The taste of his kiss, so aggressive and controlling, still lingered on her lips. Every part of her wanted to run, to scream, to escape, but the walls around her had already closed in too tight. She was trapped. Trapped by him. Trapped by the promises he made. Trapped by the reality of the situation.
The pounding of her heart filled her ears as she tried to steady her breath. She couldn’t think clearly. Her chest felt heavy, and her throat felt tight as if she was being suffocated from the inside. Her body was tense, her hands still trembling from the rush of anger, confusion, and the aftershock of the kiss.
Julian hadn’t left the room. He stood by the window, his back to her, his posture as composed as ever. He seemed so cold, so calculating. It was as if this was all part of some grand
