Page 121 of Darkest Deception

He blinks. His mouth opens, then closes.

“Was it because of me?” Anguish laces his voice.

I finally look at him, actually look at him. “What does it matter anymore? I have stopped fighting, and you got what you want. Aren’t you happy you won?”

He shakes his head frantically. He drops the papers and reaches for my hands, but I step back. He takes one more step closer to me and cradles my face, but I look the side.

I ignore the skip of my heart at his touch. I ignore my foolish organ calling out to him, wanting to be back in his warm, secure arms.

“Look at me, baby, please,” he begs.

Helia begs. I never expected someone like him to beg like this, to ask me to look at him. With his power, his brutal energy and strength, he could force me to do so, but he isn’t. He needs to know he fucked up and killed whatever I felt sizzling between us.

That’s what he wanted, wasn’t it?

With his lies, his manipulating ways, he got what he wanted in the end.

I can’t allow myself to weaken at the new nickname he has chosen for me now.

I won’t allow him to win the final battle.

I take a step back and out of his hold, and his hands drop to his side.

“Leave, Helia. I have places to go.” With that, I turn around and head back into my house, awaiting an email that I should be receiving this week.

That email is my only hope now.

“Ambrose! Come back, baby. Please! You can’t walk away from me like this! Ambrose, listen to me!” Helia shouts from behind me, but I shut the door, my heart aching at his voice calling out to me.

Why now?

“Ambrose, please!” He cries out.

Why couldn’t he have been more open with me?

“Ambrose!” He screams, his voice so pained.

I know we hated each other, but now I feel something much more. Something that has me almost destroying myself for a mere moment in his arms. For just one last kiss. For one last touch from him.

Because I’m addicted. To him. To his eyes. To his hold. To everything that reminds me of him.

“This dress is beautiful, isn’t it?”

I blankly look at the figure-hugging golden dress. It has full sleeves and a sweetheart neckline. It reaches the floor, embellished with beautifully encrusted yellow diamonds, and with each movement of mine, I can hear the dazzling diamonds clink.

Why does it feel like I am cheating on Helia?

“You will have every head turning.” Mom smiles at me, her eyes moving over the glittering dress in awe.

She’s pushing her dreams onto me.

“Mum, please. I don’t want this. What good will it do—” My head whips to the side with a crazy burn.

She slapped me.

I look back at her, and she’s still smiling, her eyes wide, looking around the boutique.

“You will stay quiet, and you will—”

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