Chapter 71: Decision_His Bride in Chains

<h4>Chapter 71: Decision</h4>

 Eliana Bet sat frozen on Rafael’sp, her pulse thundering in her chest like it wanted to escape. His clouded eyes—eyes she had sworn were blind—locked onto hers with an intensity that robbed her lungs of air. The world seemed to shrink until it was just the two of them, suspended in that dangerous stillness. His hands, broad and strong, rested firmly on her hips as though he could keep her there forever, refusing to let her slip away.

 The space between them was alive, humming with the taste of the kiss they had just shared, vibrating with the gravity of the words he had dared to speak. "Eliana," he murmured, his voice a low rumble that seemed to reverberate straight through her bones, "this secret... it’s everything. Once I tell you, there’s no going back."

 Her honey eyes widened, fear and longing warring in their depths. She leaned closer without realizing it, her dark curls sliding forward over her shoulder like a silken curtain, brushing against his jaw. Her lips parted, trembling with the question that wed at her chest. "Rafael, what could it possibly—"

 Suddenly, a sharp knock splintered the moment, echoing through the heavy door like a gunshot. The fragile magic between them shattered instantly. Rafael’s jaw clenched, steel lines cutting across his face as his grip on her waist tightened. He didn’t speak, didn’t move, only held his breath as though sheer will might banish whoever stood at the other side.

 Another knock came. Louder. More insistent.

 Eliana’s body tensed in panic. Her mind raced—What if it’s someone who shouldn’t see us like this? What if it’s one of the maids or worse, Mirabel?—and before she could think better of it, she scrambled off hisp, her worn jeans brushing against his tailored trousers with a whisper of fabric, the sound intimate in its own right.

 "Eliana, wait—" His hand shot out, fingers grazing her arm, warm and desperate, but she was already retreating, tugging her blouse into ce with trembling hands, her chest still heaving.

 The knocking grew more impatient, rattling the door.

 Rafael’s expression darkened, his carefully controlled facade cracking, revealing the raw storm beneath. A growl tore from his throat, low and feral, vibrating in the air between them. He spun his chair toward the door, voiceced with a razor-edge of fury.

 "Who the hell is it?"

 "It’s James, sir," came the muffled reply from the other side. "I need to speak with you. It’s urgent."

 Eliana’s cheeks burned with a flush that had nothing to do with their earlier passion. She nced at Rafael, her clouded eyes somehow pleading. "You should... you should talk to him. I’m feeling tired anyway. I need to go to bed." She moved toward the door, ignoring the way his hand shot out again, trying to halt her.

 "Damn it, Eliana, not yet—" But she was already turning the knob, her heart fluttering wildly.

 She swung the door open, and there stood James, his usuallyposed face twisting in shock at the sight of her emerging from the bedroom at thiste hour. His eyes darted from her flushed face to her disheveled curls, piecing together the puzzle in an instant. "Miss Bet," he stammered, recovering with a polite nod. "Good evening."

 "Good evening, James," she replied, her voice breathy and unsteady. She forced a smile, but it wobbled at the edges. Without another word, she slipped past him, her footsteps quickening into a near-run down the dimly lit hallway toward her own room. Her bedroom door clicked shut behind her, leaving a trail of awkward silence in her wake.

 Rafael sighed heavily, rubbing a hand over his chiseled jaw. "Come in, James," he grumbled, wheeling back to face the room’s center. The wheelchair creaked faintly under his athletic frame, a prop in his borate deception.

 James entered, closing the door softly behind him. He adjusted his sses, his expression apologetic but firm. "Sir, I’m sorry to interrupt. I thought you’d want to know this immediately."

 Rafael’s steel eyes narrowed, his sarcasm sharpening like ice. "Why now, of all times, James? I thought you’d clocked out for the day. Can’t this wait until morning?"

 James shifted ufortably, his loyalty evident in the way he met Rafael’s gaze without flinching. "Again, my apologies, but no. My sources just confirmed it—Mirabel’s brother and sister are arriving tomorrow to visit her. Victor and Lydia Voss would be here by midday."

 Rafael’s jaw clenched so hard that a muscle ticked visibly along his sharp jawline. If there was anyone he despised more than his scheming stepmother, it was her siblings—Victor, the bullying opportunist with a penchant for cruel pranks, and Lydia, the maniptive whisperer who twisted words like knives. Memories flooded him unbidden: back when he was truly blind and vulnerable after the crash that took his eyes, confined to his bed in agony. Victor had "identally" knocked over his medications,ughing as they scattered across the floor, leaving Rafael groping in the dark for hours. Lydia had been worse—spreading rumors among the staff that he was faking his injuries for attention, isting him further in his loneliness. They’d hovered like vultures, eyeing his inheritance while pretending concern, their visitsced with veiled threats and mocking jabs. The thought of facing them again twisted his gut with a cold rage.

