Love Unspoken

As the night deepened, Quinn found herself restlessly tossing and turning on the couch. Her gaze was fixated on the wall clock, the hands pointing at 11 PM. She knew, with a sinking heart, that Alexander would probably not be returning home that night either.

Turning over, she was on the brink of surrendering to sleep when an unexpected noise from upstairs jolted her awake. She shot a glance upwards, her ears straining to catch the sound again. But all was silent, and she allowed herself to sink back onto the couch.

Yet, the very next moment, the sound echoed again - a noise akin to the scraping of glass. With a frown creasing her forehead, Quinn rose from the couch and made her way upstairs, suspecting she might have left a window ajar. As she stepped into the bedroom and pushed open the door, reaching for the light switch, a pair of hands abruptly seized her wrists. The sudden shadow looming over her sent a jolt of fear through her, causing her body to stiffen. She instinctively opened her mouth to scream, but the sound was trapped in her chest, unable to break free.

It was a terrifyingly familiar scenario.

A light chuckle echoed beside her, "Thought you'd actually scream this time." The voice was even more chilling than the unexpected grip on her wrists.

Quinn struggled to break free, but the grip was unyielding. She clawed at the door frame in a desperate attempt to escape. But the disparity in their strength was too great, and she was effortlessly pulled back into the room before the door slammed shut.

In the pitch-black room, Quinn leaned against the door, a sense of despair washing over her as she realized she was unable to communicate with him. Then, Walter flicked on the light, his smiling face invading Quinn's line of sight. He showed no signs of guilt for his intrusion, his grin remaining brazen. Quinn bit her lip, not daring to breathe loudly. Through gestures, she asked, "What do you want?"

Walter pinned her against the door, his hand braced by her ear, and said with a smile, "Just haven't seen my sister-in-law in a while, thought I'd drop by."

Quinn turned her head away, not buying his flimsy excuse for a second. She pressed her ear against the door, hoping to hear some noise from outside, but there was nothing.

"Are you waiting for Oliver to come home?" he teased. Quinn's entire body tensed as she heard him say, "He's with Getty by now, likely tucked in bed with her. Don't count on him coming to your aid."

She turned to look at him, a smile in his eyes, but Quinn only saw danger.

"Not upset? What a good little dog you are," he taunted, his fingers tracing her cheek.

Quinn bit her lip, bracing herself for the slap she was certain would follow.

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Instead, Walter mused, "Can you really swallow your pride like that? Or maybe you need my help to get back at them, eh?"

Quinn wanted nothing to do with him. Walter helping her was the last thing she'd believe; joining forces with him was akin to making a deal with the devil. After all, no good ever came from a man sneaking into her villa in the dead of night. Walter's grip on her chin forced her to look at him, his eyes landing on the faded red marks on her face. "Quinn, you're such a disappointment."

The scars, now just thin lines much like pale lipstick, added a touch of color to her otherwise pallid cheeks.

Unable to bear it, she gestured frantically, "What on earth do you want?"

Walter's lips curved upward, "Tell me, what did he say to you?"

Quinn looked at him, puzzled.

If you're loving the book, nel5s.org is where the adventure continues. Join us for the complete experience all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! "About the company," he patiently clarified.

Quinn's thoughts flickered, suddenly recalling Alexander mentioning he was being ousted from the board-a topic Alexander had never discussed with her before. Her heartbeat quickened. Could it be that Alexander anticipated Walter coming after her, testing her loyalty again?

Noticing her eyes betray her thoughts, Walter chuckled, "Looks like he did share something with you."

She pushed aside the unease in her heart and shook her head.

"Not talking?" Walter's hand slid from her face to her neck, while the other, already under her nightgown, tightened around her waist. Quinn began to struggle.

The hand on her neck clamped down, pinning her against the door, "Relax, I'm not interested in you."

Quinn watched him, her heart pounding in fear.