A marriage of shadows and fire

ins, painting the room in golden streaks, but

like a blade. He stood at the door, a tray in his hands. "You d

s he suddenly so... considerate? He stepped in, placing

fter than I expected. "Hearing you cry last night... it didn't s

guard. I blinked, trying t

ing my walls firmly intact. "

lips. "Enjoy it. I'll be at th

ntly as I sat up, staring at the tray. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee a

completely new set of clothes. Every item I owned-gone. My heart sank. Mr. Dickson had rep

tiful, each one a display of luxury

frame perfectly. It was the kind of dress that demanded attent

id, his gaze lingering. "I

ng inside me. "Good morning. I think you should have asked bef

oted. But you're my wife now, a

lived in. "Thank you," I muttered and steppe

couldn't touch me. I was lost in thought, replaying the shattered

id, his tone playful. "

. It's your father's h

eanor unusually calm. "You don't even care to know y

nimpressed. "What d

Yesterday... I was out of line. The truth is, my relationship wit

n't ignore. Against my better judgment, I softene

e's something different about you compared to the

. Slowly, I began to share fragments of my story. As the days p

in the living room. "Stepmom

"I told you to sto

ad's wife," he te

my name," I insisted, a

So, how about we hang out tonight? It's been week

ventually nodded.

I barely recognized. Confidence radiated from me as I st

s blurred together, a reprieve from the suffocating walls of th

said, pausing at my do

urmured, his gaz

ushed against mine, and then his lips met mine. The ki

ened settled in the air. Without another word, I sli

rossed, and there was no turning back.