Book 3: Chapter 5

The tears streaming down her face turned hot with fury as her emotions shifted from despair to rage. Her trembling hands clenched into fists as she glared at him, her voice coming out hoarse but filled with venom.

“I hate you,” Esmeralda seethed, her voice laced with a cold fury she had never felt before. “I swear, Diego, I will make you pay for this. You won’t get away with what you’ve done to me.”

Diego paused in the middle of adjusting his cufflinks, his dark eyes flicking up to meet hers, amusement dancing in them. He let out a low chuckle, shaking his head as if he found her anger laughable. “Really, Esme? You’re going to make me pay? How exactly do you plan on doing that? You can’t even stand up without my permission.”

He gestured to the ropes binding her to the chair, his smirk deepening. “Look at you. Pathetic. Tied up, helpless, and at my mercy. You don’t have the power to make me pay for anything.”

Esmeralda strained against the ropes, her wrists bu