IX

As I stood there, trapped within the tight embrace of his arms, a sense of speechlessness overwhelmed me. What words could I possibly utter in this moment?

Saying yes meant surrendering to him completely, acknowledging my readiness to become his possession. When I escaped from Raffaele's clutches, I vowed never to allow myself to be at the mercy of another man. Yet, here I was, cornered by Artemy, and I found myself unable to utter a simple word of refusal.

His piercing gaze lingered upon me, anticipation filling the air as he awaited my response. Determinedly, I chose silence, pursing my lips together and refusing to give him the satisfaction of a reply. Surely, staying silent was better than offering a response, wasn't it?

That was my belief at the time. But as events unfolded, I came to realize I was mistaken. Artemy's lips curled into another one of his wicked smirks, and my throat tightened as I struggled to swallow the lump of fear lodged within it.

That smirk was anything b