Quinn''s teeth ground together in a grimace, the pain washing the color from her face as she ceased her struggle. Alexander did not press further.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .
He observed Quinn until she was utterly motionless before relinquishing his hold on her. She slid off the desk, crumpling onto the floor, her hands protectively cradling her stomach.
She dared not move, for every slight shift brought a wave of excruciating pain that pierced her heart."Consider my proposal," his voice echoed from above. He pivoted to depart but felt a gentle pull at his trouser leg. ncing down, he found Quinn clutching at the fabric.Slowly, she raised her head, her face a mask of pallor. There was no denying the torment she was enduring. She stilled her quivering lips and took deep, measured breaths to manage the pain before releasing him.
Then, with deliberate movements, she signed, "If you loathe me and everything associated with me so much, why don''t you just divorce me?"A fleeting shadow passed over his eyes before he abruptly crouched down. Alexander lifted her chin and retorted, "Seems you''re having trouble recalling thingstely, huh? Have you forgotten what I told you?"Quinn looked at him, her energy depleted.
She hadn''t forgotten. ''He instructed me to avoid Abigail and never to utter the word ''divorce.'' Yet, I find myself continually defying him. I feel like a caged dog, left with no option but to wag its tail and plead for mercy from its master.'' She signed, "Is this your idea of ''taking care of me for life''? Imprisoning me in a cage?"As he watched the tears shimmer in her eyes, a flicker of something crossed his own, too swift to identify. After a pause, he responded, "If that''s your interpretation, then so be it."His words struck her like a thunderbolt, leaving her reeling and disoriented.
She shut her eyes as the tears overflowed, her face ghostly pale. She finally capitted.Some timeter, Quinn opened her eyes and gestured to him, "If I stop seeing Abigail, can you extricate her from her current predicament?""Quinn, I''m not here to negotiate with you," Alexander dismissed her tly.
He released her chin, stood, and dered, "It appears you''ve made your choice." With that, he exited the study without a backward nce.Quinn copsed onto the floor, her head bowed low, her hair obscuring most of her face. Alexander was descending the staircase just as Juliet was unpacking her belongings. She froze upon sighting him, her possessions impossible to conceal. Her items were too shabby, utterly incongruous in the immacte vi.He seized his coat from the rack, cast a cursory nce at her, and remarked, "I don''t want to see this junk again.""I''ll dispose of them immediately," Juliet''s voice wavered.
She turned to Alexander, puzzled, "Alexander, what exactly are you implying?"With an indifferent tone, he replied, "Since she permitted you to stay here, you''d better take good care of her."Juliet remained rooted to the spot until he was out of sight, only then grasping his insinuation. A wry smile etched itself onto her lined face.
She dropped her belongings and ascended the stairs to find Quinn.At the threshold of the study, Juliet spotted Quinn huddled on her side, her clothes in disarray. She hastened in to assist her and inquired, "Quinn, what''s the matter?"Quinn slowly opened her eyes, her forehead and neck slick with perspiration as if she had been submerged in water. She raised a tremulous hand to her abdomen. Only then did Juliet notice the blotches of blood staining Quinn''s trousers."You..." Juliet''s face contorted as panic seized her. Without a moment''s hesitation, she reached for her phone, ready to dial for an ambnce.