Chapter 34: Ran Into Your Old Flame
Nash had kept the incident to himself, not revealing it to anyone. Not even when he failed to show up at the hotel that night.
The reason Nash had bought Caroline was to protect her reputation. By purchasing her, the Brooks family couldn’t sell her off to anyone else, ensuring she was kept away from any further exploitation. At the time, Caroline had no idea that it was Nash who had bought her.
By the time Caroline returned to the Ellison residence, the sky had already darkened. The usual hum of the house was missing.
“Weird…” Caroline murmured to herself, noticing the empty, quiet house. “Where’s the butler? And the maids? Why is the house so dark?”
She flipped the light switch, and with a click, the crystal chandelier above illuminated the room.
As the light flooded the space, she turned and froze. There, sitting casually on the couch, was David. His posture was relaxed, but his expression remained cold and sharp, as always.
She clutched her chest in surprise. “Why are you just sitting there silently? You scared me!”
David didn’t react to her words, his gaze unwavering. “Where were you?”
Caroline shrugged nonchalantly. “I… went wherever I wanted.”
David gave her a fleeting glance before leaning back, a cigarette dangling from his lips.
His voice was low, almost bored. “Light.”
Caroline blinked, momentarily confused, before realizing he was asking for the lighter.
David’s impatience grew as he spoke again. “Didn’t understand me?”
Rather than argue about something so trivial, Caroline sighed and grabbed the lighter, flicking it on and holding it up to his cigarette.
But David tilted his head slightly, avoiding the flame.
“Didn’t you want to smoke?” Caroline asked, her confusion growing. “Are you lighting it or not?”
David’s cold, commanding voice answered, “Whether I light it or not, your flame needs to stay lit.”
Caroline felt the heat from the lighter intensify in her hand. She wanted to pull it back, but the coldness in his gaze stopped her from doing so.
“Hmm?” he prompted, his eyes still locked on hers.
Her thumb throbbed from the heat, and the faint smell of something burning lingered in the air. She bit her lip, frustration building. “I get it. You’re just finding new ways to torment me, aren’t you?”
David’s lips curled into a small, amused smile, though his eyes were still cold. “Want to see what happens if that flame goes out?”
Caroline retorted quickly, her own eyes narrowing. “If the flame goes out, will you snuff it out too?”
David’s lips shifted slightly as he exhaled, making the cigarette sway with the movement. His insolent demeanor, paired with his casual charm, made him frustratingly attractive in that moment. But Caroline had no interest in admiring him now.
She wanted to burn him with that very lighter if she could.
The metal of the lighter grew unbearably hot, the pain in her thumb intensifying.
David, however, remained unaffected. His voice dropped, cold and menacing. “I’ll ask you one more time. Where were you?”
Caroline quickly answered, not giving him the satisfaction of seeing her flinch. “I went to a coffee shop, sat for a while, and then came home.”
David’s gaze didn’t soften. “And?”
Caroline felt her patience waning but still responded, “That’s it.”
He leaned forward then, gripping her chin with his fingers, forcing her to meet his eyes. “Not a word about running into your old flame?”
Caroline’s heart skipped a beat. The words hit her like a punch to the gut. “You’re spying on me?”
Not only did David know she’d met Nash, but he also knew about their history. How long had he been watching her? How much did he know?
The full weight of David’s terrifying ability to control and monitor everything around her became painfully clear. She had no chance of matching him, not even if she had ten lifetimes to try.
David’s voice was cold, a smirk dancing at the edges of his lips. “There’s nothing I don’t know. Caroline, remember who you are.”
Caroline’s voice was sharp as she shot back, “I know exactly who I am.” She pulled away slightly, challenging him. “That’s why I only exchanged a few words with Nash. No touching, no impropriety—completely aboveboard. What about you?”
In one swift motion, she tossed the lighter onto his lap, her frustration boiling over.
“You’re out there cuddling and flirting with Elizabeth, but I can’t even have a conversation with Nash?”
David’s eyes narrowed dangerously, the chill in his gaze deepening. “What I do doesn’t mean you can do the same.”
Caroline stood her ground, meeting his gaze with a defiant fire. But she knew that in this silent battle between them, David had the upper hand. And for now, all she could do was survive it.
