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Novel Catalog
Chapter_56
My heart pounded in my chest as I scrambled to make sense of the situation. Atlas, that unpredictable man, was still sitting there, his eyes tracing my every move. I could feel the heat of embarrassment creep up my neck. What had happened last night? The alcohol, the chaos, the rage—it had all blurred into a haze, but now I was forced to confront it.
Atlas seemed unfazed by my panic. Instead, he appeared amused, as if he had expected this reaction from me. His smile was maddening, both comforting and infuriating. I hated how composed he was in contrast to my scattered thoughts.
“What did you do to me?” I finally demanded, my voice shaky with both frustration and a hint of fear.
He cocked an eyebrow, his smirk deepening. “What do you wish I’d done?” he countered, his voice low and playful. But there was something else in his gaze—something dangerous, something that made me second-guess everything.
I wanted to lash out, to demand the truth, but the words felt like they were stuck in my throat. How had I let myself end up here? How had I allowed him to get so close?
He noticed my hesitation and leaned back, his gaze softening just slightly. “Do you regret it?” he asked, his voice almost gentle, as though he was trying to gauge my emotions.
I closed my eyes, trying to steady myself. I didn’t want this to be me. I didn’t want to be like Matthew, chasing after fleeting desires and losing myself in the chaos of it all. My pride and dignity had always been my anchor, but now… now it felt like they had been swept away by a tidal wave of emotions I couldn’t control.
“I—I don’t know,” I muttered, my thoughts a jumbled mess. “I don’t know what I want anymore.”
Atlas watched me closely, as if trying to figure me out. I shifted uncomfortably, my mind spinning. What did I want? Revenge? Closure? Or maybe something else entirely? And how was I supposed to feel about this… this situation?
His voice broke through my haze, warm but carrying an edge of something I couldn’t pinpoint. “You need to drink something. You’re dehydrated.” His tone was soft, but the undertone was commanding, as though he was taking charge of a situation I had no control over.
I frowned at him. “I don’t want anything from you,” I snapped, though I knew my words lacked conviction. My head throbbed, and I was still processing everything that had happened. The sheets felt too soft against my skin, a stark contrast to the fire that had burned inside me only hours ago. And why had I woken up like this?
His eyes flashed with a knowing look. “You don’t have to act like this, Chloe. You’re not fooling anyone.”
I bristled at his words, my anger flaring. Who does he think he is?
Before I could respond, there was a knock on the door. I froze, panic flooding my system as I quickly pulled the covers up to hide myself, my heart racing. Was it someone from the Murphys’? Was it Melanie, ready to rub salt in my wounds? Or worse, Matthew?
Atlas didn’t seem bothered by the interruption. In fact, he seemed almost… entertained. “Relax,” he said quietly, brushing a strand of hair from my face in a gesture that felt too intimate. “I’ll handle it.”
But I couldn’t relax. The truth was, I didn’t know what was happening anymore. I didn’t know where I stood with Atlas, or with anyone. The lines between right and wrong had blurred, and I was left trying to pick up the pieces of a life that felt more like a shattered puzzle than a coherent story.
The knock came again, louder this time, and my pulse quickened. What did I do now?