NovelOnlineChapter 948: "Let Yvonne deal with it," Norton cut him off, his tone brooking no argument. Leif gave a stiff nod and hurried off to find the housekeeper, passing along the order before making himself scarce.
Upstairs, Yvonne tossed and turned under the covers, her heart racing too fast for sleep.
Suddenly, someone rapped lightly against her door.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtYvonne squeezed her eyes tighter, willing herself to stay still.
"Mrs. Burke, Mr. Burke wants you downstairs," the housekeeper called softly, rapping again when no answer came.
Yvonne finally huffed under her breath and snapped, "I'm not going! Tell him to leavealone!" The housekeeper let out a helpless sigh, but before she could head back downstairs, Norton's voice cut sharply through the air, already having heard Yvonne. He spoke low, his tone edged with a barely restrained threat. "Yvonne, do you still want my help with the mortgage this month or not?" Grimacing, Yvonne dragged herself out of bed, feeling the weight of the threat sink into her chest.
She shuffled downstairs to find Norton slouched on the sofa, the room practically freezing from the cold fury radiating off him. She instinctively hunched her shoulders as she edged closer.
Norton's expression stayed hard as stone. "Getting pretty bold lately, aren't you? Don't think getting a job means you can just do as you please!" "What's that supposed to mean?" Yvonne snapped back, her anger flaring up.
She hadn't even called him out for trying to sabotage her job hunt, and now he dared to threaten her? "What do I mean?” Norton sneered, grabbing her wrist and yanking her closer. "You ditchedat the dinner. You refused to pickup. Seems like you're getting gutsier by the day, huh?" He leaned in, his breath hot against her skin. "You think landing a job means you can just break free and live however you want? Yvonne, don't say I didn't warn you. You're nothing if you're not my wife. Don't fool yourself." Yvonne turned her head away, her chest tightening painfully, but she stayed silent.
A deep sadness swelled inside her.
If he thought she was nothing without him, she was resolute in proving that she could thrive on her own terms. One day, she would break free. She would show him—and herself—that her strength and worth were not defined by anyone else.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"Nothing to say? Hit a nerve, didn't I?" Norton goaded, his voice twisting the knife.
Yvonne refused to respond, turning her head sharply away from him.
But he was not about to let it slide.
He grabbed her chin roughly, his touch anything but gentle. She did not cry but she simply knit her brows together and twisted her face out of his grip, her stubbornness quiet but firm.
Under the warm glow of the lamp, the fine down on her skin skimmered faintly, making her look even more fragile.
Maybe it was the alcohol clouding his head, or maybe it was something deeper, but a wave of heat rushed but a wave through his body. Seeing her stand so defiant against him only made his blood roar louder in his ears.
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