CHAPTER 20

"I pushed him away forcefully," I recalled, my heart still pounding from the adrenaline rush. I had managed to break free from his grasp, my body trembling with a mixture of anger and fear. I hurried to the cabinet, my hand reaching for the robe, a desperate attempt to regain some semblance of control.

"I brought you some dresses. I hope they fit you. Just check them. I'll wait for you outside," I heard him say, his voice a low murmur.

I let out a sigh of relief as the door closed, the sound a confirmation that he had left.

I leaned against the cabinet door, my head throbbing.

"This is all your fault, Lara. You let him get close to you again," I muttered, my voice filled with self-recrimination.

I smacked myself, the sting of the blow a physical reminder of my stupidity.

After a while, I turned to the clothes on the bed.

He had left two sets of clothes, a maxi dress, and some underwear. I bit my lip, my gaze lingering on the underwear, a symbol of the vulnerability I had experie