Chapter 72 The bedroom Question

Chapter 72 The bedroom Question

Author’s POV,

“How is Rina?” Eva asked softly.

She was tucked into Rafael’s arms beneath the blanket, the warmth of him surrounding her. Sleep still clung to her lashes, her voice husky with it. They were bare beneath the covers, skin to skin, the kind of closeness that made the room feel smaller and quieter, as if the world had politely stepped away.

“She’s good,” Rafael replied. His gaze lingered not on Eva’s face but on her hand… on the ring resting on her fourth finger. His thumb traced slow, absent circles on her wrist, as if he were reassuring himself it was real. After a pause, his eyes lifted to hers. “By the way… did anything happen to you after I left your father’s mansion?”

Eva thought for a second, the faintest crease forming between her brows. Then she shook her head. “No.”

“Then what happened?” he asked gently. “Why did you come here all of a sudden?”

Eva arched one eyebrow, a familiar challenge dancing in her eyes. “Why? Don’t you want me to come?”

“No. You can,” Rafael said, a corner of his mouth lifting. “It’s just… this is the first time. I’m a little surprised.”

She chuckled, the sound low and teasing. “I was getting bored there. So I thought I would visit you. And,” she added, a touch more honest now, “a part of me was missing you.”

Rafael smirked, his grip tightening just slightly. “I know very well which part of you was missing me.”

Eva frowned in confusion… then realization hit. Her eyes widened, and she smacked his chest. “Shut up.”

“Woah,” he laughed softly. “Someone is getting far too comfortable with me.”

“Why?” she challenged. “You don’t want me to be?” She shifted as if to pull away. “Okay then.”

She had barely moved an inch before Rafael’s arms tightened, pulling her right back. Their bodies pressed together under the blanket, warmth flaring where skin met skin. He rolled onto his back, bringing her with him so she ended up sprawled over his chest, her hair spilling like a curtain around them.

“Rafael,” she breathed, half warning, half surrender.

“You can’t run away from me, Eva,” he said, his voice low but amused.

She glared at him, though the fire in her eyes was playful. “You can’t trap me forever.” She wriggled, testing his hold, but his arm was already secure around her waist.

“Oh, really?” he murmured.

“Yes,” she said confidently.

“Try to defy me once,” he said, leaning closer, his breath warm against her cheek. “Try to run away.”

“And what would you do?” Eva asked lightly. “Kill me?” She tilted her head, watching his expression closely. “I’m carrying your heir.”

The change in him was instant. The teasing edge melted away, replaced by something softer, deeper. His hand stilled on her back, fingers splayed protectively. Seeing it, Eva smirked, as if she won against him.

“You can’t kill me, Rafael,” she repeated.

He sighed, shaking his head with a reluctant smile. “Oh, so now you’re being political.”

“I’m not being,” she said sweetly, settling more comfortably against him. “I am political.”

Rafael laughed quietly, pressing a kiss to her hair, holding her a little closer, just tight enough to remind her she wasn’t going anywhere.

“Okay, little politician,” he said, amusement lacing his voice. Eva smiled, satisfied.

“But remember,” Rafael continued, his fingers tightening slightly at her waist, “you can’t always win against me. Understand?”
Eva shook her head, stubborn as ever. “I can…. if I want to.”

For a few seconds, Rafael simply watched her. The soft curve of her lips, the confidence glowing in her eyes. She was clearly beaming. Feeling his steady gaze on her, Eva frowned.

“What?” she asked. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I am just thinking,” he said slowly, “that a few days ago you were fighting with me just to meet your family. And now you say you got bored with them?” His brows drew together. “How is that possible, Eva?”

Her smile faded. She went quiet.

“You fought with me over the tablet exchange,” he went on, his tone no longer playful, “and now you’re threatening me with the child.” His eyes narrowed slightly. “Is this your trap, Eva?”

“Trap?” she repeated, genuinely confused, as if the word itself offended her.

Rafael waited, watching her closely.

“I don’t have any option except accepting reality,” she finally said. Her voice was calm, but something fragile hid beneath it. “And as we discussed earlier, this marriage was meant to happen. Compensation for twenty-three dead people of your family. A generational oath.” Her lips curved bitterly. “That’s what I am, right? A solution.”

She shifted, sitting astride him, her palms resting on his chest. The sudden closeness made his breath hitch, her warmth grounding and overwhelming all at once. This position made his seeds slip out of her hole. He felt the liquid sensation on his abdomen.

“And did you ever give me any freedom to take decisions for myself?” she asked quietly.

Rafael didn’t answer.

“No,” she said for him, her voice firm now. “You didn’t. If I had that right, I wouldn’t have been here. With you. In the first place.”
Her eyes shimmered. Tears pooled despite her effort to hold them back.

“Sometimes I feel like I’m just an object,” she whispered. “Passed around because of some stupid oath and a painful past.” A tear slipped free, tracing down her cheek.

Rafael’s chest tightened.

“Do you know how it feels,” she continued, her voice trembling, “to be bound to someone who doesn’t let me decide for myself?” She swallowed. “Do you know how it feels to go to your parents’ house and be shamed… just because I’m carrying their enemy’s child?”

Rafael stiffened. In one swift motion, he sat up fully, pulling her with him so she ended up on his lap, her legs instinctively wrapping around his waist.

“What?” His voice was sharp now. “Did they shame you?” Eva froze.

“Did they?” he asked again, disbelief flickering across his face.

“No,” she said quickly and then stopped. The lie tasted wrong.

“Eva.” His voice dropped, commanding. “Answer me.”

She looked away, unable to meet his eyes.

“Answer me,” he repeated, firmer this time.

Her shoulders slumped. “Yes.”

Silence filled the room.

Rafael’s hands tightened at her back not in anger, but in something far more dangerous. Protective fury. He pulled her closer, resting his forehead against hers, his breath uneven.

“No one,” he said quietly, “has the right to do that to you.”

Eva closed her eyes, her forehead still against his, their breaths mingling. For the first time, she didn’t feel trapped.
She felt seen.