Chapter 5 #2
His words hit me like a stab at my heart. Not only had they seen me, bare and exposed, but they had witnessed his assault on me. The humiliation was overwhelming, and I pushed away from him, scrambling to my feet. My fists clenched at my sides as I glared at him, anger overtaking my fear.
“If this is how our marriage will be, I don’t want it,” I spat. “I’ll ask for a divorce.”
A smirk played on his lips, a cold, calculated expression that made my blood run cold. “I won’t lose another wife, Josephine. Remember your family.”
His words were a reminder, a warning. Colson had me in a stranglehold, and he knew it. I was trapped, not just by him, but by the weight of my family’s debt, by the need to protect them. My anger flared again, but this time it was tempered by the reality of my situation.
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down.
For now, I had to accept this marriage for what it was—a prison.
But that didn’t mean I couldn’t find a way to regain control, to turn the tables on Colson.
I wouldn’t be his victim forever. When we got back, I’d start planning, looking for a way to escape his grasp before the five years were up.
And when I did, I’d make sure to avenge the loss of the Shaw wealth.
But for now, I had to bide my time. I turned away from him, the weight of his gaze heavy on my back as I walked to the window, staring out at the horizon.
The sun was up, casting a golden glow over the water, and I watched it, letting the light fill me with a determination I hadn’t felt before.
Colson might think he had won, but I would find a way out. I had to.
We ate breakfast in a heavy, oppressive silence.
Colson’s attention was glued to his phone, his fingers flying across the screen as he answered emails.
He barely looked at me, his focus entirely on whatever business matters were more important than acknowledging my presence.
I picked at my food, my appetite nonexistent.
The tension between us was suffocating, and the memory of last night lingered like a dark cloud over my thoughts.
I needed to get away from him, even if it was just for a little while. The yacht was massive, with multiple decks and hidden corners where I could find some solitude. I pushed my half-eaten plate away, the food turning to acid in my mouth as anxiety twisted in my gut.
Colson didn’t seem to notice. He was lost in his world, a world where I was nothing more than a toy, a piece of his life to be controlled and manipulated. The thought made my skin crawl, and I stood up abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor.
His eyes flicked up briefly, a brow raised in mild curiosity. “Going somewhere?”
“I’m going to explore the yacht,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “I need some air.”
He nodded, already looking back at his phone. “Fine. Just don’t wander too far.”
I almost snorted. We were on a yacht in the middle of the Mediterranean, where the fuck would I go? Jump overboard and swim back to France?
His dismissive tone stung, but I didn’t let it show.
I turned and walked out of the dining area, my footsteps quickening as I put distance between us.
The yacht was a floating palace with endless hallways and staircases that led to different levels.
I climbed the stairs to the upper deck, where the sea breeze was strong, and the sun shone brightly overhead.
The sound of the waves crashing against the hull was soothing, and I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. I was still trapped on this yacht with him, but at least out here, I could breathe. The open space gave me a sense of freedom, even if it was an illusion.
I wandered aimlessly, taking in the luxury that surrounded me.
The yacht was a masterpiece of elegance, with every detail carefully crafted to exude wealth and power.
But as beautiful as it was, it felt empty, devoid of warmth or comfort.
It was just like Colson—impressive on the outside but hollow beneath the surface.
I found a quiet corner on the upper deck, a small alcove with a view of the endless ocean.
I sat down, letting the sun warm my skin as I tried to clear my mind.
I needed to think, to figure out how to navigate this marriage without losing myself in the process.
I might be bound to Colson for now, but I wouldn’t let him break me.
The waves rolled on, a constant rhythm that reminded me that nothing was permanent, not even this. I just had to be patient, to find the right moment to regain control of my life. For now, I would endure, but I wouldn’t give up. I couldn’t afford to for my family’s sake.
Colson found me an hour later, seated at the edge of the deck, staring out at the endless expanse of the sea. The rhythmic sound of the waves had been a temporary solace, a lull that allowed my thoughts to settle. But his presence disrupted the fragile calm I had managed to create.
Without a word, he sat down beside me, his body close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from him. He pressed his face into my hair, breathing me in like he was trying to find something he’d lost.
“I can’t apologize enough,” he murmured, his voice raw and low. “I don’t know what came over me last night.”
A bitter laugh escaped me before I could stop it. “Colson, you can’t change what you are. You can’t stop your true nature.”
His hand gently gripped my chin, turning my face to meet his gaze. His eyes searched mine, a storm of emotions brewing in their depths. “What does that mean?” he asked, his voice laced with confusion and a hint of something darker.
“It means you can’t help yourself from being cruel,” I said, my voice trembling but steady. “Was it always this way? Did you hurt Poppy like you hurt me?”
His fingers traced the bruises on my throat, his touch surprisingly tender. “No,” he admitted quietly. “Something about you brings out the worst in me.”
The words were like a punch to the gut. I bit down on my bottom lip, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill over. “Then why did you marry me?” My voice broke, and I hated myself for the vulnerability I was showing. “You could’ve ended our engagement and found someone else.”
He sighed, his hand slipping from my chin to cup my face. The warmth of his palm against my skin sent a wave of conflicting emotions through me. “I could’ve, but I wanted you. There is no other woman in Windmere Haven or anywhere that I wanted to marry.”
His words should have comforted me, but instead, they left me feeling more conflicted than ever.
I looked up at him, my heart aching with a mix of pain and longing.
“Then treat me like it, Colson,” I whispered, my voice filled with a plea I wasn’t sure he could understand.
“I’m not your possession. I’m your partner. ”
For a moment, his expression softened, and I saw a glimpse of the man he could be, the man I wanted him to be. But it was fleeting, like a shadow passing over the surface of the water, gone before I could fully grasp it. His thumb brushed against my cheek, wiping away a tear that had escaped.
“I’ll try,” he said, his voice heavy with the weight of a promise I wasn’t sure he could keep. “But you have to understand, Joey. This is who I am.”
“I know,” I replied, my voice barely more than a whisper. “But I need you to try harder. For both of us.”
He nodded, his gaze unwavering as he leaned in, pressing a kiss to my forehead.
It was a small gesture, but it held a world of unspoken words, a fragile truce between us.
As he pulled away, I felt a flicker of hope, but it was quickly overshadowed by the lingering doubt that gnawed at the edges of my mind.
Would he really change? Or was this just another temporary reprieve in a cycle of cruelty and regret?
Only time would tell, but for now, I was willing to give him—and us—one more chance.