Chapter 139
Chapter 13
Amber felt her chest tighten as the memory of every rejection, every hurt Bams flooding track. The cavid feel her heart handenong spoke, her tesobre sealing over the wounds the had finally managed to clan, She’d spent too long caught in a cycle of bapa att ha wishing he would stand by her only for him to choose his family’s expectations time and again the wouldn’t caters to that pe bersell back into the same agony, no matter how earnestly he claimed to live her now.
No whispered “I love you” or familiar touch could erase the scars he’d left behind. She wouldn’t let herself be swept back into that stores of longing and regret, wouldn’t gamble her heart on him again–not for love, hot for duty, not for anything. She’d learned the price of loving lots, and she wouldn’t pay it a second time.
Ull be packing my bags first thing in the morning,” Amber said, her voice steady but full of strain. “I stay the remaining four days in a head nearby. It’s better for Nico to stay here with you. I’ll come by during the day to spend time with him, but—*
“Amber! Are you even listening to anything I’ve said?” Luca’s voice was tense, each word clipped and furious. “You’re not going anywhere, and stop acting like you’re just going to abandon Nico like that. Do you have any idea how much it would hurt him? He’s already terrified that you’re going to leave him here–because you told him you would! And now you’re planning to actually follow through? You’re willing to put him through that? Have you even thought about what that would do to him?”
Amber clenched her fists, each word hitting deeper than the last. She had thought about Nico, about the pain her decision would cause him. But what was the alternative? Letting Luca and his overpowering presence take over her life again, submitting to the role of his woman, only to be relegated once more to the backseat while his demanding family closed in on her like vultures? And then there was the media–she’d already been torn apart in public, branded as a “homewrecker” and worse, insulted by strangers in articles, blogs, and social media. That experience had shredded her confidence, leaving scars she hadn’t yet recovered from. She could barely imagine the fresh wave of humiliation that would follow her back into Luca’s world, with his family watching her every move and waiting for her to fail.
“It’s just six months,” she said, her tone edged with finality. “If everything goes well, it could be even sooner. I’ll explain it to Nico. He’ll understand, I know he will.”
Luca’s expression hardened, his jaw set in a way that told her he was nowhere close to giving in. But Amber was equally resolute. This conversation had drained her of every ounce of strength she had left, and she could feel herself fraying at the edges, each word unraveling her a bit more. Clutching her torn nightgown tightly around herself, she turned and made her way to the door, back toward the refuge of her own
room.
To her surprise, Luca didn’t follow. He didn’t call after her, didn’t make another attempt to stop her. He just stood there, silent, as she slipped through the door and into the dim hallway. She almost felt a sting of disappointment at his silence but quickly brushed it aside. This time, she reminded herself, she was holding firm.
Amber woke to the soft light of dawn filtering through her window, her breath uneven, her body wrapped in a lingering heat. She felt flushed and disoriented, her skin sensitive as if it still carried the touch of his hands. In her dream, Luca had been everywhere, his presence overwhelming, his touch both demanding and tender.
He had reached for her, pulling her close as their bodies met with a desperate, consuming need. His hands traced along her curves slowly, as though he was memorizing her all over again, fingers gliding over her skin, igniting it with a fire that seemed endless. His lips traveled from her collarbone to the hollow of her neck, planting soft, deliberate kisses that left her breathless, each touch fanning the embers within her. She could feel his warm breath against her skin, his heartbeat echoing her own strong and quick, each beat matching the rhythm of their shared longing.
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Chapter 145
Anty of ang
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
