This… this was not she wanted but there was no other way. To be free of Kail, this was what she had to do.

Still on top of him, Silje writhed as he slid into her again and again. Her eyes started to become wet, but she didn’t stop. She couldn’t.

Slap, slap.

The wet sound of skin-to-skin contact filled the room. She couldn’t believe how deep he reached inside of her, and when the sticky warm fluid filled her, Silje gave in to the pleasure that enveloped her body.

At this moment, they were irrevocably connected to each other.

They were one.

To her shock, Kail groaned, and his sexy voice was enough to nudge her over to the dark side. Her body exploded.

“Ahh… Haahhh! Ah!”

She panted as Kail leaned against her, breathless. In the sudden silence, her eyes wavered.

Was she in heaven or hell? Did she lose her mind? Has she gone mad?

Silje couldn’t even tell if this was real or she was just dreaming, but at least she didn’t lose her consciousness again.

She tried to remind herself that this was a battle.

A battle of bodies between Kail and her. It always involved a mix of pain and pleasure, and truth and lies.

Was this what he really wanted for them? What he intended? She left Norway because she wanted to, and she finally felt settled in this city. Just when she was becoming established in New York, Kail came to her.

Did he really want to slowly kill her soul?

A heavy silence fell in his dark penthouse.

“…”

Another storm passed, and when she could finally breathe evenly, Silje screamed angrily.

“Are you happy now? Are you proud of yourself? Are you satisfied that you forced me to do this?”

Kail didn’t answer, and Silje glared at him with her reddened eyes. She started to pant again as she continued, “You have no words, do you? You came all the way here to destroy me. You came here to see me in pain, right?”

He refused to reply, making Silje even more frustrated.

“Say something! If you can come up with an excuse, tell me now! I will give you a chance to explain. Unlike you, I will listen. Do you hear me?”

“You want to hear what I have to say? Fine. I held you tonight. You were in my arms, and that alone is enough for me. What I did and what I do… It’s all worth it if I can hold you.”

“Just how long are you going to keep on doing this? I don’t love you anymore. Do you still not get it? Every time we meet like this, we end up hurting each other. We are destructive for each other. What you feel for me… It’s wrong. What we had in Oslo… That is over. I am tired, Kail. I am sick of this. Leave New York now. Please… You have your own life and I have mine. Let’s just say our goodbyes here and now. Please, I am begging you. Just stop this.”

Kail didn’t show any emotions to her cruel words. Instead, he stood still and whispered, “Then tell me.”

Silje frowned.

“W…what do you want from me?”

“Look me in the eyes and say it. Tell me that you don’t love me.”

At his quiet words, Silje felt her heart become heavy, but she replied without hesitation.

“No matter how many times you ask me, my answer will always be the same. I don’t love you anymore. So leave me alone. Get out of my life. I don’t want to be with you.”

Kail’s lips twisted into an ugly grin.

“I see. And there is no chance you might change your mind?”

“What do you want me to say? If you came here to cause me pain, then you have succeeded. Every time I see you, it hurts. It has been so hard for me to survive in New York, and just when I thought I made it, you came here to ruin my life. Whenever we meet, it feels like my heart is becoming shredded. Isn’t that enough for you?”

“You have no idea… You just don’t understand… With your answer… You stabbed my heart.”

Kail smiled strangely. It wasn’t a true smile nor was it a sad smile. He just looked… empty.

“What are you saying?”

“I just think you are mistaken. You have no choice in this matter, Silje, so stop feeling hopeful. I will leave only when I know you have felt even a fraction of the pain and despair I felt. Now, get out of here. Get lost.”

Shockingly, Kail smiled gently and continued, “Leave before I strangle you.”

Crack.

Kail squeezed the wine glass in his hand, breaking it into pieces. Looking at his hand bleeding, he smiled again.

“Silje, you must’ve forgotten that it is YOU who made me into this monster. Don’t look away. Look at me and remember this moment.”

He continued huskily in Norwegian, “This is my gift to you.”

Crash! Kail threw a chunk of the glass to a wall, making it shatter. Silje became pale and she quickly turned around. Without looking back, she left his penthouse hurriedly.

Slam!

The door closed tight behind her.

As she walked away in the red-carpeted hallway, Silje’s face looked blank. No emotions. She looked straight ahead and when she reached the elevator, she finally wiped her eyes.

She was an idiot. Why was she crying?

She hated herself for showing tears.

Why? In this penthouse, she acted strong and she told him what she had to. It had to be done, and she did it.

But why was she crying now? Why did she feel such pain?

Every time she saw him, Silje felt herself dying inside little by little. She saw that the same thing was happening to Kail, and it killed her.

In the elevator, Silje bit her lips hard.

What next?