Chapter 333

Lucie snapped her head around, eyes blazing with disgust, like she was staring at something foul. "Steven, don't push it."

She shrank back instinctively, hands protectively covering her belly, as if he were some kind of threat.

Whatever warmth was on Steven's face vanished, a dark shadow flickering in his eyes.

He tried to look hurt, forcing a smile. “I just wanted... to say a real goodbye. Once the baby's here, we won't get another chance."

"No need." Lucie turned away, her voice sharp and icy. "I can't handle your goodbyes. Leave. Now. Please."

There was no room for argument. She wouldn't even look at him.

Steven stood rooted to the spot, staring at her tense profile, his fists clenching by his sides.

"Lucie, you can't even give me one last hug?"

She lost it. "Get out. Now."

"Fine. I'm leaving. Just... take care of yourself."

He turned and stomped toward the door.

Lucie didn't watch him go. She just wanted to get back to her hospital bed.

But as she turned away, Steven suddenly grabbed her from behind, pulling her into his arms.

"Hey! Let go! What are you doing?"

Steven held her tight, burying his face in her neck. “Babe, let me hug you one last time. I swear, it's the last."

He only hugged her tighter, like he wanted to fuse her into himself.

Lucie's heart raced in panic and she struggled to break free. "Let go of me!"

"Don't fight me. be good."

usly, I just want to hold you one last time. Just

ug. Please,

He pressed his jaw behind her ear, his hot breath making her skin tingle and her nerves spark.

Lucie panicked even more, clawing at his hands to try and make him let go.

"Steven, let go. Let go..."

If it was just a hug, maybe she could have handled it.

But "just a hug❞ always turned into kisses, and kisses always turned into more. He was insatiable, relentless. Once he got his hands on her, he never stopped.

What terrified her wasn't even Steven-it was how little control she had over herself when he touched her. She could never resist him. He always made her lose control so fast, she'd melt in his arms, powerless to stop him. In the end, she was always at his mercy, again and again...

Bang! She couldn't break free, so she used her old trick-slamming her foot down on his.

But she was in flats, not heels, so it barely made a difference.

"Hiss―" Steven grunted in pain, but it wasn't like the time she'd crushed his toes with her stilettos and left him hopping around.

"Let go! Let go of me!"

She stomped, elbowed, scratched, pinched-she tried every move she knew.

"You hate me that much? You can't even let me hold you one last time?”

Lucie's nails dug deep into his arms, her voice shaking with anger and fear. "Hate? Steven, you don't even deserve that."

She jerked her head back and slammed it into his jaw, hard.

There was a heavy thud.

Steven recoiled, finally loosening his grip.

Lucie broke free, shoving him away like he was a set of chains. She stumbled back, crashing into the edge of the bed, pain shooting through her back.

Steven's face went pale. "Careful!"

Lucie held her stomach, glaring at him, eyes red and wild. "Try touching me again and see what happens!"

Steven rubbed his sore jaw, staring at her. Her hair was a mess, cheeks flushed with rage. Herusually cool, stunning eyes now burned with a fierce fire that, for some reason, made his heart clench.

"I just wanted to hold you..."

"Get out!" Lucie shouted, grabbing the water glass from the nightstand and hurling it

at him.

She missed. The glass hit the floor, water splashing all over his pants.

“Lucie, don't get so worked up. I'm going, okay? I'm going!”

"Leave!" she screamed, tears spilling over. "Do you think I'm that easy to push around? That you can do whatever you want just because you feel like it?"

Her voice was raw with despair, like a cornered animal shouting to hide its fear.

Steven saw her like this and felt like something was crushing his chest. He wanted to say he didnt mean

ware just didne dirt mean t

the

that he just couldn't let her go. But words stuck in his throat.

He knew whatever he said now would only make it worse.

"Okay, okay. I'm leaving."

He gave her one last long look, then turned and walked out.

The door slammed shut behind him.

The room finally fell silent.

Lucie slid down the side of the bed, hugging her knees tight, her sobs finally breaking free.

It wasn't his embrace she was afraid of.

It was her own body and mind, which she couldn't control. She hated that he could

so easily break her down, and that she was helpless to stop him.