جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 40

Calla’s heart raced at the invitation. She nodded eagerly, and together they stepped into the evening air. The transition from the dimly lit restaurant to the garden felt like entering another world. Softly glowing lanterns lined the winding path, illuminating clusters of vibrant flowers that danced gently in the cool breeze. The scent of jasmine and fresh blooms filled the air, mingling with the crispness of the night.The moon hung low in the sky, casting a silvery glow over everything, making the garden feel like a scene from a fairy tale. Calla marveled at the way the moonlight shimmered on the petals, turning the white roses into delicate orbs of light. The gentle sound of water trickling from a nearby fountain added a serene backdrop, creating an atmosphere charged with magic.As they strolled along the path, Drake leaned closer, his voice a soothing murmur. “Isn’t it beautiful?” he asked, glancing over at her, his dark eyes reflecting the moonlight. “It reminds me of how specia

Calla paced back and forth in her room, her mind racing. Xavier’s words kept echoing in her head, and she couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that had settled deep in her chest. The image of Xavier’s angry face, his eyes filled with accusation, kept haunting her. “You’re making a mistake with him, Calla. He’s not who you think he is.”Her phone buzzed, breaking the cycle of her thoughts. It was Drake.She stared at his name for a moment, uncertainty gnawing at her. She didn’t want to talk to him, not now, but she couldn’t ignore him either. She slid her finger across the screen and answered the call.Hello?” Calla answered, her voice a little softer than usual.“Hey, darling,” Drake’s voice came through the phone, warm and teasing. “What are you up to?”Calla let out a small sigh. “Nothing much,” she replied, her tone flat.Drake, with a playful excitement in his voice, teased, “I thought you must be thinking about me.”Calla paused for a second, her lips curving slightly but her res

He held it out to her, his eyes soft, almost vulnerable. “Calla,” he began, his voice barely a whisper, “I want you in my life… every day, every moment. I want to marry you, to give you everything I am.”For a second, Calla’s heart stopped, her thoughts colliding. She felt the weight of her brother’s warnings echo in her mind, the cautionary words he’d spoken about Drake’s past, his temper. But here, in this soft, intoxicating moment, she couldn’t reconcile those warnings with the man before her, the man who held her like she was something precious.Drake sensed her hesitation and placed the ring box on the table. He took her hand in both of his, leaning in closer, his gaze searching hers.“Hey,” he said softly, his voice gentle and reassuring. “You’re safe with me, Calla. I’d never let anything hurt you. Everything I do is because of you. You’re my everything.”The vulnerability in his voice, the way he looked at her, made her heart ache. She wanted to believe him, to surrender to th

Calla closed the door behind her quietly, as if even the sound of it might shatter whatever fragile control she was holding onto. The villa was silent, but the pounding of her heartbeat filled the space around her, heavy and relentless.She took a step forward, but her legs felt weak, almost shaky, and she wrapped her arms around herself instinctively, as if holding herself together might keep her from coming undone.She could still feel Drake’s touch lingering on her skin, like invisible fingerprints she couldn’t wash away. The ache in her body was a constant reminder, a mixture of discomfort and something else she couldn’t quite put into words.She had crossed a line, and there was no going back now. She sank onto the edge of the couch, her gaze unfocused, replaying pieces of the night over and over in her mind.“God, Calla… what have you done?” she whispered to herself, pressing her hands against her temples as if she could press out the swirling chaos of thoughts.The things he’d

The villa was quiet as Calla and Xavier stepped inside, the grand entryway echoing their footsteps. The silence felt heavy, and oppressive, as if even the walls sensed the tension between them. Xavier stopped abruptly in the hallway, turning to face her, his face a mask of barely contained frustration.“Calla,” he began, his voice controlled but laced with anger, “you’re not thinking clearly. This attachment to Drake… it’s reckless. Dangerous. You know how that kind of dependency can ruin lives. You of all people know.”Calla’s eyes dropped to the polished marble floor, her fingers trembling as she held them together. She’d heard this before. Xavier had been there for her through so much—her struggles with a broken family, the nights she’d cried about her father’s drinking, her mother’s distance. But this… he didn’t know about this.She forced herself to look up, keeping her voice steady. “I know you’re worried about me, Xavier. But this isn’t just about my past. I have my reasons.”X