Chapter 40

Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner. Every day, Thomas indulged in the exquisite pleasure of devouring Cassandra, and she never tired of offering herself to him. Yet by evening, exhaustion weighed heavily on her limbs and spirit. She had chosen this life—accepted her cunning husband’s voracious appetite—and so she willingly surrendered to him whenever desire called. There was no resentment in her heart; in fact, the sensation delighted her, awakening hidden delights within her soul. Still, it took its toll, and she often found herself too weary to stand. Even so, these intimate meals had woven an unspoken bond between them, drawing her and Thomas ever closer.

When Saturday dawned, Cassandra braced herself for another round of her husband’s hungry attentions. Thankfully, salvation arrived in the form of Thomas’s parents, who swept into their home unannounced but warmly welcome. The bell chimed a bright note, and Cassandra, fatigued but eager to usher them in, hurried to greet them at the