Dear Ex-wife Marry Me novel (Maja) novel Chapter 2305

She couldn't believe she did that to herself.

"Does Tyler know?" Marlon asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"He doesn't need to know," Athena replied, her voice steady, yet distant.

Marlon chuckled, still hovering over her. He leaned down and playfully nipped at her neck. "Well, that's convenient. I never was much of a fan of kids anyway. Now I have all sorts of ways to have fun without worrying about you getting pregnant."

He didn’t notice that his voice quivered slightly as he said it. With a cold demeanor, he pushed her away and buckled his belt, falling silent.

Athena felt weak all over, quietly tending to herself. The atmosphere in the cabin was tense, and no one dared to speak.

The boat was set to dock in three hours, and crossing the border was no easy feat, especially with the notorious security at Windhelm.

They came upon another mountain, where they'd rest at a small house nestled at its base for the night.

Athena was unceremoniously dumped into a wooden tub. Marlon gave her a cursory wash before pulling her out and continuing his business at the tub's edge.

Their room was separate from the others, a precaution for Marlon's escape if things went south. A hidden tunnel awaited him beneath the floorboards.

Athena's forehead was slick with sweat from the pain, while Marlon seemed elated. His bites and kisses left no part of her unblemished, yet her eyes remained cold, like a block of ice that refused to melt.

Afterwards, Marlon shoved her aside with such force that she hit the floor. He lounged against the bed, toying with something in his hands without bothering to close his robe.

Athena recognized it immediately—a whistle from her childhood, crafted by Kerwin. It had once hung around her neck, a token of his promise. "If anyone bullies you, just blow this whistle, and I'll come running," he used to say.

Athena trembled, resisting the urge to remember Kerwin's kindness. The thought was unbearable; he was too good to have died, especially in such a senseless way.

Her mind was a whirlwind, eyes fixed on the whistle, lips pressed tightly as if to contain her emotions.

He lived for the thrill, the danger of skirting the edge. Injuries were nothing new, just part of the game.

Yet in that moment, Athena's words cut deeper than any bullet ever had.

This was wrong; it shouldn't affect him like this.

He laughed abruptly, plunging forward with renewed intent.

Athena bit back her cries, nails digging in, nearly breaking. She decided to provoke him further, knowing what buttons to push.

"You asked who my first was, right? It was Kerwin. We were together in college for a while. He was so gentle, and I felt like the happiest person alive. But with you, it’s just emptiness, no matter how much we do."

Marlon froze, breath heavy against her back.