Chapter 168:
Makenna’s POV:
The car glided steadily out of the palace gates, the silence inside thick enough to choke on. I sat rigidly beside Bryan, refusing to meet his gaze, though I could feel it burning into the side of my face.
He lounged carelessly in the back seat, a smirk curving his lips as he broke the silence. “What’s the point of being so stubborn? In the end, you still ended up in my car.”
I kept my eyes fixed ahead, my heart heavy with resignation. There was no denying it—I was trapped in this situation. But I had a mission that outweighed my pride.
I had to return to the Dunn family residence.
I needed to know how my mother’s necklace found its way into Kristina’s hands, and, more importantly, I had to retrieve the rest of my mother’s belongings.
I couldn’t bear the thought of those precious keepsakes being at the mercy of those who might use them as leverage against me.
With Clayton and Dominic both conveniently out of reach, I had no choice but to accept Bryan’s terms, letting him be the one to take me out of the palace.
The thought of what I’d agreed to made me clutch the edge of my clothes tightly, trying to steady my nerves. I told myself this would be over soon. Getting my mother’s keepsakes back was what truly mattered.
Bryan’s smirk faded slightly, displeased by my continued silence.
He leaned in abruptly, his hand gripping my chin with just enough force to make me wince as he turned my face toward him. His handsome features were twisted with impatience, a sneer playing on his lips. “If you’re asking for help, you should act like it. Who are you putting on this long face for?”
“You…” I bit my lip, my anger mixing with a deep sense of injustice. “If it weren’t for my mother, I wouldn’t even want to look at you, let alone beg for your help!”
As much as I hated it, he had manipulated the situation perfectly, leaving me with no one else to turn to. Bryan had cunningly kept both Clayton and Dominic occupied, backing me into a corner.
𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗴⍺𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀⧸ⅽ𝗈𝗺
“You’re not even grateful that I’m helping you?” His smirk returned, deepening with a mocking edge as he lightly patted my cheek. “I’m the only one who can help you right now. It’s your choice.”
He tilted his head slightly, eyes glinting with smug satisfaction as he motioned for me to kiss him. My blood boiled with anger, but I stubbornly turned my head away, refusing to give him what he wanted.
“Being difficult, are we?” Bryan raised an eyebrow and, with casual cruelty, instructed the driver, “Turn around. We’re heading back to the palace.”
“Wait!” The word shot out of my mouth, panic tightening its grip on my chest as I anxiously fidgeted with the fabric of my clothes. I couldn’t afford to go back now, not when I was so close to retrieving my mother’s belongings.
Bryan remained unfazed, crossing his arms as he watched me with that same infuriating amusement.
“I’ll do it!” I finally conceded, the words tasting bitter as I spoke them.
Resigned to my fate, I leaned in and pressed a reluctant kiss to the corner of his mouth. I intended to pull away immediately, but Bryan had other plans. His arm snaked around my waist, pulling me back before I could escape. He gripped the back of my head, holding me in place as his lips crashed into mine, his tongue forcing its way into my mouth with aggressive fervor.
“Mmm…” I was trapped in his grasp, my tongue going numb from the roughness of his kiss, while saliva spilled uncontrollably from the corners of my mouth. His hands began to wander, one sliding down to my chest, where he squeezed my breast through my bra with a roughness that made my skin crawl.
“Feels like it’s grown bigger,” Bryan rasped into my ear, his voice low and husky, a dangerous edge to his tone.
A wave of panic surged through me as I realized he might take things further right there in the car. I quickly grabbed his hand, a silent plea in my eyes, hoping to remind him that the driver was still present. But Bryan was relentless, brushing off my resistance with ease as his hand slipped toward my neckline, intent on pushing further.
Just then, the car mercifully came to a stop in front of the Dunn family’s villa.
“Stop it!” I urged, using all my strength to push him away. As soon as I broke free, I flung the car door open and jumped out, wiping my lips in disgust.
I looked up at the familiar house, and a surge of anger flared within me.
Without a second thought, I strode purposefully toward the villa, my mind set on confronting whatever awaited me inside.
