Chapter 200:
Makenna’s POV:
When I woke up, the first thing that hit me was a wave of soreness radiating through my body with every slight movement.
The memories of last night flooded back—Bryan had played with the ropes, tying me up in a series of twisted positions until I was nearly numb from the strain. If I hadn’t blacked out, that relentless madness might still be going on.
As I recalled the frenzy of the night before, I turned to glare at the man beside me, but instead of finding him asleep, I locked eyes with Bryan’s. His azure eyes twinkled with amusement as he lay on his side, propped up on one elbow, a lazy, satisfied smile playing on his lips. My face instantly flushed, betraying my thoughts of last night’s wildness.
When he noticed my reaction, his smile grew wider. “Well, would you look at that? I never thought I’d see you blush,” he teased, his tone dripping with smugness.
“Who’s blushing?” I snapped back, trying to cover my embarrassment. “I’m just… hot.”
He chuckled softly. “Sure, keep telling yourself that. Stubborn as always.”
“Whatever,” I muttered, rolling my eyes as I slipped out of bed. I quickly pulled on my clothes, eager to escape the room that still reeked of sex and sweat.
The assessment wasn’t over yet, and I had too many tasks left unfinished. Time was slipping through my fingers, and I couldn’t afford to waste another second here.
In the past, once we were done, Bryan never cared if I left. But this time, as I moved to go, he suddenly reached out and pulled me back.
I stared at him in confusion, wondering what was going through his mind. Surely, he wasn’t thinking of keeping me here again, was he?
To my surprise, Bryan’s tone was unusually calm.
“Why don’t you stay?” he said, his voice almost casual. “From now on, just stay with me. Isn’t that better than being passed around by three men?”
𝗕𝗲 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 — 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗮𝘁 ⲅ𝗮𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀・ⅽ𝗼𝗺
His words struck a chord, bringing back memories of Clayton’s similar request. My heart fluttered slightly, as if a feather had lightly brushed against it.
Clayton had offered something similar, and back then, I had desperately wanted to agree. But I couldn’t afford to tie myself to any prince. I had my own mission, my own matters to attend to.
Besides, Bryan’s past brutality was still fresh in my mind. His offer likely stemmed from nothing more than possessiveness. And what would happen if he lost interest in me one day, or if I displeased him? How would he treat me then? The thought chilled me to the bone.
I couldn’t risk losing my freedom, not for anyone.
My silence seemed to darken Bryan’s mood further. His face grew stormy as he demanded, “What’s this supposed to mean? Don’t you want to? Most women would kill for this chance!”
I lowered my gaze, keeping my expression blank, my voice turning cold and formal. “This isn’t a choice I can make, Your Highness. Please, don’t make things harder for me.”
His face twisted with anger, his eyes narrowing, a cruel edge creeping back into his gaze. But I paid him no mind. I finished dressing in silence, then turned and walked toward the door.
Just as I reached it, Bryan’s voice rang out, stopping me in my tracks. “Makenna,” he called, his tone heavy with menace and authority, “do you really think you’re guaranteed to pass the assessment?”
I understood his meaning all too well. He would stop at nothing to make sure I failed, just as he had arranged for the examiner to make it harder for me. But I couldn’t afford to back down. I had to find a way to stay in the game and keep fighting.
I turned back to face him, my voice steady and calm. “I believe in making my destiny.”
Bryan’s eyes locked onto mine, cold and calculating, before he let out a bitter scoff. “Fine,” he said, his voice dripping with contempt. “I’ll be watching to see if you get what you wish in the end.”
Message from Noah: I hope you enjoyed the new chapters, dear ones. New novels will be released in a few hours, please enjoy them! God loves you, and Noah wishes you all the best. ( • ᴗ – ) ✧
P.S. I will try to regularly release two new novels each week. I will announce which ones are coming in the galnovels WhatsApp community each time. (˶˃⤙˂˶)
