For a woman like me, his gaze carried unmistakable disgust. The warmth from earlier vanished, and he reverted to the same dark, unreadable Mr. Thorn as before.
He forced me down onto my knees, and once again, he humiliated me in that cruel, shaming way that made my body burn with shame.
"You're not Elara," he said coldly. "This is all you deserve."
Afterward, Kaelan dressed himself with practiced calm, his expression completely indifferent as he looked down at me lying on the floor.
"Starting tomorrow, you'll live in this room," he said. "Remember this: without my permission, you're not to step outside the villa."
I looked up at his icy face and asked quietly, "Mr. Thorn, you didn't bring me back here just to keep me as a caged bird, did you?"
Kaelan had already stood up. There was n
