All Chapters of Perfectly Ruined : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

The moment Chase finally noticed her, the air shifted.His gaze locked onto her across the room, his breath hitched for a moment like he’d been punched straight in the gut. The silk dress clung to her in a way that made his mouth dry. The thin straps, the exposed curves of her collarbones, the slit that revealed her thigh, he hadn't imagined she’d actually wear it. But she had, and now he was the one trapped.She wasn’t even trying. Just standing there, looking around nervously, fiddling with her fingers, adjusting the neckline like she wasn’t aware of the war she’d just started in his head. Her innocence made it worse. That nervous glance toward the crowd, the hesitance in her steps… He could see it all from across the room.She didn’t belong here, and not in the way others might assume. She was too real, too untouched by the games everyone else played in this crowd of masks and money.And he had set her up.For a moment, Chase forgot about the elderly couple blabbering beside him. H

Chase’s hands paused in Deli’s hair, the foam still clinging to her damp strands. Without a word, he suddenly stepped away from her and turned toward the bathroom door. “Chase?” she called, confused. But he was already gone. leaving her there with foam still in her hair and water dripping down her back. She sat there frozen for a second, wondering if he was upset by her question. Had it annoyed him? Maybe it was the wrong thing to ask. It probably hit somewhere he didn’t want touched. She finished rinsing her hair quickly, feeling a lump rise in her throat. She hated how much his mood still affected her. When she stepped out of the bathroom, rubbing a towel against her wet hair, the room was empty. Chase had left. Outside the hospital, Lewis pulled up with its engine humming low. He parked with sharp precision before stepping out and finding Chase already waiting near the entrance, hands shoved into his pockets and jaw tight. “I just got a call,” Lewis said. “From the hospital

Delilah curled closer to him, her arms wrapped tightly around his body despite how big he was compared to her. He felt solid, warm… and for the first time in a long while, safe. Her cheek rested on his chest, his heartbeat steady beneath her skin. She slid her fingers slowly through his hair, parting the soft strands gently like he might break if she moved too fast. His arms were locked around her waist, holding her there like he needed her close.His eyes were closed. Silent.Then she asked softly, “What you said earlier… does that mean you forgive me?”There was a beat of silence. He didn’t open his eyes. Just held her a little tighter.“I’ll think about it,” he finally said, voice deep and low.Delilah smiled against his chest. He felt it without even looking.The next morning, when Delilah opened her eyes, Chase was gone.But his scent lingered.It was in the sheets, in the room… in her chest. That musky, clean smell of his cologne. Her fingers reached for the spot beside her, sti

Chase shoved Delilah onto the bed.She gasped, quickly pulling her blouse tighter across her chest. Her back hit the headboard. Was he going to hurt her?But he didn’t come closer. Instead, he turned toward the drawer beside the bed and pulled out a small first aid kit.She blinked, confused.What the hell was he doing?He walked back and tossed the kit onto the bed without a word. Then, with one sudden, rough movement, he yanked the tie at the back of her neck.“No…” she gasped, clinging to the fabric as it slipped. The blouse was the only thing covering the angry red marks on her skin, left by his hand earlier.He saw it. And she knew it.“Have you completely lost it?” she asked, breathless.“Yes,” he answered simply, his eyes flat and unbothered. “I thought you’d figured that out by now.”She'd figured it out, but she didn't know it had reached this. Her fingers clenched the blouse tighter.He opened the kit and pulled out a cotton bud, dipped it into a small jar of ointment, and l

“Chase!” The voice ripped through the chaos. He froze. It didn’t come from the car. Everything around him dulled, the sirens, the shouting, the growing fire. Slowly, he turned. There she was. Standing just a few feet behind, holding two skewers. Her eyes locked onto his, wide in confusion… then fear. One of the skewers slipped from her fingers and hit the ground. His chest rose and fell in heavy, broken breaths. “Fuck, Deli.” His voice cracked as he rushed toward her. Her mouth parted in shock as her eyes scanned his disheveled appearance, shirt torn, knuckles bloodied, a thin cut just above his brow. But he didn’t stop. Didn’t hesitate. He wrapped her in his arms, so tightly it knocked the air from her lungs. One arm crushed her to his chest. The other gripped the back of her neck like she’d vanish if he let go. His jaw clenched so hard it ached. This woman would be the end of him. The third time. This was the third damn time she’d scared him like this since they