The Villainess Needs a Hug (Ivy Windsor) novel Chapter 905

The motion of the elevator finally shattered the heavy silence.

Katrina swallowed hard, subtly taking a step backward to put some distance between them.

A moment later, the display pinged at the eighth floor. The doors slid open to reveal a couple, who stopped dead in their tracks, clearly startled by the palpable tension radiating from the two people inside.

Naylor scowled, finally snapping back to reality, and sharply pressed the button for the third floor.

When the doors opened again, Naylor seized her wrist in an iron grip and practically hauled her out into the hallway.

But the second they reached her apartment door, Katrina wrenched her arm free.

"It's late. Just go home," she said, her eyes fixed stubbornly on the floor. "You parked illegally; you're going to block someone in."

"I don't give a damn. I'm not leaving until we finish this." Naylor reached out, hauling her flush against his chest before backing her firmly against her own front door. "Get your keys. Open it."

Katrina squirmed, fighting him silently. Losing his patience, he snatched her purse, dug out her keys, and shoved one into the lock himself.

"You're acting like a lunatic!"

"I never claimed to be a saint."

Naylor pushed the door open, tossed the keys onto the entryway console, and dragged her inside, kicking the door shut with a resounding slam behind them.

Trapped in the suffocating privacy of her apartment, Katrina’s panic spiked. She backed away, glaring at him. "Naylor, don't you dare try anything!"

Naylor let out a dark, mocking laugh. "Did I ever say I was going to try anything?"

"..."

"Or are you just secretly hoping I do?"

"Shut up!" A furious red flush crawled up Katrina's neck, her denial far too quick.

"I've been nothing but good to you!"

"Then why the hell did you dump me? What did I do wrong? You ended things out of nowhere and then immediately tried to marry some other guy."

"You know exactly why, Naylor. Don't play dumb." Since he had forced her to look at him, Katrina finally decided to lay it all on the line. "I want to get married, and you don't believe in marriage. There was no point in dragging it out or forcing you into a corner."

"Well, aren't you just incredibly selfless and considerate," he sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Katrina pressed her lips together, refusing to take the bait.

"But didn't it ever occur to you to actually ask me first? You could have at least waited for me to say no before you pulled the plug."

Instead, she had just assumed she knew his answer and made the choice for him.

"I already knew your stance on marriage. Why would I humiliate myself by begging for something you wouldn't give? Giving each other a clean, dignified break was just basic decency," Katrina argued, her logic returning as she forced herself to steady her racing heart.