Love Says She Once Returned

The creaking of the bed echoed through the quiet villa on the outskirts of town.

That big, sturdy bed looked like it could fall apart at any second with how rough things were getting.

Elena Cooper bit down so hard on her lower lip that she could taste the metallic tang of blood spreading in her mouth.

Her body was covered in bruises, aching all over, her stomach churning like crazy.

But even with all that pain and humiliation, she couldn't stop her body from reacting to the touch she hated.

"I begged you to save someone, and you ended up killing her brother! How heartless can you be!"

Brandon Sterling's movements got rougher, each thrust more punishing than the last. Elena stayed silent, even her soft moans felt detached and empty.

He'd crawled out of worse situations, dealt with more vicious criminals throughout his years in the SWAT team.

Most of them would back off just hearing his name. But no matter what he did to her, this woman wouldn't break.

And that drove him mad—how could someone who looked so fragile be more stubborn than the worst of the monsters he'd faced?

No, that wasn't it—she wasn't just stubborn. To him, she was even more dangerous than a criminal.

"Say something!" he snapped, yanking her hair back hard enough to make her scalp ache.

She gave a soft laugh, voice calm as ever. "Then kill me."

The corner of her mouth lifted slightly, a smile that only fueled his fury.

"What, so you can run to Gabriel in the afterlife? Dream on!"

His voice was harsh and cold. "Let me make one thing clear—you won't ever see him again. Got it? Never."

Gabriel's name hit her like a slap, her heart tightening in pain.

Her eyes, bloodshot and defiant, locked on his face, and her body trembled with the effort to fight back, even if it was useless.

"I already told you—your fiancée's brother's death had nothing to do with me!" she snapped, her voice hoarse but firm.

"You've got the power to end my life like squashing a bug, right? If you really think I did it, then go ahead. Kill me!"

Her shout and violent struggling sent him over the edge, and in that moment of chaos, his body reached its limit.After finally calming down a bit, Brandon grabbed Elena's chin tightly, forcing her to look straight at him. “Kill you? No. I won't give you that release. I want you stuck with me—suffering, until the day you die.”

Outside, the night was pitch black, like someone had dumped ink across the sky. Thick and heavy, it swallowed up the moon and stars: nothing but darkness, enough to make anyone feel hopeless.

He stood up and called out flatly to the woman waiting outside the room, “Mrs. Tate, make sure she takes the pills.”

“Yes, sir.” Mrs. Tate walked in with a cold look in her eyes, holding the birth control pills she'd prepared earlier.

“I'm not taking that! I won't!” Elena clutched her stomach and stepped back fast, retreating a few paces.

“That's not your decision to make.” Mrs. Tate had been with the Sterlings long before Brandon's mother joined the family. She always got things done and was someone everyone in the household respected—or feared.

Even as just a maid, her presence was intimidating.

“Miss Elena, the young master isn't gonna wait forever. Either you take the pills yourself, or I'll have to do things the hard way.” As soon as she said that, two other rough-looking women stepped in behind her.

“I want to see Brandon! I have something to say to him!” Elena's arms were still wrapped protectively around her belly, her eyes locked onto the three of them, blazing with anger. But the sweat gathering in her palms betrayed her calm front.

“You don't get to see him. He said he's done with you.” Mrs. Tate held out the pills toward her. “Take them. Now.”

Elena hesitated for a second, then stopped resisting. She took the pills, drank a little water, eyes fixed on the door.

Then, without warning, she popped the pill into her mouth—and the very next second, charged forward, shoving the woman at the door aside and bolting out of the room. The pill got spat right back out as she ran.

“Catch her! Now!” Mrs. Tate's face twisted in shock and fury as she barked orders at the other two women.

Chaos erupted. Elena ran as fast as she could, the pain in her lower body so sharp it felt like she was tearing apart inside.

The front door was just up ahead!

Almost there... just a little more and she'd be free…

But right at the top of the staircase on the second floor—her foot slipped. And she tumbled down.