Sentenced to Marriage by MadlainQ novel Chapter 48

Facing the enemy 

Callan stood in front of me, his eyes looking at me with an odd sadness and pain. He had no jacket on. His shirt was half–unbuttoned, and its sleeves were rolled up. The sleekly combed hair he had before was now ruffled. As he stepped toward me, I could smell alcohol in his breath. 

“Why are you with him, Cora?” he asked softly. 

“W–what?” His painful tone caught me off–guard more than his words. “Is it because I have never told you that I’m a Winton?” He stepped closer, his eyes tightly locked on mine. 

“What are you talking about?!” I stepped back, desperately trying to keep my distance. 

He sighed heavily and sat on the bed. “It was my Grandfather‘s idea. He forced me to use my Mother‘s name, scared that I would somehow dishonor the Winton name by involving myself in scandals while away from home. Only the professors knew that my name wasn‘t Garrod.” 

“Why are you telling me this? Why now?” I took another step back and found myself leaning against the wall. 

“I should have told you who I am...” he mumbled. “Would it change anything? You dumped me, remember?” I huffed. He pulled himself back up to his heels and lurched to grab me by my arms. “I had to! Grandpa would have disinherited me if I wanted to marry someone who… who...” 

“Someone like me?” I scoffed. “Someone without money or connections?” 

He lowered his head, stroking down my arms‘ length with his fingers, making me flinch. 

“Callan, you need to leave,” I said, his touch nauseating me more by the second. 

“Come back to me, Cora,” he whispered. “My family has already met you... We could get married…” 

I pushed him away, disgust painting my face. “You‘re delusional! You cannot possibly think that I would come back to you?!” How could he talk about getting back together, let alone marrying?! There were days when I wished he had proposed, but it was long before I realized how abusive this person might be; before he crushed my confidence, making me weak and vulnerable to his venom. He puffed angrily, combing his hair with his fingers. “My brother doesn‘t know you like I do! How long have you known each other anyway?!” 

“It‘s not your business. You need to leave,” I squeezed through my teeth. 

My heart pounded hectically. I was more than aware of what Callan was capable of. He had always been unpredictable and cruel, and I could only imagine what could come to his sick head at the moment he was drunk, frustrated, and angry. I was in his territory, in his family house… I wished that he would just go away, but I also knew that the chances for that to 

happen were weaker by the second 

He chuckled coldly, his eyes scanning my body wrapped in a silk nightgown. “Does he know what you like? Does he know how to satisfy you.” 

I shook my head, defensively folding my arms and rubbing them to get rid of the shivering” Don‘t go there, Callan, please...” “Admit it, you loved the way I fucked you. It did feel good, didn‘t it?” He stepped closer, his lustful gaze examining my every curve. “I don‘t want to remember anything about you!” I screamed, my fists clenched, 

A second later, hiswarms grabbed me, pulling me into a tight embrace as he tried to kiss me,” I‘ll make you remember how good it felt.” 

I groaned, trying to release myself, but his grip only tightened. A moment later, I found myself withering and helplessly fighting against his strength. “Let go, you psychopath!” “Cora?!” I heard Aren‘s voice coming from behind the door. 

As I fought against Callan, I heard Aren trying to force the door. The door hinges bounced as he rammed it again and again. I screamed and cursed at Callan, but he didn‘t stop. I tried to kick him, but he restrained me. My weak body couldn‘t match his strength and the body weight of an over–six–foot–tall man. His sleazy hands went underneath the silk of my gown, touching my thighs and trying to slide between them. Suddenly, the door broke, and Aren barged into the room, his eyes blazing in fury. Callen jumped away from the bed, a wicked grin curving his lips. “She let me in herself. She was the one who seduced me,” he said, pointing at me while I lay on the bed trembling.. Aren glanced at me, his jaw clenched. His icy stare at me sent shivers down my spine. He wouldn‘t believe Callan‘s words, would he? I shook my head, tears flowing from my eyes. “No... he is lying...” I mumbled. 

Aren looked at me, the murderous glare fading as his eyes met mine. He stood up, leaving a weakly panting Callan lying on the floor. I crawled to the edge of the bed, sitting up and cautiously watching Aren as he walked toward me. His knuckles were all covered in blood. I rose up to my knees and grabbed his hand, gently caressing it and making him loosen his clenched fists. 

He exhaled in a rush and grabbed the back of my head, pressing it to his chest. “I‘m sorry... I shouldn‘t have left you alone.”