Episode 71
Resolute, she reached for the handle, ready to open the door and leap from the moving vehicle. As Elizabeth opened the car door, a sharp gust of wind, mingled with icy rain, whipped against her face, the cold droplets biting her skin like needles. She barely managed to angle herself outward when, suddenly, a powerful force pulled her back, drawing her into a warm and protective embrace.
Meanwhile, Oliver, reacting quickly, slammed on the brakes and swerved sharply to the side. The car’s abrupt motion sent a plastic warning sign crashing into a nearby stone pillar with such force that it shattered on impact. If Elijah hadn’t reacted in time, pulling her back, Elizabeth might have met a fate similar to the broken sign. A surge of fear coursed through her, but determined to conceal her vulnerability, she kept up a facade of indifference, her expression as cold as the biting wind. Once the vehicle came to a halt, a thick tension filled the air inside.
Trapped securely in Elijah’s arms, Elizabeth found herself immobile. She tilted her head back, her eyes locking with his. Elijah’s gaze initially burned with fury but soon softened to a chilling, distant stare. Elizabeth’s voice shattered the heavy silence, firm yet tinged with the intensity of the moment.
“Let go of me!” Her words cut through the howling wind, which swept her disheveled hair further into chaos and caused rainwater to trickle down her cheeks, amplifying her already fragile and pitiful appearance.
Elijah ignored her, quickly freeing one hand to slam the car door shut, his cold gaze never leaving hers. “If you’re so eager to meet your end, at least pick a method that’s not so messy. Jumping from a moving car will likely leave you injured rather than dead. You’d only harm yourself and inconvenience us.” Elizabeth’s response was frosty, her voice slicing through the tension. “Rest assured, Mr. James, once you’ve signed the divorce papers, I won’t require your concern, even if I end up crippled.” Noticing her defiant expression, Elijah’s patience snapped. He leaned in suddenly and kissed her forcefully, cutting off her words and imposing his will to silence her. From the driver’s seat, Oliver caught the sudden interaction in the rearview mirror. His initial shock quickly faded, replaced by professional instincts. Without hesitation, he lowered the partition between the front and back seats, offering them privacy in the enclosed car. The kiss was intense and dominating, a clear attempt by Elijah to overpower and subdue her.
Elizabeth felt a wave of humiliation and helplessness wash over her as she tried to push him away. The stark difference in their physical strength left her struggling in vain. Throughout their two-year marriage, Elizabeth had often fantasized about genuine intimacy with him, but their reality had been a far cry from it. Their conjugal life had been uniformly lackluster, with the few nights spent in the same bed occurring only after she had fallen asleep. Even then, Elijah always brought his own blanket, maintaining an emotional distance.
