After watching her silently for a moment, Raphael instructed the driver, “Hit the road.

As Sharon refused to get in the car, Raphael directed the driver to leave, showing no sign of hesitation or compromise-typical of his treatment of Sharon over the years.

Raphael’s reasons for keeping Sharon close were pragmatic rather than romantic.

Initially, he was drawn to Sharon because she stood out in their circle.

Curious, Raphael wondered if he could fall in love with such a remarkable woman, perhaps then he could marry her and erase Olivia from his thoughts.

He did make an effort.

Over time, and especially during moments of inebriation, their relationship grew closer.

Raphael remembered the scent

drunk, yet still fully

and although he didn’t push her away,

the possibility that intimacy might lead to more—perhaps even a child, after which they

a suitable partner by many

despite her taking the initiative that night, his desire

of Olivia, wrapped only in a

their

he remembered the stain of blood on the sheets, and Olivia’s complaints of

had been gentle with her, cautious not to hurt her

be so

vision of Olivia beneath him, her slim waist and the beauty of her form, lingered in his mind, tormenting him over the

Raphael frequently encountered young women who showed interest in him, and while he didn’t turn them away, each

a stark contrast to the fleeting connections he

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