Chapter 103

Evelyn fled down the rain-slicked pavement without glancing back. The icy shard in her chest had finally shattered, flooding her veins with glacial despair.

She couldn't bear to face Alexander again. His relentless cruelty had shattered what remained of her spirit, leaving her hollowed out like a storm-ravaged tree.

All she wanted was to disappear.

To vanish completely.

The drizzle intensified as she stumbled toward the crosswalk in a daze. Headlights blinded her as a speeding car refused to slow.

Evelyn froze mid-step, paralyzed beneath the neon glow of streetlights. The city's vibrant pulse mocked her anguish.

If only she could rewrite her story from the beginning...

She squeezed her eyes shut as a horn blared. Suddenly, iron-strong arms yanked her backward just as tires screeched past.

"Evelyn Sinclair!" Alexander's voice cracked like thunder above her. "If you're determined to die, that privilege belongs to me alone!"

His fury jolted her back to reality. In her terror of facing him, she'd nearly chosen permanent escape.

Alexander dragged her back to her dingy apartment. Rain dripped from his coat as he shrugged it off. "Draw a bath," he commanded.

Evelyn blinked in disbelief.

"Must I repeat myself?" His jaw tightened. "This wouldn't be necessary if you hadn't tried to throw yourself into traffic."

She flinched at his touch.

Meeting his gaze with eerie calm, Evelyn wordlessly turned toward the bathroom.

Alexander studied her retreating form. The woman before him moved like a stranger. His attention snagged on the twin scars marring her cheek.

The cramped studio reeked of desperation. Smaller than his walk-in closet. This was where she'd chosen to hide from him?

A leather-bound journal on the rumpled bed caught his eye. He flipped it open, scanning pages until Victoria's name leapt out. Evelyn's meticulous handwriting detailed elaborate revenge fantasies.

She emerged to find him holding her private thoughts. Panic propelled her forward.

Alexander intercepted her grasping hands. "You truly are poison," he hissed, eyes glacial. "That car should have finished you. Living only endangers Victoria."

Before she could protest, he slapped the journal against her face. The impact echoed through the tiny apartment.