Silent Heartbreak My Love No Longer Belongs To You

A man's resonant tone pierced the stillness of the room. "Does it hurt?"

Heavy, uneven breaths thickened the air. He loomed above, every muscle tense as he struggled to coax a response from the woman pinned beneath him. She resisted, her body stiff and unyielding, forcing him to try again and again.

Maybe it was the liquor dulling their senses, but his hand slid to her narrow waist, gently steering her closer, trying to ease the tension between them.

Only when the first light of dawn spilled across the tangled sheets did the two figures finally fall silent, exhaustion overtaking them both.

The hush was broken by the hiss of water in the bathroom. Evelina Quinn stirred, emerging from the depths of sleep. Wrapped tightly in the blanket, she hugged herself, mind racing to piece together the fragments of last night.

Yesterday, she had celebrated her engagement to Cole Dawson.

Their families had gone all out for the event, hosting a lavish party crowded with powerful business associates from both sides.

Night had already settled in when Cole's friends gathered for drinks. Evelina, unable to voice her refusals, kept accepting glass after glass until the room blurred.

The last thing she remembered was Cole gently steering her toward the presidential suite at the very top.

The rest vanished in a haze of alcohol—except for the fragments that surfaced now and then: heated touches, uneven breaths, and a night of passion.

A sudden hush fell as the water in the bathroom cut off. The door swung open, sending out a warm rush of steam. A man strode out, a towel slung low on his hips, his powerful build unmistakable—broad shoulders tapering to a lean waist, beads of water tracking over sculpted muscle.

Evelina, recalling her first intimate experience with her fiancé from last night, flushed and quickly looked away, her heart pounding as she struggled not to relive the intense moments that had unfolded in the dark.

"You are awake." Andreas Wright tilted an eyebrow, his gaze locked on Evelina curled beneath the covers. Even now, a faint blush lingered on her soft cheeks, her skin so flawless he imagined a single touch might leave a mark. He looked utterly enthralled, eyes glinting with a predatory satisfaction.

A chill threaded through Evelina as his voice broke the silence. That was not Cole's voice!

She jerked her head up, locking eyes with the man—and was instantly met with a stormy, penetrating stare that radiated raw dominance.

Shock drained the color from her face. The moment she recognized his features, her breath caught and her thoughts scattered, panic rising in her chest. Tears slipped silently from her wide eyes, staining the tangled bedsheets.

The truth struck Evelina all at once—every trace of warmth and happiness from the previous night had come from a man she'd never even met.

Her whole body shook as silent sobs racked her frame, tears spilling down her cheeks. Panic and despair swallowed her, leaving her grasping for answers. Her trembling hands flew through the air, signing again and again.

"Who are you? Why are you here? Were you really the one with me last night?"

Andreas blinked, a flicker of surprise crossing his face when he noticed she couldn't speak.

Now it made sense—her soundless cries and silent suffering from the night before.

He stared at her, eyes dark and impossible to read, the tension in the room thickening with every heartbeat.

Dragging in a heavy breath, Andreas pressed his fingers to his temples, fighting a throbbing headache and a wave of anger that burned in his chest. He'd barely set foot back in the country before his old friends cornered him at a bar, drowning him in drinks and shoving a hotel key into his hand as some sort of comforting gift for his breakup.

The room was heavy with shadows, the air thick from too many drinks. He could still recall how she had leaned in, stealing that first, unexpected kiss. The thrill had swept him along, and in his intoxication, he'd never bothered to check who she was before giving in to the allure.

Now, seeing her wide-eyed and shaken, he couldn't fathom her sudden panic—especially after she'd made the first move.

Andreas dragged a hand through his hair, lips twisting into a scornful half-smile. "Whatever you're trying to say, I don't get it. Just get dressed and go."

Evelina realized she couldn't stay hidden beneath the covers forever. She hurried into her clothes, fumbling with her torn underwear and settling for whatever she could manage.

At last, she forced herself to stand tall in front of him.

Andreas lingered near the window, caught off guard by the sight before him.

In the quiet glow of morning, Evelina stood there—her features delicate, eyes hauntingly luminous, lips bitten and faintly swollen. Her dark hair tumbled in wild tangles down her back, mascara smudged beneath eyes still rimmed red from crying. Even disheveled, she had an inexplicable allure, vulnerable yet breathtaking.

The bed behind her was a chaotic mess, white sheets twisted and stained with a vivid red mark that drew Andreas's gaze, tightening something in his chest as the truth hit him—last night had been her first time.