the urge to shrink back. His presence is overwhelming, a tangible force that fills the room and leaves no space for anything else.

“What do you want, Earl?” I ask, though my hands tremble in my lap.

“What do I want?” he echoes, his tone mocking as he tilts his head slightly, like he’s considering the question. Then, without warning, he closes the distance between us entirely, towering over me as I remain frozen in place.

I tilt my head back to meet his gaze, my heart pounding so hard it feels like it might burst. He’s so close I can see the bottomless wells of his eyes, the tension in his jaw, the faint lines of exhaustion etched into his face. And yet, he’s never looked more imposing, more... untouchable.

“You wouldn’t understand,” he murmurs, his voice low, almost a growl. “You never did.”

Before I can respond, he turns sharply and heads toward the window. The sudden movement jolts me, and I realize I’ve been holding my breath again. His back is to me now, but the tension in his shoulders is palpable, like he’s barely holding something in.

I want to ask him what he means, to demand answers, but the words die in my throat. Instead, I watch him, my mind racing with all the questions left unsaid between us. The room feels unbearably small, the distance between us is a vast sea of danger.

I don’t know how to bridge it.

CHAPTER9

EARL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymPu2PdLW3I

-let me entertain you-

I want her so badly it’s like an affliction, something that burns relentlessly, fueled by an immense source that refuses to acknowledge her betrayal or the wounds she left that still throb and hurt. She was going to throw me in the gutter for these useless symbols of wealth. Sacrifice my great love for sofas, beds, and chairs. Seeing her here in her dream surroundings, so calm, so composed, twists the knife further. It makes me want to break her composure, shatter her in the way she shattered me. Let her feel what I felt.

I pull off my jacket and toss it to the floor. My fingers work at the buttons of my shirt, undoing each one with deliberate slowness. I’m giving myself time to rein in the storm inside me, but every button undone feels like a step closer to the edge.

By the time I reach the last button, I turn to face her, watching the way her eyes widen slightly, the way her throat bobs as she swallows hard. Suddenly, I’m standing in my briefs. I see her take in my arms, my chest, the shift of muscle under my skin. She’s seen me like this before—years ago, when we were younger, when everything between us was raw and real and terrifyingly pure. But now, I can see the tension in her, the hesitation. I know she doesn’t trust me, and a cruel part of me wants to revel in that.

“Well,” I say, my cold voice cutting through the silence. “What are you waiting for? Time to perform your wifely duties.”

Her lips part as she stares at me in shock.

“What’s wrong?” I taunt, stepping closer.

There’s defiance in her eyes, a flicker of the fire I remember so well, and it’s enough to set my teeth on edge.

“Don’t you know there is a price to pay to fulfil your greatest dream? Weren’t you going to fuck Charles for this?”