My heart skipped a bbeat/b.

    For some reason, when I met Jonathan’s dark gaze, my first reaction was guilt.

    1couldn’t help but wonder just how submissive and afraid of Jonathan the old Elise had been.

    d Elise within me

    He was already seeing Alicia, while I was simply expressing my gratitude to the person who saved my life. Yet, the remnants of the b25/b–yearb–/bold still made me feel guilty.

    There was nothing to feel guilty about, and I reminded myself to get a

    I kept a calm expression and looked at him, saying, “It’s none of your business.”

    Jonathan frowned, and his expression–darkened instantly.

    He nced at Gabrielle coldly, “You should leave.”

    It was amand.

    Gabrielle looked at me, gave me a signal, and then teplied, “I’lle to see you tomorrow, Elise.”

    As soon as she finished speaking, Jonathan shot her ba /bblook/b, as though there was something displeasing about her.

    Gabrielle lowered her head and quiddy left the room.

    I couldn’t understand why Gabrielle always seemed to feel guilty and uneasy whenever she faced Jonathan, despite her strong dislike for him. It bwas /bsubtle, but I could still sense it.

    I wasn’t sure if I was reading it wrong.

    Before I could think more, Jonathan was standing right in front of me. “What did you two talk about just now?”

    I shook my head and sharply said, “It’s none of your business.”

    Jonathan frowned. “Elise, there’s ba /blimit to how much you can throw a tantrum.”

    I was tired of him constantly saying I was throwing a tantrum,

    bzily /bnced at him, no longer in the mood to exin. “Think whatever you want

    Jonathan paused, his expression darkening,

    At that moment, a vivid image shed through my mind.

    Tears streamed down my bface /bas bI /bclutched Jonathan’s hand and cried, “Why are you so close to Alicia? You bsaid /bthere was nothing going on between you two….”

    No matter how bysterical I became in that memory, the Jonathan in my mind only looked down at me coldly.

    Think whatever you want,” he’d bsaid/b.

    He’d been like a king, loolding down at thy madness and despair from above.

    The memory cut off suddenly, and my mind bwas /binvaded by memories bthat /bdidn’t even exist,

    Perhaps that was the painful past was trying to forget, now resurfacing unexpectedly in my mind.

    A sharp pali. bshot /bthroughing head, spreading to my heart.

    I stook my head forcefully, and my face grew pale.

    Jonathan frowned as he stepped forward. “His..

    He reached bout /bto touch me, but before his bhand /bcould make contact, I recolled bas /bif his btouch /brepulsed ine.

    “Don’t btouch /bme,” I said coldly, lucking eyes within. “Jonathan, let me bsay /bthis onest time I’m not just throwing a tantrum.”

    He stated

    me in silence for a long time before bfinally /bloosending his cor “bWhat /bis it that you really want? he coldly asked

    “I should be asling you that I sepped. “What do you bwant/b? why wor’t you agree to a divorce? Are byou /breally going to bforce /bme to cough up 100 million dors?”

    Even if I managed toe up with that kind of bmoney/b, what difference would it make? To a man as bwealthy /bas Jonathan, 100 million dors was practically bpocket /bchange. I truly couldn’t understand what was stopping bhim /bfrom letting me go,

    “When byou /bhave that bmuch/b, then we ran talk,” he bsaid/b, coldly staring at me

    That night, he held me tightly

    There was nothing left between us but cold confrontation, yet he still refused to let go. The more I struggled, the tighter he clung to me

    It was sullocating, yet he wouldn’t release ine.

    His arm felt like btron/bb, /bconstricting around my waistb, /band I could hear his steady breathing behind me.

    tried to pry his hands off meb, /bbut suddenly felt a sharp sting behind my ear

    turned, only to find Jonathan biting my earlobe, gently grazing it with his teeth.

    “Can’t sleep le murmured.