Chapter 81 081

• Ella stumbled back into the suite at midnight, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. Her eyes were swollen and raw from crying, her breath hitching in ragged gasps.
• The luxurious room felt alien now like a gilded cage where dread and misfortune stood in every corner. Chase whirled from the window, his face etched with lines of exhaustion and fear she’d never seen before.
• In three strides, he was across the marble floor, crushing her against his chest. His embrace was fierce, almost desperate, the tremor in his arms betraying his calm tone.