Lahat ng Kabanata ng Total Surrender : Kabanata 11 - Kabanata 20

The beach was Richard’s sanctuary-where he would go to unburden his mind and this time, the load was heavy. The salt-kissed air, the crashing of the waves, the tiny grains of white, they all seemed to wash his worries away. He stood barefoot in the sand, letting the cold foam lick his ankles as his thoughts drifted him far away.Pamela.Her name echoed in his mind like a prayer. At first, she had been nothing more than a distraction, a way to satisfy his cravings, a grave to bury the emptiness of his marriage beneath rough hands and muffled moans-just a simple fucktoy. But that last time- the way she’d trembled beneath him, the way her lips had tasted like surrender..and something sweeter-it had unraveled him.He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “what the hell is happening to me?”Love? No. That word felt too fragile for the storm inside him. But it was something. Something that made his chest ache when he thought of her walking away, something that made his fingers l

The walk home was a blur as Pamela’s body still hummed with the aftershocks of everything that had happened in the library, but her mind was elsewhere-tangled in the words Richard had spoken.“It’s over.”The way his voice had cracked when he said it, the way his hands had trembled as he held her. He had tried to push her away, but his body had betrayed himShe wiped her lips with the back of her hand, as if she could still taste him. The way he had looked at her-like she was something he couldn’t bear to lose-it made her chest ache.“She’ll ruin you.”The warning echoed in her skull. Just how dangerous was Eleanor-enough to scare Richard? She wasn’t just a scorned wife; she was storm waiting to break. And Pamela was standing in the open, unprotected.He fingers tightened around the strap of her bag as she turned the corner onto her street. The sun had begun its descent, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, but the beauty of it was lot on her. All she could think about was Ric

Pamela adjusted the straps of her ash-gray gown for the tenth time. The dress was modest-highnecked, longsleeve, the kind of thing her mother would love. The chocolate-covered donuts- her mother’s favorite-sat in neat box on her lap in the car she’d booked, the sweet scent mixing with the vanilla perfume she’d dabbed behind. “He’ll be fine. He has to be.”The drive to her parent’s house seemed to take forever. By the time she arrived, her palms were all sweaty against the box in her hands.Her mother greeted her at the door, her warm smile easing some of the tension in Pamela’s chest. “Oh, sweetheart, you look beautiful!”Pamela forced a smile, handing over the box. “Dessert, as promised.”Inside, the house smelled like rosemary and slow-cooked meat-home. It filled the air, rich and comforting, but it did nothing to ease the knot in her stomach.Her father sat on the sofa, watching the evening news. His gaze met heres. “Welcome home sweet bun.”She smiled. “Thanks dad.”“Pamela, swee

Pamela’s fingers trembled as she stared at the video on her phone. The grainy footage played on a loop-her bare skin pressed against the library shelves, the unmistakable sounds of her moans, the way her body moved in rhythm with the unseen man behind her. But Richard? His identity was mercifully obscured by the angle, his face hidden behind the bookshelves. Only his hands were visible as they gripped her hips.Pamela could feel her lungs failing her as panic began to set in. “Who sent this? How did they get it?” there was many possible ways- a security camera? No, she’d made sure she checked thoroughly. A hidden phone, a stranger lurking in the shadows of the library-yes! That was the only reasonable explanation.The door to her apartment swung open before she could process another thought. Sophia stood there, her grin fading away the second she saw Pamela’s face.“Pam?” Sophia’s voice was laced with concern. “What’s wrong?”Pamela couldn’t speak. Her throat had closed up, her lungs

The night was thick with tension as Pamela and Sophia stood under the dim glow of a streetlamp, their breath coming in gasps. Pamela’s hands trembled, her mind still shaken from Desmond’s threats, the video, and the suffocating fear of exposure. Sophia clutched her arm, her grip firm, as if afraid Pamela might collapse if she let go.Then, headlights cut through the darkness. A car screeched to a halt beside them, and Richard emerged with a kook of fury and concern. His hair was scattered and it was obvious he’d left in a hurry. His eyes locked onto Pamela, scanning her for any injury before he reached her in three long strides.“What the hell happened?” His voice was low, rough with barely restrained anger.Sophia opened her mouth about to tell him the whole truth, but Pamela intercepted her. “Some creep tried to attack me in the music room. Sophia got there in time and sprayed him, but he ran off. We didn’t get a look at him.”Richard’s jaw tightened, his eyes searching Pamela’s fac