I met his gaze without flinching. “This is what you wanted, right? Is this the final thing I need to do for you?”
Sensing his hesitation, Arabelle leaned into him.
“Jaxon, are you going soft?”
That snapped him out of it. He pulled her into a tight embrace.
“I’d never let Arabelle marry someone like that.”
She smiled victorious.
I picked up the pen and signed my name.
When I didn’t even hesitate, he tried to soften the blow.
“I’ll treat you well this week. If you want, you can sleep in my bed.”
Then came the knife beneath the sugar.
“But we won’t have kids. I’ll never father a child that isn’t Arabelle’s.”
I didn’t respond. A strange calm settled over me.
After this last task, in seven days, I would finally be free.
After signing the paper, I stood up, only to be hit by a sudden wave of dizziness. Years of malnutrition in prison had left me with severe hypoglycemia. My body gave way, collapsing forward uncontrollably.
Then, a pair of arms caught me. I was lifted gently, cradled horizontally, and placed on the sofa. Moments later, the sweet taste of honey water touched the corner of my lips.