She Left She Thrived She’s Worth Billions novel Chapter 416

The entire room was bathed in a dim crimson glow, exuding a mysterious, almost dangerously seductive atmosphere.

A massive heart-shaped bathtub was already filled with hot water, its surface blanketed entirely by rich red rose petals.

On the nightstand sat a curated selection of intimacy toys. Though small, they were glaringly obvious, making it impossible for anyone to simply look past them.

Melanie spun around on her heel, fully intending to walk right back out the door.

"Are you just going to abandon me?"

Preston's magnetic voice drifted to her ears. It was soft, carrying a subtle edge of genuine grievance.

She couldn't bring herself to actually abandon an injured Preston. Forcing herself to bite the bullet, Melanie walked deeper into the themed suite with him.

The room's ambiance was undeniably suggestive, radiating a heavy, erotic tension.

However, Melanie forced every ounce of her attention onto cleaning Preston's wounds.

"This is going to sting a bit. Try to bear with it."

"Okay."

"If it hurts too much, just tell me. I can keep talking to you to help distract you."

"Mhm."

True to form, Preston was a man of few words.

Melanie didn't press the conversation, dedicating herself entirely to tending to the deep cuts on his hand.

She worked with meticulous care, stretching the process out significantly.

Because Preston was still wearing his gloves when it happened, she had to ensure absolutely no silk fibers or microscopic glass shards remained embedded in his flesh.

Several times throughout the grueling process, she was certain Preston would cry out in pain.

Honestly, she would have preferred if he did; at least then she would know exactly when she was hurting him.

Yet, Preston didn't utter a single sound from start to finish.

He sat rigidly in front of her, as immovable and silent as a marble statue.

"You know... if it hurts, you can scream. You don't have to hold it all in. Bottling it up will only make it worse."

While Preston knew perfectly well she was talking about his physical pain, it was incredibly difficult for him not to let his mind wander into far more dangerous territory.

He really was bottling things up.

His deep, shadowed eyes reflected Melanie's face, a faint flush creeping into his gaze.

She was breathtakingly beautiful, enough to thoroughly intoxicate him.

The way she focused so intently on him was exactly the same as it had been four years ago.

But...

He wasn't the same man he was four years ago.

He was so different, in fact, that Melanie hadn't recognized him at all.

"..."

"Am I that terrifying?"

For every step Melanie retreated, Preston matched it with a step forward, closing the gap.

Usually, Melanie felt perfectly safe around Preston.

They had been living under the same roof for a while now. Even though they had shared more than a few passionate kisses, Preston had always maintained his manners and never once pushed her boundaries.

But tonight...

Melanie felt exactly like a cornered rabbit about to be swallowed alive by a very cunning wolf.

"You're not terrifying... but you are dangerous."

Melanie chose absolute honesty.

Preston's long lashes fluttered slightly, and a rare, genuine spark of amusement danced in his eyes.

"Well, you're divorced now anyway. I don't have to hold back anymore."

Dropping that outrageously loaded statement, Preston took a decisive step forward.

Panic flared in Melanie's chest, and she scrambled backward to escape him, completely forgetting about the massive bathtub right behind her.

"Ah!"

Losing her footing, Melanie's center of gravity shifted violently, and she tumbled backward into the massive tub.