Loved You Once But He's My Forever

Chapter 391 My Precious

| couldn't shake the memory of what I'd seen in the basement. The bodies under those white sheets-completely

exposed-had been coated with sstrange substance. The thought churned my stomach.

Even though he hadn't done that to them, the idea of him manipulating lifeless forms was disturbing enough.

"Yael, I'm really tired today," | said, my voice trembling. "Maybe we can do this another time. 1—"

He stepped closer, cutting off my retreat with deliberate ease. "Chloe, there's nothing to worry about. | won't

hurt you. | just need to see your body. Silas damaged your original one, and I've regretted it ever since. This new

body-it's flawless. | want to study it properly." "Yael," | stammered, my mind racing. "It's cold. Undressing isn't a

good idea right now."

"Chloe," he replied, his tone calm. "This island stays warm all year. You won't get cold."

His hand moved toward my collar, fingers grazing the buttons of the shirt Carter had dressedin earlier.

"Yael, stop!" | cried, my heart pounding.

With a swift motion, he yanked at the fabric. Two buttons popped off, and my shoulder was left bare, the strap of

my top slipping into view.

Horror washed overas | realized what he could see. The marks Carter had left onbruises, kisses-spoke

volumes about the night we'd shared.

Yael's expression darkened. His voice grew icy.

"Chloe, your body is ruined."

Panic gripped me. "Yael, you know I'm married. It's normal for a husband and wife to-" My words faltered.

"Marks like these destroy the beauty," he interrupted, his tone detached, almost clinical.

His focus wasn't onas a person. It was his relentless pursuit of perfection in his art. Yet, the tension in the

room made it hard to breathe.

| scrambled to calm him. "They'll fade in a few days. We can continue once they're gone, okay?"

A small smile crept across his face, but it brought no comfort. "There's no need to wait. If something's dirty, you

clean it."

"Clean it?" | asked, dread creeping in. "How?"

Images flooded my mind-horrific scenes of being scrubbed raw with a stiff brush or held down in scruel

attempt at purity.

Or perhaps something even worse. An assault so cruel that only existed in stories.

Before | could react, he bent and liftedinto his arms.

He heldtighter, his voice low. "Don't move, Chloe. | can't promise what | might do if you fight. You're so

beautiful, and I'm still a man."

My body froze. Fear locked every muscle in place. | didn't dare move, didn't even dare to breathe.

A quiet laugh drifted down from above me. "Chloe, you're so sweet. | feel like kissing you."

"You don't," | said sharply, meeting his gaze.

At least he wasn't consumed by desire in the way he was obsessed with his art. His words might unsettle me, but

he never crossed that line.

Still, any sense of relief evaporated almost immediately. | found myself unable to smile or even cry. My body felt

like it had been drained of any response.

He carriedeffortlessly into another room. This one was nothing like the others. Instead of sculptures, it was

filled with shelves of jars, strange devices, and stacks of vials.

The sight made my stomach churn. Carter's warnings about Bloodshade cflooding back-a group of so-called

geniuses who thrived in secrecy, creating dangerous, illegal drugs that the world would never see. Yael moved

past the lab and into what looked like a washroom.

Without a word, he placedinto a large bathtub. Panic surged inas | instinctively tried to climb out.

His voice stoppedcold. "Chloe, if you run, I'll have to cut off your legs. That way, you'll behave."

| froze, my fingers clutching the edge of the tub. | forced myself to stay calm, even as fear clawed at me. "The

tub is dirty," | stammered, grasping for something-anything-to slow him down. "It needs cleaning."

He tilted his head and gavea look that felt almost amused. Then he reached out, patting my head like | was

skind of pet. "You're right. That's my fault. Stay here, and I'll clean it properly. Don't move, Chloe."

My legs refused to obey any urge to run. For all | knew, cameras were hidden in every corner of this place.

Running without understanding the layout would be foolish.

"Fine," | murmured, my voice tight. "I won't move."

Yael knelt by the tub and began scrubbing it with meticulous care. His dedication was unnerving. My anxiety rose

with each passing second. Though he hadn't laid a hand oninappropriately, the idea of being so exposed

around him made my skin crawl.

For the first time, | felt an inkling of what Whitney must have endured. A single day with Yael was suffocating

enough. She had survived years under Taylor's rule.

How had she managed to endure it?

When the tub gleamed, Yael filled it with warm water. Then he stood and motioned forto get in. "It's ready,

Chloe."

Grateful that he hadn't askedto

remove my clothes, I climbed into the water fully dressed. It wasn't

idea but wet clothes were better

than the alternative.

| thought the ordeal was over. That he'd simply wantedto clean myself up. But | couldn't have been more

wrong.

Yael returned moments later, holding a small, dark bottle. Its label looked unfamiliar and untraceable, the kind of

thing no legitimate pharmacy would carry. "What's in that?" | asked, trying to keep my voice from shaking.

He swirled the liquid inside the bottle as though it were precious. "It's something to help you get clean, Chloe."

"I can wash myself," | said quickly. "There's no need to add anything."

He smiled, a calmness in his voice that chilled me. "Don't worry, Chloe. I'll make sure you're perfectly clean. Not

a single blemish will remain."

Yael opened the bottle and poured the liquid into the water. As the blue substance mixed in, a wave of panic

surged within me.

The liquid blended completely, disappearing without a trace. | couldn't even tell where it had gone.

My pulse quickened. "What... what is this?"

Before | could finish, a sharp, searing pain shot up from my feet.

"ARI

Though I was fully clothed, every part of my skin that touched the water felt like a thousand needles pricking my

body.

It was unbearable-like something out of a nightmare.

The pain spread, overwhelming me.

It felt like rolling in a bed of thorns or being poked with tiny sharp needles.

It was agony.

"Yael!"

| screamed, drenched in sweat, my whole body trembling. I tried to pull away, desperate for any escape.

But he helddown, pressingdeeper into the water.

"Does it hurt, Chloe?" His voice was soft but filled with something unsettling. "I'll stay with you, okay?"

His eyes gleamed, feverish. He stepped into the tub and heldtight, not allowingto move.

"It hurts like hell! Yael, letgo! | can't take this!" | cried, my voice strained.

"Just a little longer, Chloe. Soon, you'll be clean. You'll feel better," he murmured.

The pain was more than | could stand. Lgripped his wrist, digging my nails into his skin, drawing blood. He didn't

seem to notice, his face full of twisted affection.

"Chloe, forget about that man. Stay with me. Please."

He was out of his mind. This was madness.

"| won't care about your past. After | clean you up, you'll be mine. Only mine."

Wasn't he feeling anything?

| couldn't bear it any longer. My body shook from the pain. With all my strength, | fought to break free.

"Yael, letgo!" | gasped.

But before | could say more, everything went black. | collapsed in his arms.

As | slipped into unconsciousness, | heard his soft, possessive whisper, "Chloe, | love you...