Chapter 612
As her emotions ebbed, Ariana questioned whether her pain was just in her mind.
The ache began to retreat, giving her the chance to grab her skirt.
She covered her thighs with the skirt and quickly used other scattered clothing to cover her bare skin.
“[‘m ready.
You can come in now,” Ariana said.
As Mitchel moved to turn the key in the lock, a sudden gust of wind blew past him.
Before he could react, an unseen force landed a punch, sending him sprawling.
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The commotion outside, coupled with Mitchel’s exclamation, made Ariana straighten up.
“Dr.
Chadwick, what’s going on?” she called out.
Suddenly, the door swung open and in walked Theodore.
Surprise left Ariana momentarily speechless before she found her voice.
“Theodore? Why are you here? No, wait—how did you even know I was here?”
She immediately suspected Theodore was tracking her, a chilling thought.
But one look at Theodore’s icy countenance, and she thought better of voicing her fears.
Ariana pivoted towards the doorway and yelled, “Dr.
Chadwick, are you alright out there?”
Theodore’s gaze darkened, her words like striking a flint deep within him.
He removed the key from the lock and closed and locked the door with a resounding slam.
With a stern expression, he approached the woman now lying on the floor.
Ariana’s heart sank.
His presence brought back memories of their first encounter.
Theodore had just emerged from a vegetative state then.
The revelation of his unexpected marital status had provoked a violent reaction.
His cold indifference from back then mirrored his demeanor now.
It was as if nothing mattered to him, Ariana included.
The feeling of being prey under the gaze of a predator was a stark memory that resurfaced, causing a tremor of fear.
“Theodore, please—don’t,” she whispered, voice trembling.
Tears welled in her eyes as she looked up at him.
Love was conspicuously absent in her gaze, replaced by pure panic and fear.
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Theodore halted, taken aback by her defensive posture.
But he quickly regained his composure and continued towards her, finally squatting in front of her.
Ariana managed a word, “You—” Her mind was so scattered that she couldn’t form a coherent sentence.
As Theodore extended his hand towards her, she reflexively shut her eyes.
Expecting the worst, she was instead drawn into a comforting embrace.
A sense of stunned surprise washed over her as she studied the man’s chiseled jawline and inhaled his familiar scent—a blend of juniper and tobacco.
Theodore cast his gaze downwards, studying Ariana’s befuddled expression.
Succumbing to the pull he felt, he brushed his lips against her smooth forehead—a feather-light contact that carried the weight of his yearning.
His ki*s added to her confusion.
Despite the strained tension between them, Ariana found herself unable to resist Theodore’s warm embrace.
The knowledge that she couldn’t defy him or fend him off, even if he overstepped, brought her sadness.
Frustrated with her own weakness, she released her hold on Theodore’s collar, her eyes downcast.