 "Those bastards," Rafael muttered, his voice a low snarl. "Keep an eye on them, James. Every move. I don’t want them slithering around unchecked."

 James nodded gravely, his brow furrowed. "I don’t trust their agenda either, sir. It’s too sudden. With everything going on... I advise not leaving Miss Bet alone tomorrow. They might try to use her, or worse."

 Rafael’s hands gripped the arms of his wheelchair, knuckles whitening. The idea of Victor or Lydia anywhere near Eliana ignited a protective fire in his chest. "Agreed. She’lle with me to the office tomorrow. No arguments."

 James inclined his head. "Wise choice. I’ll handle the arrangements." With that, he excused himself, slipping out as quietly as he’d arrived.

 Alone once more, Rafael exhaled a shaky breath, the room feeling emptier without Eliana’s warmth. He reached for his phone on the nightstand, his fingers flying across the screen as he texted his mysterious friend—the only one who knew the full extent of his deceptions.

 "I’ve decided. I’m telling Eliana the truth. About the blindness, the paralysis. All of it."

 The reply came almost instantly, buzzing with shock: "What? Rafael, that’s huge. I’m thrilled for you, but why so soon? You’ve guarded this like Fort Knox." 

 Rafael leaned back, staring at the ceiling as emotions warred within him—fear, longing, a rare spark of hope. "I’m tired of hiding from her. My heart races like a damn fool whenever she’s near. I want to look her in the eyes, really look, and let her see what’s there. I’m giving her the benefit of the doubt. Hoping she won’t betray me. And honestly... I’m exhausted. I need a partner, and I think she’s it."

 His friend’s response was warm, reassuring: "You’re doing the right thing, man. Eliana’s not like the others. She’s genuine. She won’t turn on you. Trust that gut of yours—it’s gotten you this far." 

 A faint smile tugged at Rafael’s lips, the first genuine one in hours. He set the phone aside, the weight on his shoulders lifting just a fraction.

 Meanwhile, in the sanctuary of her bedroom, Eliana paced the nice soft carpet, her slender frame trembling with a cocktail of emotions. She couldn’t believe it—Rafael Vexley, the cold billionaire recluse, confessing his love? To her? A girl from the wrong side of the tracks, scraping by to keep her father breathing? Her mind reyed his words: I think I’m in love with you. They wrapped around her heart like velvet chains, pulling her in two directions. On one hand, the sting of Jason’s betrayal still burned fresh—his lies, his abandonment, leaving her shattered and doubting every whisper of affection. On the other, Rafael had ignited something deep within her, a me of feelings that grew hotter with each stolen nce, each heated argument. But was it love? Or just the thrill of his intensity, the way he made her feel seen amid her chaos?

 Her phone buzzed in her pocket, jolting her from the spiral. She pulled it out, the screen glowing with two messages from Henry.

 "Hey, Eliana. Got home safe? Have time to talk?" 

 "Or did you crash already? If so, sweet dreams." 

 A softugh escaped her lips, lightening the heaviness in her chest. Henry—reliable, uplicated Henry. She typed back quickly: "Yes, home safe. Sorry for the dy—I was tied up with something. How about you?" 

 They fell into an easy rhythm, texts flying back and forth like old friends catching up. Henry shared stories of his life since she disappeared: the not so good grades he gotst semester at school, the goofy dog he’d adopted named Buster who chewed everything in sight. Eliana chuckled at his tales, reminiscing about their coge escapades—staying longer hours in school forte-night lessons, sharing dreams under starry skies. It wasforting, a balm to her conflicted soul, until—

 A knock at her door shattered the peace. Eliana’s heart leaped into her throat. "Who is it?" she called, her voice steadier than she felt.

 "It’s me," Rafael’s deep timbre replied, sending butterflies rioting in her stomach.

 Her pulse fluttered uncontrobly as she crossed the room, her bare feet silent on the floor. She opened the door slowly, revealing him in his wheelchair, his dark wavy hair tousled, his piercing eyes fixed on her with that veiled intensity. Without a word, he maneuvered the chair inside, the wheels humming softly against the threshold.

 Eliana closed the door behind him, leaning against it for support. "Rafael? Is something wrong?"

 He wheeled closer, his athletic build filling the space withmanding presence. His face, usually a mask of sarcasm, softened with vulnerability. "No. But I really need to tell you something important. Something that changes everything."

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Chapter 71: Decision