All Chapters of Will You Marry Me?: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

ANYA I was just about to walk out of the house when Hunter’s voice stopped me in my tracks. “Hold on.” I froze, turning slowly. His expression was calm, but his eyes were anything but. His next words sent a shiver down my spine. “Do not take my next words for granted, Anya: You are my wife now, and I expect you to act like one.” His voice was low but commanding. “I am extremely jealous and possessive when it comes to things that belong to me... and you, Anya, belong to me.” The room felt smaller with every word he spoke. “Do not get close to any man other than me,” he continued, his eyes darkening. “That can end badly—for both the other man and you. Do you understand?” My heart pounded so hard I was sure he could hear it. My mind raced back to my conversation with Cross from last night. ~~~~~ “I’m in love with you, Anya,” Cross had said, his voice sounding raw and honest. Tears had welled up in my eyes as I tried to steady myself. “I’m so sorry for what happened

HUNTER I had expected my marriage with Anya to be interesting, but I never thought it would be so exhilarating. She was a delightful contradiction—sexy as hell, yet wrapped in an innocence that both thrilled and challenged me. Everything about her drew me in deeper, like a moth drawn to a deadly flame. Her naivety wasn’t a flaw, it was a blank canvas for me to paint every sinful desire I had. I could hardly wait to teach her all the dirty ideas swirling in my head. The time I caught her in my bedroom had been exciting. I could feel the fear that engulfed her as her eyes darted toward the cupboard. Of course, someone like her would be frightened by what was in there. But if she didn’t ask about it, I wasn’t going to volunteer any information. She brushed it off, acting as though it didn’t bother her. And when she knelt before me, begging for a chance to continue college, I knew there was more to it. A girl with grades as bad as hers wasn’t motivated by academics alone. No, her

ANYA Standing on the balcony, I watched as Hunter’s car sped down the long driveway. His sleek, black car was like a shadow fading into the distance, but the tension in my chest lingered. "Goat? Yam?" I muttered bitterly, shaking my head. "How can a man be so narrow-minded in this day and age?" The wind whipped around me, tugging at my hair, but it wasn’t enough to cool the fire building under my skin. I felt trapped in a cruel joke. The entire school must have heard about Hunter’s display by now. Gossip spreads faster than wildfire when it’s laced with scandal. Tomorrow, I’d walk through those halls as "the girl who married Hunter Steele." And suddenly I’d be famous for all the wrong reasons. And Cross... oh, Cross. It would make even a simple conversation with him feel like climbing Everest barefoot. How was I going to approach him without a storm of rumors brewing around us? I pulled out my phone and scrolled through my contacts until I found Evans’ name. I hesitated f

ANYA I stayed in my room, staring at the ceiling, feeling both bored and anxious. My heart kept pounding as thoughts raced through my mind. What was Hunter planning to ask me to do? What if I messed up our plan? If I failed, Evans could be in danger. And Cross... would I ever get to be with him if things went wrong? There was a soft knock on the door. "Mrs. Hunter?" Marie’s gentle voice called out. "Lunch is ready." I didn’t move. "I’m not hungry," I muttered without opening the door. "Are you sure? I can make you something special if you’d like." "No, Marie. I’m fine." There was a long pause. I thought she had left, but then she spoke again. "Please, Mrs. Hunter, if your husband finds out you didn’t eat, he might fire me." That made me sit up. I hadn’t thought of that. "Just tell him I ate," I said, trying to reassure her. "He doesn’t have to know." Marie hesitated. "I can’t lie to him. Mr. Hunter hates lies. And... there are cameras in the dining room and kitchen.

ANYA When I stepped out of the bathroom, the cool air from the AC was a relief against my freshly cleaned skin. The earlier stifling heat had been replaced by a soothing chill. I felt calm for a second....until I noticed Hunter watching me. He lay on the bed, his head propped up by his hand, eyes sharp and unwavering, a small smile playing on his lips. I wondered how he stayed unaffected by the heat earlier. His expression hadn’t changed at all, as if he thrived in making me uncomfortable. I walked over to the bed and lay face down, pressing my cheek into the pillow. My eyes fluttered shut as I forced myself to breathe evenly, pretending to sleep. But I could feel his gaze, heavy and unapologetic, burning into me. Still, exhaustion finally pulled me under. The dream came swiftly, vivid and terrifying. Hunter was standing a few feet away from Evans, who was on his knees, hands raised as if pleading for his life. "I warned you to stay away from my wife," Hunter’s voice r