Chapter 234

The air was thick with tension as the camera continued to roll, capturing our lives for an audience

whose hunger for closure drove the charade. I faced Bruce, desperation etched into every line of my

face, as I attempted to plead with a man whose heart seemed shrouded in shadows.

“You won’t harm me,” I insisted, my voice shaky yet determined. “You care about me. Admit it.”

Bruce’s gaze bore into mine, his expression inscrutable. For a fleeting moment, I held my breath,

hoping against hope that he’d buy into my deceit.

“You’re dumb if you really believe that,” Bruce sneered, his tone tinged with condescension.

“I guess so,” I stated. “I’ve had my fair share of hurt, but certain things are clear to me now.”

When he raised an eyebrow, I nearly lost some of my resolve. Either he wasn’t getting it, or I wasn’t

pushing hard enough.

I squared my shoulders, my voice tinged with a feigned resolve. “I’ve let go of him, Bruce. If he wants to

come, that’s on him, but I want to start anew. And I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Bruce’s confusion was evident, his brow furrowing in disbelief. “You? Letting go? That’s a new one.”

Desperation gnawed at me, knowing I had to keep him convinced, keep him from seeing through my

ruse. I summoned every ounce of courage, attempting to shift the conversation.

“I’ve let go of Timothy,” I lied, hoping my words would tug at his elusive softer side. “I want to start

anew, and you can give me that chance.”

His confusion was palpable, the lines of his face etched with a mix of surprise and skepticism. “What

are you trying to say?” Bruce’s voice was tense, a hint of vulnerability surfacing in his eyes.

I took a step closer, attempting to appeal to something within him, to bridge the gap between us.

“You’ve always been so sure of what you wanted,” I continued, my voice taking on a seductive tone,

“unlike Timothy.”

The mention of Timothy seemed to strike a chord in Bruce, a flicker of recognition passing through his

eyes before he masked it with a veil of indifference. My attempt at seduction, however, seemed to

embarrass him.

“He doesn’t know how to communicate effectively,” I pressed on, playing a risky game to unravel the

enigma that was Bruce. “Unlike you, and I think there’s sorgething deeper within you, something you’ve

kept hidden.”

Bruce’s cheeks flushed. “Stop it,” he demanded, and when I refused to look away, he lowered the

camera.

The red light on the camera blinked, signaling the end of our live broadcast. Bruce switched it off

hastily, as if seeking to shield himself from the raw vulnerability that had been exposed.

“You know what you want, Bruce,” I repeated. “You’d understand my needs.”

Bruce’s guarded facade wavered slightly, his uncertainty flickering in his eyes. “Needs…”

I leaned closer, my heart racing with fear and revulsion, but I had to keep up the act. “I’m trying to say

that the only real man I’ve ever known as staring at me right now.”

His eyes widened at this. For once, he appeared unsure, and he started looking around. I had to choke

back a laugh.

“Kiss me, Bruce,” I whispered, praying he’d comply.

He hesitated, his gaze searching mine for a hint of deception. With a conflicted expression, he leaned

in reluctantly, pressing his lips against mine. I fought back the urge to recoil, masking my revulsion with

a “false sense of compliance.

As his lips met mine, I closed my eyes, silently praying for Timothy’s arrival. I could feel Bruce’s

uncertainty, his hesitation evident in the way he kissed me. Every second felt like an eternity as I

played along, hoping that this would buy me enough time.

Breaking away from the kiss, I feigned a breathlessness that masked my underlying fear. “Bruce, I want

to start over, with you. I want to forget everything and just be with you.”

His

ic expression softened momentarily, but suspicion lingered in his eyes. “Evie, I don’t believe you’ve

suddenly had a change of heart”

I pushed forward, the urgency of the moment propelling me to maintain the charade. “Please, Bruce,

I’ve made mistakes. Let’s start over somewhere else. Leave all of this behind us.”

Bruce’s uncertainty seemed to waver, his resolve faltering as he gazed at me with a mixture of

confusion

and suspicion. “You’re not making any sense, Evie.”

My heart pounded with a blend of desperation and anticipation. I had to keep him occupied, buy more

time for Timothy to arrive. “Kiss me again, Bruce,” I pleaded, trying to keep the pretense alive.

Instead of another kiss, Bruce’s demeanor seemed to shift slightly, a sense of contentment settling over

him. “Evie, what do you plan on doing?” he asked, his voice tinged with curiosity. “If we left?”

I took a deep breath, steadying myself before responding. “Whatever we want. But I can’t deny you

anymore, Bruce.”

The words tasted bitter on my tongue, but I needed to keep up the charade. Bruce seemed to interpret

my statement as a sexual advance, his gaze darkening with desire.

But I quickly interjected, clarifying my intentions. “We need to leave the city. The authorities will be here

soon. Timothy has connections, and they’ll track us down.”

Bruce’s expression shifted from arousal to confusion. “Leave? But why? This is our chance to be

together, to start anew.”

My heart raced with desperation, knowing I had to keep him convinced, to make him believe that

*leaving was our only option. “Trust me, Bruce. We can’t stay here. If we leave now, we can start fresh,

away from all the chaos.”

He seemed hesitant, his gaze fixated on me, searching for any hint of deception. “But where will we

go? How do I know you won’t betray me again?”

I took a step closer, trying to appeal to his fragile trust. “I won’t, Bruce. I promise. We’ll find a place far

away, where no one knows us. We can have a new beginning.”

A flicker of doubt crossed his face, but he seemed to relent, his stance softening slightly. “Say we do

leave…”

Relief surged through me, but I knew I had to tread carefully. Every word had to convince him that I

was on his side, that I was willingly complying to save myself.

Gathering my courage, I interrupted before he could finish his thought. “Let’s go, Bruce. Let’s get out of

here. He’ll never know where we went.”

This seemed to thrill him even more. “You must really hate Timothy,” he said.

“You’re right,” I said, fighting the urge to glare at him. “He hurt me too many times.”

Bruce glanced at me, his gaze piercing. “Why aren’t you afraid of me?” he asked suddenly, his tone

almost accusing. “This little trip of ours could be dangerous.”

I hesitated, contemplating my response carefully. “Because I have worse fears,” I confessed quietly, not

wanting to reveal too much.

His eyes flickered with a hint of recognition, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. “I think I have an

idea of where we can go,” he stated cryptically.

A shiver ran down my spine at his words, a sense of foreboding settling deep within me. I tried to hide

my unease, keeping up the facade of composure. “Sure, lead the way,” I replied coolly.

However, as the car veered toward an unfamiliar direction, a knot formed in my stomach. I couldn’t

shake the feeling that I was being led into the unknown, into something far more dangerous than I

could anticipate.

The surroundings grew increasingly desolate, the night enveloping us in an eerie silence. I stole a

glance at Bruce, but his expression revealed nothing.

“Where are we going?” I finally asked.

Bruce’s smirk widened slightly, a gleam in his eyes that sent alarm bells ringing in my mind. “Trust me,

it’ll be an enlightening experience,” he replied cryptically.