Chapter 23: A Love Held Back

[Margaret’s POV] I lay half-sprawled on the bed, trying to steady my breathing. My black T-shirt, which had just been pushed aside by Donald, was now bunched up around my stomach, exposing my bare skin to the cool air. The zipper of my shorts was undone, and the fabric hung loosely around my thighs. My legs, still positioned as they had been moments ago, remained parted, facing him. Donald stood before me, his expression unreadable, his eyes dark and filled with an emotion I couldn’t quite decipher. The sudden halt in his movements sent a wave of unease through me. It felt as though I was always the one who desperately wanted him, while he remained calm, poised, and in control. I had never known him to be anything else. It was as if we existed in two different realms—his, one of restraint and discipline; mine, an open wound of longing and vulnerability. Had I ever truly stepped into his world, or had I only been standing at the threshold, hoping to be let in? “Baby, I’m sorry. I ha