Bound to my Enemy novel Chapter 163

Chapter 163: Chapter 163.

I wake to the soft gray light spilling in through the curtains. For a moment, panic flares in my chest....until I realize the bed beside me is empty... Zane isn’t here.

I don’t know whether to breathe a sigh of relief or feel disappointment.

My body tightens anyway, a weird mixture of relief and residual tension from last night. The memory of the grip on my throat and rthe way he pinned me, still lingers in the back of my mind.

I swing my legs over the side of the bed and press my feet to the cold floor, shivering slightly as the chill bites through the thin fabric of my pajama pants.

I drag myself toward the bathroom, pulling my hair back with my fingers, feeling every knot and tangle.

Steam from the hot water fogs the mirror as I step into the shower, letting the water cascade over me. The heat seeps into my muscles, loosening the tension in my shoulders and trickling down my spine.

I close my eyes and let my fingers trace over my skin under the water, a small comfort, trying to wash off yesterday’s anger and exhaustion, though I know it’s not that simple.

The sound of water pounding against tile echoes around me. I inhale, counting slowly to ten, then again, telling myself this is just another day.

Another day I can try to get a grip on everything that’s spinning out of control. I press my forehead against the wall for a moment, letting the heat bleed into my bones as my mind wanders.

I finish quickly, stepping out and wrapping myself in a towel. My skin pricks from the contrast of the hot water and the cooler bathroom air.

Before leaving the bathroom, I catch my reflection in the mirror. My hair clings damply to my shoulders, my eyes still heavy with the remains of restless sleep. I stare at myself, silent, searching for strength I’m not sure I have yet.

My jaw tightens. I breathe out slowly and whisper a prayer....to whichever God is listening

"Please," I murmur, "make today easy and make it uneventful. Let me just... get through today without everything falling apart." My hands curl into fists at my sides as I make the plea.

I step out of the bathroom, letting the towel drop to the floor and sliding into my shoes.

Even as I walk down the hallway, I tell myself to take it one step at a time. Not thinking about Zane, not thinking about what happened yesterday, not thinking about everything that could go wrong. I just move, step by step.

My heartbeat is steadying, my breath slowing as I focus on the sounds around me.....the distant hum of the house, the faint clatter of Margaret preparing breakfast, the soft shuffle of footsteps echoing in the halls. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

I drag myself down the stairs, my hair still damp from the shower, the scent of shampoo lingering faintly in the air.

Margaret is in the kitchen, chopping vegetables with deliberate precision. The rhythmic thwack of her knife against the board is oddly calming, a steady anchor in my otherwise spinning mind. She looks up as I enter and immediately notices the slump of my shoulders nd the dull haze in my eyes.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify