บททั้งหมดของ BETWEEN US : BOUND TO HIM : บทที่ 61 - บทที่ 70

. . . ADELINE I sat curled up on the couch, my arms wrapped around my legs as I buried my face in my knees. The dim glow of the lamp beside me cast long shadows across the room, but I barely noticed. My thoughts were a tangled mess, circling the same painful truth over and over again. The image of Vladimir getting tortured made me want to end my life in guilt for not being there for him but …… the pain i also felt for was …… myself and …… Luciano. For so many years, I had tried. I had fought for his love, endured his coldness, his silence, his indifference. I had stood by his side, hoping—praying—that one day, he would see me, truly see me. That he would love me the way I had loved him. But after everything I had learned… after the truth had come crashing down around me like an avalanche, burying everything I once believed in, I could no longer see a future with him. I could not see …… myself with him. Not anymore. I lifted my head slightly, exhaling a deep si

. . . AUTHOR’S POV Adeline exhaled heavily as she stepped inside Luciano’s grand mansion, the weight of her return pressing down on her like a vice. The air was thick with expectation, and even before she had fully crossed the threshold, she knew—they had been waiting and she was prepared to give them. It was as if the walls themselves whispered her name. Luciano’s men had already spread the word, and in a matter of seconds, the entire house was set into motion that she was here. The once-familiar halls no longer felt welcoming. The warmth she had once associated with this place had long since turned cold. She took another step, but the moment she did, the heavy wooden doors swung open behind her, and a rush of hurried footsteps filled the space. Adeline stopped. Aurora was the first to reach her, barreling toward her with tear-filled eyes, wrapping her arms around her in a desperate hug. “Adeline!” she breathed, holding her tightly as if afraid she would d

. . . ADELINE I took a deep breath, the cool night air filling my lungs as I placed a steadying hand on the open car door. The hard part was done now I had to face the hardest one yet I knew I could do it. The mansion loomed behind me, its towering structure casting a long shadow under the dim glow of the estate lights. The mansion I once called my home was nothing in my eyes now but a mere architect that I had to burn down. I could feel Vladimir’s eyes on me, his concern tangible in the air between us. “Where are you going?” he asked, his voice low but firm. His grip on my wrist was firm as If he hated to let go of me once again. I turned to face him, my expression unreadable. I wasn’t sure if it was the exhaustion settling in my bones or the storm of emotions swirling in my chest, but I knew one thing—this was the end of something. “I’m coming,” I said softly, nodding once, as if that alone could reassure him. Vladimir hesitated. His dark eyes searched mine,

. . . LUCIANO My fingers dug into the polished wood of the desk as I clutched my phone. My jaw tightening with each passing second. The absence of Adeline sending wave of loneliness through my whole body. My patience had worn thin, my mind clouded with a dangerous mix of frustration and unease. The moment Christian answered, his voice was sharp and commanding. “Get in here. Now.” The call ended abruptly, leaving the room in an eerie silence. Outside the tall windows, the city lights flickered, oblivious to the storm brewing inside my mind. Why was she doing this? And the hatred in her eyes sent chills down my spine as I refused to remember how painful it was. I turned away, inhaling deeply in an attempt to control the fury simmering beneath my composed exterior. The door to my office burst open, and Christian strode in, his brow furrowed with concern. He had known that my summons meant trouble, but the sheer intensity in my eyes sent a wave of apprehension throu

. . . AUTHOR’S POV The grand ballroom was alive with soft laughter and the clinking of glasses, the warm golden glow of chandeliers reflecting off crystal and polished marble floors. Adeline sat poised at the head of a round table, surrounded by influential guests who hung onto every word of conversation, their voices mingling with the delicate notes of a string quartet playing in the background. She smiled at the man seated beside her, elegantly swirling the wine in her glass before taking a slow sip. The taste of aged red lingered on her tongue, but even as she engaged in lighthearted conversation, a strange, nagging sensation settled over her. A prickling awareness at the back of her neck. A weight—an invisible force pressing against her skin, drawing her attention no matter how much she tried to ignore it. She let her lashes lower slightly, her eyes subtly drifting across the room. There was a crowd, faces shifting and blurring together in a sea of glitt