章 69: Love, Blood, Lust

Mariana secretly hoped that he would not say anything, for the sake of plausible deniability…it had not actually been a real marriage proposal, let alone a prompt to create one to fling at her in return.

But he looked so decisive, so sure of himself. She feared what he would say next.

"Is it going to be the time for that?" he growled into her ear, his hot breath tingling her cheek. "Is it time for me to get down on my knees for you? Isn't it the ultimate humiliation for a woman in your position? People will assume I have already bedded you…that you got pregnant and now we are in a hurry…that you have no choice but to submit to me, and that is only accentuated by the facade of me kneeling in front of you…"

"Stop! Please! Just stop," she complained, pushing him away. Mariana didn't know what to think anymore. He was messing with her brain, making her think that things were upside down. Marriage proposals were supposed to honor the woman. The entire system was set up that way.