Derek, who had been prepared to let her go, caught a glint of ruthlessness in his eye at Tabitha's words, "But Tabitha, I never intended to let you go."
This time, without a moment's hesitation, he took her.
Tabitha shook her head, pleading, "You can't, Derek, you can't..."
Derek's smile was cold and resolute. "Our bond isn't so easily severed. If it breaks, I'll just mend it."
As he straightened his back, Tabitha nearly cried out.
Derek kissed her skin with a mix of cruelty and tenderness. "I said it before—I'll never let go unless I die. Be good, control your voice, or I'll have to take responsibility if someone hears," he murmured.
Tabitha pounded his chest in desperation. "Bastard... ah..."
The couple nearby, after nearly two hours of entanglement, had finally fallen silent, rustling as they dressed.
"I thought I heard something. Did you?" the woman's hoarse voice asked.
Tabitha, terrified at being discovered, clutched Derek's arm with a pleading gaze.
Derek whispered in her ear, audible only to her, "Beg me, Tabitha."
Overwhelmed by fear of being caught, Tabitha bit her lip and pleaded softly into Derek's ear, "Please."
Derek, true to his word, momentarily restrained himself, making no sound.
Their footsteps drew closer, separated only by a pile of cornstalks.
Tabitha's heart raced as if it would burst from her chest.
Derek, however, remained unfazed. What if they were found? He was with his wife—there was nothing illicit about that.
A late-night breeze rustled the leaves.
The man pointed at the foliage and said, "See? I told you there's nothing to worry about. You're just paranoid."
The woman, regaining her senses, looked down at her shoes. "You know why I'm so scared. It's because I'm afraid of being found out."
"Fear what? I promised to take you away. We'll seek out Mrs. Atkinson. She'll help us. I truly love you. Let's elope," the man urged.
Their conversation about fleeing left Tabitha in agony.
She noticed Derek's forehead was also beaded with sweat—clearly, he was as distressed as she was.
After debating for what felt like ages on how to escape, they finally left in a hurry.
The real agitation, however, belonged to Derek. He leaned down and whispered in Tabitha's ear, "Now no one can disturb us. Be good and let go."
***
Tabitha would forever remember the moonlit night—the sky filled with stars, the warm breeze carrying an almost unbearable heat.
Her heart felt like it was on a never-ending rollercoaster, surging with emotion that obliterated reason and thought.
Some say base desires can be satisfied with a little indulgence, while higher desires require restraint.
Derek didn't care whether his desires were base or noble; he had waited for this day for far too long.
Both physically and emotionally, the void within him was finally filled.
The chirping of crickets or some such insects provided a natural soundtrack to their intimate moment, creating a perfect symphony.
Derek finally relented, but Tabitha felt as though she had lost half her life.
What a brute...
"Tabitha, I'm sorry," Derek muttered, his hands trembling with vulnerability as he held her, a stark contrast to his earlier godlike demeanor.
Tabitha felt as though she had walked into a trap.
Derek's actions reeked of manipulation— Offering a sweet treat after a slap.
She knew this man was deeply cunning.
She couldn't strike or kill him; she had to treat him.
"Leave me alone!" Tabitha shrugged off his touch, fumbling to put her clothes back on.
A wave of sadness washed over her.
She had resolved to escape his shadow and build a new life, but he had dragged her back. What was the meaning of this?
With tear-streaked cheeks, Tabitha demanded, "Derek, repeatedly disrupting my life and pulling me back—what do you truly want?"
"Tabitha, I just..."
Derek was flustered. He had braced himself for Tabitha's anger and tears, but he hadn't anticipated her breaking down into sobs.
"I finally managed to walk out of your shadow and live my life, and you drag me back. Derek, can't you bear to see me happy?"
"Tabitha, I just..."
"Stop touching me. It's disgusting," Tabitha snapped.
Under the moonlight, Tabitha's tear-stained face was like a dagger to Derek's heart.
He had hoped Tabitha might have found some pleasure in their encounter, but all he saw on her face was revulsion.
Derek's hand, meant to comfort her, hovered in the air. He simply watched her.
"Tabitha, what makes you think you can barge into my life, leave as you please, and then waltz back in? What do you take me for?"
"We've been rejected years ago. Do you need me to explain what it means? It means we're done. What are you doing now?"