CHAPTER 120: SHATTERING TRUTH

Soon I realized that the dizziness I was feeling wasn’t simply from the overwhelming information that I was being fed. Something felt wrong.

"Are you feeling okay?" Josh asked as he leaned over the table and brought his face closer to mine.

"I don’t know. I feel quite dizzy," I admitted in a shaky voice.

"Just relax, my dear girl; it doesn’t suit you to look so stressed and worried," Josh said before he smirked mischievously down at me.

I felt my lower lip quiver, but I could not make a sound. The throbbing ache in my head only intensified with each passing second. It felt like it was taking all of the effort that I had just to keep my eyes open.

I felt his arms around my body as if he wanted to support me, but when his hand began stroking my back and dipping even lower to my waist as he explored the curves of my body, I knew that Josh had very impure intentions in mind. Helping me recover from the state that I was in wasn’t what he had planned. I knew that I needed to struggle against him, but all I could feel was strength leaving my body. I felt so drained of energy, and I could not bring myself to utter any coherent words. All I could make were weak whimpers and protesting sounds.

"All the serious talk doesn’t suit you. Calm down and just relax; I’ll make you feel all better," Josh said in a seductive whisper.

I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs and push him away, but my body would not obey my command. I found myself being lowered onto the sofa until I felt a softness against my back. Josh hovered above me, a sinister look gleaming in his eyes as if he was eyeing his desirable prey. My body began shaking out of fear, and I realized that I was such a fool to put myself into such a dangerous situation.

I immediately regretted my actions, and just as always, the first person that came to my mind was none other than Raphael. I wondered what he was doing right now or if he was feeling disappointed that I could not make it to the date that he had planned. I knew without a doubt that my life would have been much better and completely different had I decided to accompany Raphael on the date that he had invited me to. My curiosity got the better of me, and now it seemed that I had to pay an enormously expensive price in exchange for the truth that I had gained. Ignorance wasn’t truly bliss, but at the same time, I wanted to enjoy the bliss of ignorance for a little longer.

"Why are you so distracted all of a sudden? You should just focus on me," Josh whispered into my ear before letting out a teasing chuckle. I felt his hands stroking my hair before his other one began unbuttoning my blouse.

"Please...stop..." I managed to whimper.

"Why? I’ll make sure that you enjoy this. You should forget all about Raphael, and I will help you do it," Josh whispered with clear confidence.

I shook my head from side to side, but that was all I could do. By that time, I was certain that Josh had drugged me and that he had planned this all along. I was such a fool to have taken the bait so easily. There was no time for regrets when I felt the pressure of his hand squeezing and kneading my breasts. His touch was rough and aggressive, and it began to hurt.

"Don’t...do this..." I managed to say in a weak voice, but I knew that Josh wasn’t willing to follow my demands.

"Just hold still and don’t make this more difficult than it has to be," he warned me coldly.

I shut my eyes tight as I prepared for the worst. I wanted to scream for help, but I didn’t have the energy to do it. I wanted to struggle and push Josh away, but my body wouldn’t move the way that I wanted it to. I began praying for whatever strength that I had left in me. All I wanted was to scream just one word.

Raphael!

There seemed to be sound coming from the opposite side of the door, but I wasn’t sure if I was just imagining things in the desperate state that I was in. Suddenly, the door slammed open. The thunderous bang disturbed my sluggish mind. I barely understood what had happened until my gaze flickered towards the doorway that was now open.

It felt like time froze and that it was as if all my prayers had been answered all at once.

Raphael.

The moment I laid eyes on him, relief crashed down on me so intensely that I thought my heart would stop. My weak body, unresponsive from whatever Josh had given me, no longer felt as helpless as it did before. Although I could not move, my heart instantly clung to the sight of him as if he was my final lifeline.

Raphael was breathing hard, his chest rising and falling as his eyes burned with a fury that I had never seen before. His entire presence seemed to radiate danger as he marched into the room. For a moment, everything else faded away, and all I could see was Raphael entering my world. I could tell that he was angry and that a part of his anger was definitely directed at me.

Once again, he was storming in to save me from the results of my reckless decision. I had defied all his warnings and went against his orders, walking straight into the trap as a result. I made a silent promise to myself that next time I would listen to him absolutely, and I would never again ignore his warnings. Even if I thought that it was wrong, I would do anything that Raphael told me to. Next time I would listen to him, and I would never doubt him again.