My hands clenched tightly at my sides. I lifted my chin, staring him down with a mocking smile. "You're right, Mr. Sterling. With your status, women must be lining up. What's one or two more?"
Theodore just stared at me, cold and silent. I kept the sarcasm going, refusing to back down.
"Even someone like Isabella, you didn't mind keeping around. If I hadn't stepped in, who knows how many times you would've ended up playing the fool. Technically, I did you a favor. You saved me today-let's just call it even."
As soon as the words left my mouth, I got off the bed to leave. But he yanked me back in an instant, pressing down on me with his full weight, eyes dark like a storm.
"Even? Natalie, who do you think you are? What gives you the right to say that?"
"What are you doing? Get off me!" I pushed at his chest with all my strength, but he didn't budge. And then it hit me - I screamed sharply, "Theodore, are you insane?! What the hell are you trying to do? You animal!"
He froze suddenly, and that weird, dangerous look lit up in his eyes. One of his hands clamped around my neck like a vice.
"What's there to be so precious about? A woman who went as far as ruining her own sister's future, all so I'd notice her-you think that makes you some kind of pure, untouchable saint?"
His words cut deep-sharper and crueler than anything Vivian or Hubert ever said or did to me. That last thread of sanity snapped. My rage and humiliation exploded out of control like a dam breaking.
"Get over yourself! I made it clear from the start-cancel the engagement with Isabella, and you can marry whoever the hell you like. I never cared! You're the one who kept showing up, clinging to me like a bad habit! I never begged you to save me-so who gave you the right to act like I owe you something? Don't project your own crap onto me!"
His face turned colder, the grip on my hand tightening by the second. But I just gritted my teeth and stared him down. I wasn't gonna give him the satisfaction of hearing me beg or cry.
The fabric of my strapless dress had been torn to pieces, and I felt the chill crawl over me like ice water. I looked up into his furious face and let out a bitter laugh. "Let's be real. The one that's been stuck on this twisted mess between us-is you. Admit it. You can't let go because deep down, you want me."
"Natalie... Reynolds!" He growled my name through gritted teeth, eyes burning with fury, like he could explode any second.
I just laughed even colder, eyes full of mockery. He grabbed my arm and shoved me underneath him, crashing his lips onto mine-rough and punishing, like he wanted to erase the smile right off my face.
I didn't even respond. Just stared blankly.
He pulled back, his breath shaky, then easily flipped me over, pinning me at the headboard. Before I could react further, he forced himself inside without any hesitation.
Shame flooded every corner of me. I bit down on my lower lip, hands gripping the headboard until my knuckles turned white.
The pain and tremors shook through me, but I wouldn't let a sound slip-not even once.
He moved inside me without an ounce of hesitation, tearing what little self-respect I had left to shreds. As his teeth caught my earlobe, his voice sounded like a curse: "Natalie, you're the one who started this. I'm not letting go. Come on, fight me if you dare-let's see who wins."
I shut my eyes in despair and lay there, helpless beneath him, trapped in a nightmare I couldn't wake up from.
Only after he was done did he throw me aside like trash. Lying limp on the bed, I vaguely heard a clinking sound before Theodore walked into the bathroom.
Water started running. I tried to sit up, my legs just touched the floor before they gave out. I collapsed to the ground with a dull thud. The noise was enough-he flung the bathroom door open and rushed over. "Natalie!"
His face filled with panic swam into view, but it all quickly blurred as dizziness swept over me. My eyelids dropped, and then everything went black.
When I came to the next morning, the sunlight stained the curtains in warm gold. I forced myself up when suddenly an arm reached out and pressed me back down.
Startled, I turned my head. Theodore lay next to me, shirtless. His face was right there, still and quiet, long lashes casting shadows under sharp brows.
Memories from last night came rushing back. I carefully lifted the blanket and noticed the bruises had all been treated-bandaged and medicated with care.
I wriggled out from his arm, clutching the blanket as I stood up. Before I made it even two steps, a strong grip yanked me back down, pulling me right onto him.
My head spun. He pinned me underneath, his chest pressing hard against me-way too close. I struggled, panicked, and in the mess of limbs, pulled too hard on one of the wounds. The pain made me draw in a sharp breath.
A flash of something cold glinted in his eyes. His voice came out like steel. "Trying to run?"
I bit my lip, stared him dead in the eyes. "This is your place. I just want to go home."
He let out a sarcastic laugh. "How many times have I told you? I'm not the kind of guy you can just toss away when you're done. You wanna leave? Too bad-I'm not giving you that option."
"What do you even want from me?" I finally snapped. "It's not like I begged you to help!"
Not that he was helping-more like hurting me first and then acting like the hero. That fake kindness? Just another slap in the face.
His hand suddenly gripped my chin, forcing my face up. "You ruined my engagement. Don't you think you should make it right?"
I nearly kicked him out of raw instinct. "I thought I made it clear last night-I'm sorry. I own that. But let me be crystal clear: as long as the women in your life have nothing to do with Isabella, I won't stick my nose in."
The pressure on my jaw tightened, his eyes dark with a threat. "You really think I'd buy a word of that? Not happening."
His words were like knives, digging into wounds I'd barely begun to heal. I glared at him, chest heaving, furious beyond words.
"Believe me or not, I really don't care anymore!" I barked back. "Theodore, you don't get to dictate my life. Seriously, what's your problem? You could have any woman you wanted. Why obsess over Isabella like this? You into jealous games or something? Great, then go! Re-propose! Let's see if I try to stop you this time."
