Chapter 629

A fire burned in Vivian Bennett's chest.

Liam Sullivan clung to her like a stubborn piece of adhesive tape.

Her entire body felt weak and limp, drained of strength.

Within moments, he had her encircled in his arms.

His hand wandered restlessly along her waist.

Vivian suddenly went still.

She lifted her eyes.

Two icy flames blazed in her gaze, piercing straight through him.

"Let. Go."

Her voice was cold as ice, devoid of any warmth a new bride should possess.

Liam's fingers tightened, cinching her slender waist even more firmly.

His heart gave a painful throb.

He buried his face in the crook of her neck, his voice muffled.

"I won't."

"Will you let go or not?" Vivian's pitch rose sharply, her fury threatening to shatter the ceiling.

"I won't." Liam lifted his head.

His eyes softened, taking on a pleading quality.

"Vivian, don't be angry. It's my fault. I tired you out last night."

Vivian's lips twisted into a cold, bitter smile.

"You know you tired me out? You seemed to be having plenty of fun all by yourself."

Liam pulled her shoulders closer, a note of grievance in his tone.

"Last night was our wedding night. You can't expect me to do nothing, can you? It's normal."

"Normal?" Vivian sounded as if she'd heard the most absurd joke.

She stared at Liam's self-righteous face, enunciating each word clearly.

"You think it's normal to take advantage of a woman while she's unconscious? To do whatever you wanted to her?"

He actually thought it was justified.

That chilled her more than the act itself.

The smile faded from Liam's face, his brow furrowing.

"Don't make it sound so ugly. A husband with his wife is natural. Especially on their wedding night. The law recognizes it. It was your duty. How can you call it me violating you?"

Hearing his high-sounding justification felt like a blunt instrument slamming into Vivian's chest.

Duty?

So her consent could be completely disregarded?

What was she in his eyes? An object to be used at will?

"So, you think you did nothing wrong?" Vivian's voice trembled.

"Even if I was unwilling, you think it was justified? If I'd been awake last night, fighting you with everything I had, what would you have done? Taken me by force?"

She didn't really care about the answer.

What was done was done.

She wasn't so fragile she couldn't bear it.

She had endured wounds far more painful than this.

It was his attitude now that she couldn't accept.

Liam was silent for a moment, his voice dropping low.

"I just wanted us to be close, like a normal married couple. I don't want there to always be this distance between us. With the atmosphere last night... I thought... this was a way to bridge that gap."

"Stop making excuses." Vivian turned her face away, a bitter curve touching her lips.

"You knew perfectly well that if I'd been awake, I would have refused. That's why you did it while I was unconscious."

She turned her head back, her gaze sharp as it fixed on him.

"I know exactly what you were thinking. You thought that once we'd been intimate, or if you got me pregnant, you could tie me down. You think women always soften because of physical intimacy or children. So you disregarded my wishes and took possession first."