Regret Came Too Late

Ed seemed to understand what she was trying to say. His grip softened as he gently wiped her clean.

"I like being with you like this," he murmured.

Grace was completely drained of energy, but she could feel his kiss moving up from her foot. Terrified, she instinctively shifted backward.

"It's... It's dirty."

Who kissed that part after they were done?

But he wasn't listening. His head remained buried in her.

Grace turned her head away, the sound of his actions ringing clearly in her ears.

Just then, her phone rang. She didn't want to answer it and didn't have the energy to do so.

She tried to push him away, but he was too forceful.

The ringing continued, and before she knew it, she had accidentally pressed the answer button.

Yancey's voice came through the phone, "Grace, where are you? I've been ringing your doorbell outside for ages, but no one's answered. About that accident..."

Grace couldn't even hear him anymore. She had accidentally answered the call, and she wanted to hang up, but her fingers were limp and unresponsive.

Her toes curled, pressing against Ed's shoulder. In the dark, every sound seemed amplified.

mind was a whirl of confusion—for a brief moment, she thought maybe it wouldn't be so bad if they just

seemed to realize that the phone was still connected and took full advantage, his movements growing bolder, almost as though he wanted to melt her

through her thoughts, and

"Mm... stop."

her back as she lay in his arms, gasping for

really liked the scent on him, something only he had a faint, elegant floral

voice grew colder, more menacing. "Grace, what are

cleared, she reached for the phone, which had somehow ended up somewhere

was

seemed to know what she was thinking. In an instant, he pulled her closer, his chin@esting on her

"Don't look," he whispered.

in his chest. The moment he'd heard those noises, something felt off. He thought maybe he'd misheard,

voice of a man, he

his body

seeing another man? Grace, how

stand the noise, her brows furrowing. "He's my

couldn't hold back the

Are you lying there, letting him

expression darkened, taking a deep breath. "Yes, but