Nobela ni Chithority.

Liana’s POVGasping, I felt his hands glide over my breasts, slow, reverent, maddeninngly familiiar. A shiver ran through me as warmth pooled between my thighs, desire pulsing beneath my skin. My hips arched instinctivelly, guided by hands that weren’t truly there.His touch lingered, featherlight. Fingers traced the curve of my breasts, ignitiing sparks in their wake. A moan escaped my lips, soft, involuntary.“Maxwell…” I whispered.I reached for him.But the illusion shattered.Morning light poured through the blinds, cruel and sterile. My fingers closed around empty air. He wasn’t here.Of course he wasn’t.I sat up, heart hammmering, sheets twisted around my legs. My nightgown clung to sweat-damp skin, nipples taut beneath the thin fabric, aching with unfulfillled need. I presssed trembling hands over my chest, willing the desire to passs, but the heat wouldn’t leave.Because last night hadn’t just been a dream. It was a memory. A mistake.One I swore I would bury.I slipped out

Liana’s POV( present day…..)I hesitated at the door, not even sure if they’d let me in again.But I had to to take the shame and come here this morning Last night was the longest, I couldn’t find sleep.Matteo word about my father kept ringing in my head. And this morning I knew I had to run. It was my only escape. I was scared he might not come today, maybe I will beg someone else. But just Then I saw movement behind the glass.He was already inside.Not alone.He was with someone, a tall man, laughing at something the stranger said, relaxed in a way I hadn’t seen before. Like he belonged to another world.My breath hitched.I almost turned back. I didn’t belong in that brightness. In that ease.Then the door opened.He was the one holding it.We locked eyes.I didn’t speak. Just stepped inside quickly, my head low.“Thanks,” I mumbled.He didn’t reply. Just nodded.I headed to the treadmill. My body moved like it had no other setting. I ran, harder than I ever had. Every insul

Liana’s POVTen minutes passed. I checked my phone, paced a little. Tried not to feel like a fool.Then I saw him Black joggers. Dark tee. Broad shoulders moving with quiet control. He crossed the street like the world belonged to him. His eyes barely skimmed the area before landing on the gym entrance.I straightened. I had been here since before six, I was too excited to get to the gym. I stood here pretending I wasn’t waiting for anyone.He didn’t glance my way. Not at first. Just kept walking.I stepped closer, heart tapping hard against my ribs. “Hey,” I said, softer than I meant to.His gaze shifted. Slightly surprised. But he said nothing. Just swiped his card and held the door open.I hesitated for a beat, then stepped inside. “Thanks,” I murmured.He didn’t respond. Just walked in behind me.I headed toward the dumbbells at first, hoping movement would calm the buzz in my head. It didn’t.Then I saw him again, not far. He looked lighter today. Less tense. There was a rhythm

Liana’s POV(A day ago…)“Ma, the food is burning.”Maria’s voice broke through the haze, soft at first—then louder, sharper, like she was right beside me. Because she was.I blinked and turned. She stood next to me, her brow creased in concern, wooden spoon in hand. The scent of scorched oil clung to the air. I hadn’t heard her come in. I hadn’t heard anything. I’d been standing there for nearly thirty minutes, completely lost in thought.I quickly shut off the burner and stepped back.“Please take over,” I said quietly, rinsing my hands in the sink. My voice was calm, but my chest still felt like it was cracking open.Maria nodded without a word. She’d done this before—many times. My house help, yes, but more than that. A quiet companion. She had a way of knowing what I was thinking without me ever saying it.As I left the kitchen, the fog in my mind thickened.It wasn’t just about Matteo this time.It was him.The man at the gym.His voice still echoed in my head:“So tell me why I

Liana’s POV(2 days earlier ……)I wasn’t supposed to be here—and definitely not like this. Puffy eyes. Smudged makeup. An expired gym pass and a trail of broken pieces. Matteo should never find out Matteo made sure the world saw a picture-perfect marriage. He didn’t care what happened behind locked doors—as long as no one ever questioned it.”But here I was, sitting cross-legged on cold concrete beside the door of a gym I couldn’t legally enter, pretending like I wasn’t about to lose what little sanity I had left.The early morning air stung my skin, damp with June’s indecision between spring and summer. I kept my head down, hoodie drawn, as if that Could hide the fact that I’d cried like a child in my car for fifteen whole minutes before dragging myself here.Mornings like this, when reality felt like a nightmare, I ran.A nightmare that once felt like a blessing. I would still remember that day I said those wedding vows. It felt like my best decision. But now I don’t even know what

Prologue (Present day)Liana pov…“Liana.”Before I could fully open my eyes, he was already in the room.No greeting. No explanation.Just… that box. Sitting on the dresser. The one he kept locked, except for nights like this.My stomach twisted.“No,” I whispered, sitting up. Dread pooled fast in my chest. “Please, not tonight.”He turned slowly. That cruel smile never reached his eyes. “You know the rules.”“I’m tired. I’m not in the mood.”“You never are.” He said opening the box.Inside were the clothes.Not clothes, really, scraps of red lace and black leather. Pieces that made me feel like a stranger inside my own skin.“Matteo, please…” I rose slowly, voice shaking. “Can we not do this tonight? Just one night?”He paused, expression hardening.“You refusing me again?”“I just want peace. One night. Where you don’t..”He raised his hand, and I flinched before he even touched me.He didn’t hit me.He didn’t need to hit me. His silence screamed louder than violence.“Go change.