Derek’s hand abruptly lifted my chin, his touch gentle yetmanding. “I love you, Elena,” he dered, his voice filled with a fierce protectiveness. “I will not allow anyone to hurt or love you.”


    His words were a solemn vow, a promise to shield me from the shadows of my past. They were bothforting and intimidating, leaving me with a sense of security I hadn’t felt in a long time.


    Derek’s next question pierced through the uncertainty that had settled over me. “Tell me about what he did to you now. Please tell me everything,” he urged, his voice soft andpassionate.


    Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, trying to summon the courage to share the painful chapters of my past. But the memories felt like a heavy burden, and I hesitated. How could I put into words the experiences that had shaped me into the person I had be?


    “I…” I began, my voice barely a whisper as I struggled to form the words.


    Before I could continue, I felt someone’s strong arms encircle my waist, and I was pulled onto theirp. My eyes snapped open, and I saw that it was Derek who had pulled me closer to him.


    “Mr. Derek, I…” I started, my words catching in my throat.


    He abruptly interrupted, “now we have the entire night. Elena, you may take your time. I’m all in.”


    He identally touched my back, a pang of physical pain shot through my back, causing me to let out an involuntary whimper. Derek’s keen ears didn’t miss a beat, and he immediately noticed my difort.


    “What’s the matter?” Derek’s voice cracked with concern as he gently touched my back, his fingers tracing the source of my difort.


    I bit my lower lip, trying to hide the pain that had surfaced. “No, nothing,” I replied, my voice strained.


    Derek’s determination to care for me was unyielding. He slid my hair aside, revealing the area that was causing me distress. “Elena, let me look,” he urged softly, his eyes filled with genuine concern.


    Reluctantly, I allowed him to inspect the spot. I knew I couldn’t keep my pain hidden from him for long. As Derek examined my back, his touch was gentle, but his expression grew more serious.


    “It’s nothing, Mr. Derek,” I insisted, my voice trembling slightly as I tried to downy the difort.


    The gentle caress of Derek’s fingertips on my wound sent shivers down my spine. The room was bathed in a soft, dim light, and the atmosphere felt heavy with the weight of unspoken pain.


    Derek’s fingers traced the contours of the scar on my back, a constant reminder of the darkness that had once enveloped my life. His touch was delicate, as though he feared causing me any further difort, but it was also filled with an undeniable resolve to understand the depth of my suffering.


    “Did he do this to you?” Derek’s voice was hushed, a mixture of concern and anger simmering beneath the surface. He didn’t need to specify who “he” referred to; we both knew it was Paul.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I hesitated, grappling with the flood of emotions that threatened to engulf me. The memories of those painful moments with Paul rushed back, unbidden and unwee. But I couldn’t hide the truth any longer, not from Derek, the one person who had shown me unwavering support and love.


    “No,” I whispered, my voice barely audible in the quiet room. “I just fell.”


    I lied to him. I could not say Paul’s name because I am not strong to face the reality. Maybe I don’t want him to get hurt or maybe I love…


    I swallowed as I moved my gaze.


    Derek’s grip on my back tightened ever so slightly, a silent acknowledgment of the pain and suffering I had endured. He didn’t need to say anything; his touch spoke volumes.


    Derek’s POV.


    My blood boiled with anger as I stared at the scar on Elena’s back. The knowledge that Paul had inflicted such pain on her, someone I loved deeply, filled me with a fierce desire for vengeance. I wanted to make him pay for every ounce of suffering he had caused her.


    “Damn that bastard,” I seethed, clenching my fists in frustration. The urge to confront Paul, to make him understand the consequences of his actions, was almost overwhelming.


    But before I could act on my anger, Elena’s hand on my arm brought me back to reality. I turned to look at her, her eyes pleading with me to reconsider.


    “Please don’t,” she pleaded, her voice filled with desperation and fear.


    Elena’s words echoed in my mind  she didn’t want me to confront Paul, she lied to me that he did not hurt her.


    **


    As Derek’s anger red, and he made a move to stand up, I could feel the tension building in the room. I knew all too well what he was capable of when pushed to his limits, and I feared the consequences of his fury.


    Desperation wed at me, and I reached out, gripping his hand tightly to hold him back. “Please don’t,” I pleaded, my voice trembling with fear and concern. The thought of Derek confronting Paul in a violent confrontation filled me with dread.


    But Derek’s resolve remained unshaken. He was determined to make Paul pay for the pain he had inflicted on me. “He touched my wife, so he has to pay,” Derek dered, his eyes zing with a fierce intensity. He seemed so focused on retribution that he didn’t even spare a nce in my direction.


    I continued to plead with him, my grip on his hand tightening. “Please don’t, Mr. Derek,” I implored, my voice barely more than a whisper.


    I couldn’t bear the thought of Derek resorting to violence on my behalf, even if it meant avenging the scars on my back. The cycle of violence had already taken too much from us, and I didn’t want it to im any more. I knew that deep down, Derek was a good man, and I didn’t want to see him consumed by hatred and rage.


    “Please don’t kill him, Derek,” I begged, my voice filled with a plea for mercy.