[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":10},["ShallowReactive",2],{"viewer-data-260322F482CA-395":3},{"id":4,"number":5,"name":6,"content":7,"isLocked":8,"price":9,"hasRead":8},395,47,"Chapter 47: \"I Won't Touch You Unless You're Willing.\"","\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna’s mind exploded into static, her heart hammering against her ribs, completely beyond her control.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She was teetering on the edge of losing it.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The night was thick and suffocating. Outside the kitchen window, the world was a void of darkness, save for the rhythmic, rustling whisper of leaves against the second-story balcony. They were tucked away in the corner of the kitchen, shielded from the light of the living room. Maxwell’s long legs were stretched out, blocking her exit as if he were terrified she’d bolt at the first opportunity.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">His towering frame loomed over her, closing off the world, caging her in.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He kissed her with an almost obsessive fervor—from her forehead to her eyes, down to the bridge of her nose, and finally, her lips. Every inch of her skin seemed to be branded with his touch.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The suffocating intensity of the atmosphere was too much for Arianna. Her breathing turned shallow, ragged. She pushed against his chest, her voice breathless. \"Maxwell, you… that’s enough. I…\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell frowned, clearly displeased by her restlessness. He caught her wrists, his thumb tracing soft, rhythmic circles over her pulse point—a gesture that was supposed to be soothing, but only made her nerves fray further.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The heat of his kisses migrated from the corner of her mouth to her chin, then trailed down to the sensitive shell of her ear.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">A sudden, hot breath brushed against her skin, making Arianna shiver uncontrollably. \"Maxwell, don't…\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He tilted his head, his teeth grazing her earlobe. \"Just one more, hm? Would that be alright?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna had completely lost the power of speech.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She thought, fleetingly, that perhaps she had been infected by his drunken haze; she felt just as intoxicated as he was. Her mind was a blank slate, her cheeks flushed a deep, burning crimson. Her gaze was unfocused, anxiety replaced by a hazy, intoxicating numbness. Every bit of her remaining logic was shattered.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Darling,\" Maxwell whispered, his voice a gentle, honey-coated trap. \"Just one more.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He knew exactly what worked on her.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell’s voice was naturally cold, like snow falling on a frozen winter night—sharp and detached. But now, he had dropped the register, his voice laced with a raw, husky rasp that melted directly into her eardrums. In the heavy, suffocating silence of the night, it didn't sound like a request. It sounded like a confession, or perhaps, a soft, desperate plea.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna crumbled.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">But she had overlooked one crucial detail.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell was drunk. His judgment was compromised. And when a man like him said \"one more,\" there was no guarantee what the time frame actually looked like.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Five minutes later, Arianna was left standing there, breathless and dazed.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell stopped kissing her, but he didn't pull away. He folded her into his arms, his forehead resting against hers. \"Arianna,\" he murmured.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The sound was low, magnetic, and unfairly seductive.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna pressed her cheek against his chest, feeling the frantic thrum of his heart. \"Yeah?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He pulled his lips away, his breathing still unsteady. He let out a dry, awkward cough, his tone suddenly shifting. \"I’m tired.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Tired?\" The sudden pivot in the conversation caught her off guard. \"Are you going to bed now?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell gave a muffled, wordless hum of agreement. He tilted his head, observing her expression with a guarded look, testing the waters. \"Do you still want to be kissed?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna stared at him. *Are you hearing yourself right now?!*\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"No, no,\" she stammered, her hands hovering in the air, completely flustered. \"I’m just… curious. You said you weren't tired, that you wanted me to stay and chat. Why the sudden shift?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The question died in her throat.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Her eyes widened in realization. Maxwell was still holding her, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. She had shifted her weight, and in doing so, she became intimately aware of… a certain undeniable, rigid evidence of his desire pressing against her.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">It was unmistakable. Even through the layers of fabric, the presence was impossible to ignore.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna stood frozen. She opened her mouth to say something, anything, but the words failed her. After a long, agonizing beat, she blinked rapidly, feigning a yawn. \"Right, bed. Let’s sleep. I’m tired, too.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Yes. Let's go.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell took her hand, leading her toward the stairs.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">They walked side-by-side, but Arianna couldn't help but steal a glance at his lower half. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly jerked her gaze away, staring fixedly at the wall.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell, however, seemed perfectly composed, even offering her a hollow comfort. \"It’s alright. Don't worry about it.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">*Don't worry?*\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">How was she supposed to not worry?\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna didn't dare probe further. She muttered a weak, \"Oh, okay,\" and kept walking.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"It’s too early for this,\" Maxwell said, his tone matter-of-fact as he ascended the stairs, though he gave her fingers a gentle, lingering squeeze. \"I won't touch you. Not unless you're the one who wants it.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">With that, he turned and disappeared into his room. His silhouette, usually so imposing, had a faint, rare trace of frantic desperation to it.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna stood motionless in the hallway. A moment later, the sound of the shower kicking on behind his door reached her ears. She turned on her heel and headed for her own room.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Once inside, she stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell was the one who had been drinking, yet she looked like the one who was smashed. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes soft and vulnerable, and her lips were swollen and stained a deep, provocative red.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She replayed the night’s events in her head, feeling a profound sense of helplessness. How on earth was she supposed to face him tomorrow?\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She hoped, desperately, that he wouldn't remember a thing. If he had a blackout, then everything would be fine. They could go back to being polite and distant, acting as if the entire night had been a fever dream that never happened.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">But if he remembered?\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna stared into the mirror, racking her brain for a solution and finding nothing.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Then, as she went through her skincare routine, a thought struck her.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Wait.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Why was she the one agonizing over this?\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She was the \"victim\" here. Maxwell had been the one to cross the line; he had been the one to initiate. If anyone had to figure out how to handle the morning after, it was him.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">With that realization, Arianna straightened her posture. A wave of righteous indignation washed over her, and for the first time all night, she felt like she might actually be able to breathe.\u003C/p>",false,0,1774272906753]