"Ouch!" Cornelia's eyes welled up with tears, almost falling down. His grip was strong. Even with little force, it was painful enough to make her wince.
"Sorry!" Marcus quickly let go, "There are a lot of books in the study. Maybe you'll find something you like?"
Cornelia, clutching her sore wrist, snapped back, "I don’t want to read!"
Marcus, "Then what would you like to do? You tell me, and I'll have it arranged."
Cornelia, "I want to go home."
Marcus, "This is your home."
Cornelia, "This is your home, not mine."
Seeing the sorrow in his eyes behind those silver-framed glasses, Cornelia felt like she might have gone too far. She moved closer, leaning into him, "You scared me with your harsh tone and hurt me. I was just trying to get back at you. Hug me now, and I'll stay."
Marcus didn't move to embrace her, his gaze shadowed behind his glasses.
Cornelia never thought her request for a hug would be rejected. Embarrassed, she blurted out, "You're not going to hug me, are you? If you don't, I'm leaving."
With those words, she pretended to walk away. But before she could take a step, Marcus pulled her back. Holding her tight in his arms, he murmured into her ear, "Cornelia, this is your home. I've had someone fetch your stuff from the rental. It'll all be moved here soon."
Cornelia, "What did you say?"
Marcus didn't mind repeating, "I said this is your home. You won't have to go back to that rental. I've sent someone to fetch your stuff."
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Impulsive Vow to an Enigmatic Husband