Alec’s smirk deepened as he spread his arms wide, his posture exuding the arrogance of a king surveying his realm. “So, wife,” he drawled, his voice laced with mockery, “what do you think about your new life? I mean, your chest will burn each second, and at every step of your life, you will struggle with thunder. Ufff, I will like it.”
He leaned closer, his breath brushing against her skin. “You remember that slap, right?” he whispered, pressing a finger to his temple. “And this scar.”
Melissa’s eyes involuntarily flicked to the faint mark on his forehead, the memory of that day flooding back—the day she had struck him, the day she had dared to defy him.
“Don’t forget,” Alec continued, his tone darkening. “And neither will I let you forget.” He paused, a glint of something sinister in h
