All Chapters of Spellbound by Her: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

At a private club atop Auriel Peak, Rylan Shaw always reserved the most luxurious and discreet penthouse suite for himself, year-round.I slipped off my coat and draped it over my arm. Steadying myself, I pushed open the intricately carved double doors and caught sight of him immediately. His silver gray shirt hung half-unbuttoned, his tie long gone. A young woman perched on his lap, feeding him peeled grapes.He brushed her aside with a languid hand, though his expression betrayed amusement at the game. "Oh! Mrs. Shaw's here!""Come on in, Mrs. Shaw!" someone called, rising to their feet when they noticed me. The young woman flinched, trying to slip off his lap, but Rylan held her firmly in place. "Stay here."She shot me a nervous glance, her face paling as she realized she was trapped. Rylan smiled lazily. "Who exactly are you calling Mrs. Shaw? She's right here, sitting on my lap."The room fell into a stunned silence; everyone was suddenly rendered mute and unsure how

I yanked my wrist free. "What are you doing?""Just trying to help a friend," Jonah replied.I let out a short, bitter laugh. "Help me or sleep with me? I turned you down once, so now you want revenge?""Revenge? Is that really what you think of me?" The usual lazy amusement faded from his eyes."What else?" I snapped. A blast of cold wind hit my stomach, instantly doubling me over with a violent wave of retching. Pain churned through my chest and gut. By the time it passed, I was so weak I could barely stand. Jonah's hand was steady on my back, the other quickly procuring tissues for my mouth. He paid no mind to the bile that had splashed his pants and shoes. Crouching on the ground, I burst into tears. "Why me? Why does everyone get to hurt me? None of you are up to any good…""Maeve," he said softly, his hand moving in slow circles along my back. "No one's trying to hurt you. I never wanted to. I just got back to Cealdan and heard what happened between you two. I couldn't

Cliff looked surprised. "Maybe it's just a bad signal. Let me try again.""No need." Rylan's expression was cold as he snatched his phone back and turned toward the suite. But just as he reached the door, his phone rang with a new incoming call."Mr. Shaw, I went to the hospital today to check on Mr. Keller, but they told me he was discharged yesterday."Rylan froze mid-step. "What did you just say?"Martin was paralyzed and bedridden. Who could have signed him out?Our family had long since fallen apart, and I was his only family left. No one else could have done it but me. Yet if someone in his condition stopped treatment now, he wouldn't last long.It shocked Rylan that I was so determined to defy him that I'd risk Martin's life."What's going on, Rylan?" Cliff asked."Martin's been discharged.""You must be kidding! How is that possible in his condition?" Cliff was equally shocked.Rylan's face betrayed little emotion as he said flatly, "Whatever. It's none of my concern.

Panicked, I kept turning back, searching for Jonah, and instinctively shouted his name. "Jonah!""Mae, I'm here." His warm, large hands caught my fingertips before he pulled me into his arms; the hem of my dress was already soaked through.In that moment, the world went still. It felt as though the long-dead soul inside me had finally found peace.…On the third day, Jonah took me diving. I dared not venture into the deep waters, so I never saw the true wonders of the ocean depths. Yet for me, even that small step was a tremendous breakthrough. On our last day, we lay on the deck, basking in the sun. I couldn't remember who leaned in first, but the kiss we shared was so long and deep that my heart wouldn't stop fluttering. The villa by the seaside carried the sea breeze. From the balcony, the waves could be heard crashing against the rocks below. Jonah coaxed me into a few sips of red wine. When I was slightly tipsy, he lifted me onto the balcony railing.Fear still linger

I explained, "Megan's engagement is coming up soon. I was worried I wouldn't finish in time, so that's why I've been staying up late. Once her dress is done and I hire some help for the studio, it won't be so busy anymore."As Jonah drove, he glanced sideways at me. "Do you notice anything different about me lately?"I studied him closely. He was still impossibly handsome, with sharp facial features and a high nose bridge. After waiting for so long, a faint stubble had grown along his jaw, lending him a restrained, masculine roughness.After staring for some time, I felt strangely shy. "You don't seem any different. You're still the same as before."With one hand on the steering wheel, he took my hand with the other. "Can't you see, Maeve? My face is practically screaming 'sexually frustrated,' and I'm devastated because my woman's been ignoring me."His voice was so low it forced an oppressive intimacy in the quiet, enclosed space of the car, making the air thick with tension.