The Enticing CEO's Chosen Bride novel Chapter 1823

"So, all those questions you asked me earlier, you weren't really concerned about me, were you?" Morrison asked.

Rose looked at him, "You just said it was fine."

"But what about the beginning?"

Rose pressed her lips together, "Clearly, Winston is in much worse shape than you."

Morrison's icy stare locked onto her, and the taut string that was Rose's composure grew even tighter, as if one more tug would cause it to snap.

In just a few days, the way she looked at him had changed so much. Before, he could clearly see the worry she held for him. But now, the concern on her face was for someone else. He wouldn't have it.d2

He stared at her, his dark eyes like a pool of ink, as if determined to detect any trace of deceit in her expression.

"Rose, you're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"

She frowned in confusion.

"You're trying to provoke me, to make me agree to a divorce, right? All this talk about setting me free to be with Mona, it's just an excuse for you to get out of this marriage."

Rose's expression tightened, "Think whatever you want. As long as we can get a divorce, your thoughts don't matter."

She was used to it anyway. In his heart, she was never the good person, was she?

"You're so eager to divorce me to be with Winston?" Morrison's voice was heavy with accusation.

Rose's eyes snapped shut, "What I do after the divorce is none of your business. Who I'm with is my affair. I can't possibly spend my life alone."

Morrison felt the last thread of his restraint snap. He yanked Rose into his arms, rough and unyielding. Her face paled as she was suddenly crushed into the soft bed beside them.

As the world blurred before her eyes and Morrison's overpowering scent enveloped her, she realized she was trapped. Her hands were pinned above her head, powerless to resist.

"Rose, I've warned you countless times tonight not to push me. You've really outdone yourself. You've completely exhausted my patience."

His words were sharp and fierce. Rose trembled with fear, sensing the cold weight behind each syllable. She had a terrible feeling about what might happen next.

Morrison, his chest heaving with pent-up anger, aimed all his fury at her. He held her wrists with one hand and with the other, he violently tore her nightgown to shreds.

The memory of her nonchalantly wearing that nightgown in the hallway, as if it were the most natural thing, made him want to rip it apart. Their interaction was surprisingly natural. He was in a bathrobe, and she was in pajamas. Just the thought of it sent a sharp pain through his head.

"Morrison!" Rose's face turned ashen with fear, but Morrison was relentless.

It wasn't until Morrison's body brushed against her exposed stomach that she jolted with shock. Somehow finding the strength, she broke free from his grasp and slapped him across the face with all her might.

The sound echoed with a chilling clarity. Morrison froze, his movements halted, yet he still pinned her legs beneath him, looming over her with a terrifying gaze.

His cold eyes flickered briefly. Gently, he brushed her disheveled hair aside with a tenderness that belied the situation.

"Rose, you said you loved me, right? Then why are you so set on divorce? Isn't life with me enough? You fought so hard to marry me, didn't you?"

Her lips trembled, "No, it's not enough. They were right. I am the dark-hearted other woman who couldn't control her desire for you. I thought I was better than any other woman, and I didn’t consider myself a vile person. I thought I could make a place for myself in your heart, but I was naive."

Morrison leaned in, his forehead against hers, his voice a low murmur, "But I don't want a divorce now..."

His intimacy made Rose's gaze waver.

"So stop making a scene. We have a long life ahead of us."

But Rose shook her head, "It's impossible. Things are much more difficult than I imagined. I thought I could handle it, but I can't. I can't stand having a husband who loves another woman."

That was the root of the problem. All her beliefs were just that, mere beliefs.

Morrison's brow furrowed, "You mean Mona?"

Rose didn't want to speak her name, turning her head away. But Morrison wouldn't allow it, pressing his forehead against hers, forcing her to look at him. "I decided to marry you with no intention of getting back with her. She's in the past."

Something in Rose stirred, her eyes lifting, her long lashes brushing Morrison's skin. "It's too late," she said quietly. "As long as she's in your heart, we can't move forward."

Morrison's eyes narrowed, his gaze intense as he watched her, his frown deepening.

Rose stared directly at him, saying, "You don't need to tell me how I should feel. I admit I knew about Mona's presence initially, but I didn't want to let her and your relationship bother me. I wanted to gradually remove her from your heart, but now I realize that it's impossible."

"Did you suddenly understand this now? If Winston hadn't come along, would you have continued like this with me?"

She bit her lip, "Think what you like. If it makes you feel better."

A vein pulsed on Morrison's forehead. His temper, uninvaded for years, trampled on again and again by this woman. His gaze turned icy, but when he saw the fear flickering in her eyes, he forcefully suppressed his anger. "Are you afraid of me?"