Legacy of Healing

Chapter 31: I'm here

A week had passed since their most intense argument, and while things seemed to have calmed down on the surface, tension still simmered between Anastasia and Elijah. Their relationship was as passionate as ever, but there was an undercurrent of possessiveness that Anastasia couldn't ignore. It hung in the air, unspoken, yet ever-present in the way Elijah looked at her, touched her, and even spoke to her.

One evening after work, Anastasia went out with her colleagues for dinner. It had been a while since she'd done anything social without Elijah, and the time spent laughing and talking with friends felt refreshing. She felt lighter, like she could finally breathe a little easier without the constant weight of his gaze on her.

When she returned home later that night, Elijah was waiting for her in the living room, his expression unreadable. As soon as she walked through the door, she could feel the tension radiating off him. His eyes followed her every movement as she took off her coat and set her purse down.

"You were gone longer than you said," Elijah remarked, his voice calm but carrying an edge that made Anastasia pause.

"I was just having dinner with my friends," she replied, trying to keep her tone neutral, but she could feel her own frustration building. She had told him exactly where she was going, and yet here he was, already making an issue out of it.

Elijah stood up, his posture rigid. "That doesn't mean I like it. You were out, laughing and talking with other people, while I was here—waiting for you."

Anastasia's heart sank, and her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "Elijah, I'm allowed to spend time with my friends. I don't need your permission to go out," she said, her voice wavering between anger and exhaustion.

He stepped closer, his eyes narrowing as his jaw tightened. "You're mine, Anastasia. I don't like sharing you with anyone, not even for a few hours. Do you understand that?"

The possessiveness in his words sent a chill down her spine. She felt like a bird trapped in a cage, her wings clipped by the very person she loved. "You can't control every moment of my life," she retorted, her voice rising as her own frustration boiled over. "I love you, Elijah, but I need my own space. I need to feel like I can breathe."

His expression darkened, and for a moment, Anastasia thought he might explode with anger. Instead, he grabbed her wrist, pulling her sharply toward him. "You don't get it, do you?" His voice was low, almost a growl. "I'm trying to protect you. I need you close to me, always."

Her heart pounded in her chest as she looked up at him, a mixture of fear and anger swirling inside her. "Protect me? From what, Elijah? From living my own life? From being happy?" She tried to pull her wrist free, but his grip tightened.

"You're mine," he repeated, his voice firm and possessive as his other hand came up to cup her face, his thumb brushing over her lips. "I won't let anyone else have you."

Anastasia's breath caught in her throat, her eyes wide as she stared up at him. She was furious, her mind racing with everything she wanted to say, but the intensity in his gaze—the sheer force of his desire—left her speechless. Then, before she could say another word, Elijah crashed his lips against hers, kissing her with a raw, almost forceful passion. It wasn't gentle or tender—it was a claim, a reminder that she belonged to him.

Anastasia felt a surge of conflicting emotions—anger, desire, fear, and something else she couldn't quite name. Part of her wanted to push him away, to demand he stop treating her like a possession. But another part of her, the part that craved the intensity of their connection, responded to his touch, her body betraying her anger with a spark of need.