These recent days had brought Kyle Astor a newfound understanding of Alexander's unflappable demeanor.
In the midst of turmoil, allowing anxiety to take hold served no purpose.
If he fully immersed himself in the search for Quinn, the matters at hand would surely be neglected.
And even upon locating her, what next? Would he be coerced into relinquishing company shares in the face of
Walter's threats? Or would he be compelled to engage in a high-stakes confrontation, a last-resort strategy that
promised mutual destruction?
In that scenario, Alexander wouldn't stand to gain anything.
The more Kyle Astor considered it, the chillier he felt, yet he admired Alexander's composure, his clear-sighted
assessment of risks and rewards.
Men like Alexander were meant for greatness, unfettered by the snares of emotion. The art of making choices
was all about balance.Night fell upon them.
The temperature at the countryside farmhouse dropped to just above freezing. Quinn was wrapped in a men's
black down coat, likely belonging to Walter, its length reaching down to her ankles. She huddled close to the fire
pit indoors, while Walter reclined in an armchair nearby.
This time, her ankle was shackled not with rope but with a chain fastened to the foot of the bed, just long
enough to allow her to move around within the house. It was eerily quiet, save for the crackling of the fire and
the sound of Walter flipping through the pages of his book.
Walter read by the fire, its warm orange glow softening the features of his already tender face.
Quinn's feet grew numb from squatting, so she silently shifted to kneel on the floor. Walter glanced her way but
said nothing.
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She watched the flames dance, casting flickering light in her eyes while her long lashes veiled her emotions.
Squatting there, beneath his feet, she indeed resembled a docile, obedient puppy.Lost in thought, Quinn
suddenly felt a hand atop her head.
Her neck stiffened; she held her body rigid, daring not to move. As Walter petted her hair and continued to read,
Quinn nearly convinced herself she was nothing but a hound. But she dared not stir, knowing full well that
angering him would lead to more than mental torment-physical pain was a currency he was all too familiar with.
And she had already learned that from experience. Since escape was impossible, why not make things a tad
easier for herself?"
Add scoal," Walter abruptly commanded.Quinn hurried to her feet, dragging the chain over to a box of coal,
shoveling sinto the pit.
After she finished, she stole a glance at Walter. A mere flicker of his eyes was all it took for her to press her lips
together and resher crouched position in silence.
Quinn alternated between squatting and sitting, fatigue dictating her position. Though there was a bed and
stools in the room, Walter wouldn't allow her the respite of sitting on them.
Tpassed indistinctly until Quinn, struggling to keep her eyes open, slumped forward unexpectedly,
plummeting straight towards the fire pit. The searing heat surged at her, but it was too late to dodge.
Suddenly, Quinn felt a tight grip
around her neck, her head dangling in
the air. With a slow turn of hephead,
she soy isharoiihig her
BHA Walter pulled her back, and her
legs gave way as she slumped to the
ground, her gaze fixed on the fire pit
as a cold sweat broke across her
forehead. The content is on
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With a chuckle, the man said, "Falling
asleep like that, you must have some
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nerve."Quinn lowered her eyes, m
staring at her tqes, Mdtidnless He
SEB beside her again, lifting her
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chin with two fingers. "Quinn, do you
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still want to go back?"She looked into
his eyes, which were filled with
amusement. She pursed her lips, not
sure if he was testing her. The
content is on novelenglish.net! Read
the latest chapter there!
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So, she remained silent."Hmm?"At
the dangerous tone in his voice, she
immediately shook) col
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head, Really?" Quinn nodded. The
pa '
smile in Walter's eyes deepened as
his finger suddenly slid downward.
" : [Ta]
Good kids shouldn't lie." The content
is on novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!