Chapter 416

"Alright, just once." Samuel's lips curled into a smile. "Whatever my honey says, goes." … By the time it was over, night had fallen. Shelmaine realized "once" wasn't about a single instance—it was about duration. Half an hour counted as once, an hour counted as once, and apparently, so did two hours. She was speechless but helpless against him. He had her entirely under his thumb. Afterward, Samuel carried her to the bathroom to clean up. Her hair had grown longer, and she leaned lazily against him, completely drained. Since she had free labor, she decided to let him handle it without resistance. Samuel brushed her hair aside, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Honey, you're beautiful." Shelmaine responded with a cold snort, refusing to entertain him. "Honey, even your cold snorts are beautiful. I love it—it's so unique." Shelmaine was speechless. Samuel kissed her again, but it was brief this time. He pulled back with a gentle smile. "Honey, you're truly stunning. Let's have a child. If it's a girl, she can look like you, and if it's a boy, he can look like me. We'll raise them together with all the love we never had." Shelmaine asked, "And your parents?" "Hmm?" "Won't they disapprove?" "They don't get a say. This is about us, not them. Our child will be ours alone, and I promise they'll never experience what we went through." Her heart softened. Samuel had touched on her most vulnerable spot—the lack of a happy childhood. She didn't say anything, but her expression betrayed her thoughts. Samuel brushed a stray lock of hair from her face. "Honey, let's do this. Let's start fresh and leave the bad memories behind. I swear, my loyalty will be yours—body and soul." Her eyes misted. She wasn't sure what to say. "Can I really trust you?" "You can. Trust me completely." … Later, Samuel ordered room service and fed Shelmaine as she lounged on the bed, too weak to move. She ate a little, enough to regain some strength. Once the table was cleared, Samuel handed her a glass of juice. "Drink a bit more, honey." She took a sip and waved it off. "Where are you going next? I'll go with you, " he offered. "No." Shelmaine pushed herself off the bed. "I have my own things to do. Don't follow me." She immediately sidled up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Honey, I promise I'll behave. I won't cause trouble. Let me drop you off, okay? Wherever you go, I'll go too." "You're so annoying," Shelmaine sighed softly, her voice tinged with fatigue. She was exhausted, utterly spent. "Mm, I only want to bother you," Samuel murmured, tightening his hold. "I just want to hold you, as tightly as I can." Shelmaine tapped his hands lightly. "I'm going to see Julien. Are you coming too?" "Of course," Samuel gritted out through clenched teeth. "Absolutely." "No way. You'll stir up trouble." "I won't. I promise I'll be good and listen to you," Samuel said, his voice low and earnest. "Honey, you're mine now. I'm not scared anymore. I used to be insecure, but now that you're mine, no one can take you away." Shelmaine pressed her lips together, unsure how to respond. He was acting like a child, clinging to her and throwing tantrums when he didn’t get his way. Just like a kid denied their candy.