Isabel’s POVKiss me? The words echoed in my mind, twisting my gut in disgust. Every fiber of my being recoiled. But I quickly remembered the delicate game I was playing.If I wanted to win Emerson over, to buy my freedom bit by bit, I couldn’t let my true feelings show. Not now. Not after I’d spent days carefully maintaining peace between us. The only way to get what I wanted was through calculated patience.I forced a smile, gentle but firm. "I don’t think that’s a good idea right now," I said, keeping my voice calm.Emerson blinked, caught off guard. I’d never seen him speechless before. He stammered, “Oh… okay, sorry… It’s just—I thought—”The sight of him stumbling over his words would’ve been almost comical if the situation weren’t so dire. It was strange seeing this side of him—vulnerable, unsure. For years, he’d been nothing but cold, controlling, calculating. Now he stood before me, clearly embarrassed. As if he wasn’t sure how to proceed."It’s fine," I said, adjusting the
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