To Love a Shadow, To Be the Sun novel Chapter 49

"You…"

Elara glanced at the sofa behind the door.

Perfectly in place. It hadn't been moved.

So he'd come in through the window.

She let out a weary sigh, too tired to argue, and made her way toward the bed.

Brian closed the distance in a few strides, wrapped an arm around her waist, and pulled her firmly against him.

She tried to push him away, but he caught her chin in his hand, forcing her to meet his gaze.

With no other option, she shut her eyes.

"Am I so terrifying you can't even look at me?" Brian asked.

Elara kept silent, but the disgust on her face said more than words ever could.

Brian let out a cold laugh, scooped her up, and tossed her onto the bed, his weight pinning her down.

She'd just showered, wearing nothing but a bathrobe—making it all too easy for him.

It had been a long time since he'd touched her. At first, he only meant to scare her a little, but things quickly spun out of control.

When his lips found her ear, he tasted something salty and bitter—a tear that brought him back to his senses. He paused.

Elara knew how relentless he could be in moments like this; the more she fought, the more it fueled him. So she gave up resisting.

But the bottled-up pain was too much. Hot tears slipped down her cheeks despite her efforts.

Brian's resolve wavered, but even as he caught his breath, he wasn't about to let the opportunity to "teach her a lesson" slip by.

"So, you're done arguing in silence? Then don't even think about crying. Come on, Elara, keep fighting me."

She turned her head away, recoiling from the warmth of his breath.

He grabbed her face, forcing her to look at him.

"Listen to me. Whatever your reason was for marrying me, we're bound together now. My marriage was never just about us—it's about the whole Vincent family. Divorce is simply not an option."

Elara's eyes were red, her gaze brimming with hatred.

She'd been hoping to get through these last two weeks quietly, to keep the peace until it was over. But he just had to come looking for trouble.

"So I'm supposed to spend my life being your family's cover-up?" Her voice cracked with a bitter smile. "Or is it that you won't be satisfied until you've squeezed the life out of me?"

"I have to go out. Think about what I said tonight. Elara, if you want life to be easier, you need to know me, understand me, and accept the weight I carry."

Elara closed her eyes. He always demanded her understanding, but had he ever spared a thought for her?

Brian couldn't read her silence, so he continued, "And one more thing—I hate it when things spiral out of control. So you'd better know your limits. Stop pushing back. Your only choice is to be a good wife, stay put, and live with me. There's no alternative."

Elara curled up on the bed, motionless.

Before leaving, Brian told Mrs. Archer to have the bedroom sofa removed in the morning.

A cold draft slipped in under the door, making Elara shiver.

He knew she'd lost their child less than a month ago, yet he still tried to force himself on her.

To him, she was nothing but a shield, a scapegoat, a breathing prop—never a person.

In the middle of the night, Brian returned briefly.

The bedroom door was still ajar, just as he'd left it. Elara was already asleep.

Curled up under the covers, she'd pulled the blanket over her head.