Chapter 393: Another Lie to Make Yourself Feel Better?

Maggie’s eyes welled with tears. After her words, she didn’t even glance at Nathael’s face. She stood, intending to leave.

However, Nathael grabbed her wrist, yanking her back. Before she could react, she found herself pinned beneath him. His gaze was icy as he said, “Take back what you just said, and I’ll pretend I didn’t hear it.” Maggie’s throat tightened. She closed her eyes, her lips pressed together.

A crimson tint flushed his eyes, almost like makeup, giving his stern face a wild, eerie look. His hand landed on her neck. “Come on, say something!” he demanded, his tone chilling.

She knew how to push his buttons. His fingers, cold against her skin, weren’t pressing hard, but she sensed a tremor. Tears welled up. He never kept his cool; distance often played tricks on her mind.

Yet, he still couldn’t let her go. What was so special about her? Their connection at the orphanage? Even then, she’d been looking out for his abilities, making shrewd choices. He was handsome and charming, naturally attracting people. But did any of that compare to what he’d given her?

His behavior only made her feel worse. She’d prefer his anger, or even his disappointment, to this bottled-up hurt. Nathael stared at her, his breath shaky. His trembling fingers rested on her neck, as if they could snap it with the slightest pressure.

Maggie swallowed and slowly opened her eyes. “What do you want to hear, Mr. Harris? Another lie to make yourself feel better?” she asked, a slight smile curving her lips, her eyes shimmering with moisture. “You don’t strike me as that kind of man, Mr. Harris.”

Nathael stared coldly, his temples pulsing. Her smile widened slightly. “If you want to hear it, Mr. Harris, I’ll tell you… Maybe if you don’t mind, who knows, one day I might end up pregnant with someone else’s child. If you’re kind enough to take care of me…”

“Shut up!”

Before she could finish, Nathael’s lips crashed onto hers, like a storm hitting the shore. He kissed her fiercely, releasing pent-up frustration. The faint taste of blood faded quickly. Maggie whimpered, trying to turn away, but he didn’t give her a chance. He roughly tore her skirt, the sound of ripping fabric filling the room.

“Nathael, stop!” She tried to pull away, desperately grabbing his face. She knew she shouldn’t compromise. Giving in now would negate everything. The longer this dragged on, the harder it would be to move on. Sometimes, you just have to cut to the chase.

(The final section "Let's Star All Over Again, Shall We?" appears to be the start of a new chapter and is unrelated to the preceding text. It has been omitted from this edited version.)