Chapter 8 Macro POV Sera didn't melt into my embrace. Her body was a rigid line, and Her brow was still creased in pain. "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?" I asked, immediately releasing my hold. She smirked coldly, and, in one fluid motion, slid the sheer fabric from her shoulders. The breathtaking curves of her body were once again on full display, the sight of them a raw, physical hunger I had known well. How many times had I been lost in this body with a desperate passion? A low groan caught in my throat. I wanted to step forward, to kiss every inch of her, to possess her once more. But she slowly turned her back to me. She turned away slowly, and the world stopped. A cold dread washed over me as I saw the scars covering her back. My eyes were seared as if by a flame, and I had to turn away, a choking pain seizing my chest. My eyes darted away as if they were seared by a flame. A jolt of shame and horror surged through me. My heart hammered against my ribs, a dull, suffocating ache. After a moment, I forced myself to look again. It took me a while to find the courage to look at her again. Her once flawless skin was marred by a web of angry, raised marks. The intersecting lines felt like physical cuts, tearing at my heart with every breath. I stared at the brutal evidence of my neglect until my heart ached so fiercely it felt like it might stop. Just as the agony became unbearable, she pulled the sheer fabric back over her shoulders, covering the damage. She turned back to me, and a smile, a cold, brittle smile, curved her lips. "You think I'm just throwing a tantrum? Have you felt the pain? The torment I went through?" Her voice was calm, but each word was a razor-sharp shard of ice. "I was left dangling off the side of a building-forty stories up-and you, knowing my fear of heights, said it was 'minor discipline'." 1/3 Chapter A +25 Bonus "When I exposed Karen for plagiarizing my thesis, a moment where I was simply fighting for what was right, you were ready to turn your rage on me." "When Karen 'fell' down the stairs, and it was her own doing, you refused to believe me. You wouldn't even listen to my story." "And in the dungeon, if you had just taken two steps closer, you would have seen I was covered in my own blood." "But you, my love, casually told me that it was all for 'my own good'." "Why did I need to be 'disciplined'?! All I ever did was fight for what was fair, for what was right, against Karen's lies and schemes!" "You say you love me, Macro? I have a thousand scars on my back, and not a single one of them proves it. To me, that kind of love is worthless." A silent tear slipped down her cheek, and it felt like it was carving a new scar on my heart. My legs felt like they were made of lead, and I had to brace myself against a nearby palm tree to keep from collapsing. I knew most of the truth before I got here. But hearing the words from her, so plain and so raw, was a thousand times more painful than any report. Every single word was soaked in her blood. I've always believed I could control everything. The Family. The business. Everyone around me. But for the first time, I felt utterly powerless. Sera was slipping away, and I couldn't stop her. This feeling was alien, and it terrified me. My hands were shaking. It took everything in me to speak. I fumbled for the words. "I'm sorry, Sera... I know I failed you. I'll believe you. I promise. Please... just give me one more chance. I swear I'll love you properly this time." She settled back into her beach chair and picked up her juice. Her smile was as radiant as ever, but her eyes were cold. "Tell me," she said, her voice soft. "If this cup were to break, could you ever make it whole again?" She took a slow sip. "I'm happy now. You should go. I turned and walked away, feeling like a broken man. I had never experienced such a crushing defeat. 2/3 Chapter & "Was I... really that terrible?" I asked my assistant. He hesitated. "A little, boss." "Just tell me the truth." "It was obvious that Sera loved you, but your unwavering bias toward the fake Karen... it hurt her, again and again." He paused, his gaze thoughtful. "A woman's love isn't measured in cars and jewelry, boss." I stopped. "Then what is it measured in?" "Your love, boss. And that... is what you never gave her." I felt the blood in my veins turn to ice, a dull ache spreading through me until it filled every corner of my body. I was losing her. The thought wrapped around me like poisonous vines, but I tore them apart before they could tighten their grip. I ruled everything around me. Nothing, no one, ever slipped beyond my control. I rushed to Sera's apartment. The moment she opened the door, I forced my way inside. I dropped to one knee, thrusting the flowers and a massive diamond ring toward her. +25 Bonus "Sera, I can't let you walk away. Whatever you want, I'll make it yours. All that I have, all that I am, it's yours, if you come back to me." Her beautiful face tightened with pain. She fell silent for a moment, as if holding back her rising frustration. "Macro." Her voice was so calm it made my heart tremble. "Back in those dark days, I thought I could put myself back together, thought I could heal. But you keep pouring salt into the wound. We ended a long time ago." She looked at me, her expression steady. "I know you could lock me away, use your power to trap me at your side. But all you'd have is a body without a soul." ប Support C Share 3/3