For years on end, Corin's default setting around our heroine was deep-freeze, leaving poor Joey thinking it was all because she had stolen part of their parents' love.
However, as the author and mastermind behind their life, I can tell you here's the thing: Corin's frosty facade was nothing but a smoke screen for a raging inferno of love.
Tragically, Joey, with her "I-grew-up-in-an-orphanage-and-all-I-got-was-this-lousy-insecurity" vibe, was about as responsive to Corin's clumsy overtures as a cat is to a cold shower.
This dance of misunderstanding only fueled Corin's frustration, culminating in a misguided attempt to force her affections.
I knew Corin all too well. His had a basement; it was a dungeon of chains and pulleys—a dramatic flair I added for effect. Now, it threatened to ensnare me in my own narrative twists.
Today's tempest was sparked by Joey agreeing to a date with a college acquaintance, igniting a wildfire of jealousy in Corin.
As I pondered over other potential plot twists, time seemed to bend, and suddenly, Corin's heated, forceful breath was on my face.
He had caught the flicker of distraction in my eyes. A flash of severity passed through his gaze before he bit down hard on my exposed shoulder, a punishment for my wandering heart.
"Ah... Corin, please, no," I winced, nearly brought to tears by the pain. But Corin was relentless, his bite intensifying, his breathing heavy with anger.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, warping my face with agony.
He had always been this intense.
Whimpers escaped me, and only then did Corin lift his gaze. He wiped the blood from his lips, his eyes never straying from me, as if my years of emotional absence warranted his spite.
"Joey Camp, say sorry to me," Corin demanded coldly.
I trembled uncontrollably, tears staining the sheets beneath me.
When I burst into tears, Corin halted what he was doing. He got out of bed, and busied himself in the bathroom for a bit. Then he came back with a towel, gently wiping the blood off my shoulders.
The moment his hands touched me, I tensed up instinctively. His towering presence felt overwhelming, like a tiger looming over me.
"I'm sorry," I blurted out immediately. I wasn't about to be like the clueless female lead who couldn't admit her faults.
My apology caught Corin off guard, his hand pausing mid-wipe.
A flicker of contemplation crossed his eyes before he asked in a bitter tone, "Joey, are you bowing down to me because of that guy?"
His thought process stunned me, but I quickly sympathized. Corin had bottled up his emotions for too long, leading to a twisted sense of possessiveness.
"It's not what you think," I tried to explain.
A harsh glint appeared in Corin's eyes. Dropping the towel, he pinned me down again.
"Joey, my Joey..." His voice broke, heavy with restrained emotion, like a caged beast ready to break free and tear me apart.
His actions grew rougher, and after fumbling with a button, he lost his patience, ripping my pajamas apart. Then, his warm hand covered my chest.
"No, I don't want this..." I was getting scared. Sure, I've daydreamed about good-looking guys, and I liked them, but I couldn't let anyone force me, no matter how handsome.
"Then what do you want? Your college boy?" Corin's icy question was laced with anger.
The handcuffs I'd feared were eventually clamped around my wrists. Then he restrained my legs, leaving me in the most vulnerable position.
My body shook uncontrollably, knowing I couldn't escape what was coming.
"Corin, I'm sorry. Please, let me go, I promise I'll never…"
Seeing my plea for mercy, Corin responded with a voice roughened by emotion, "Too late, little Joey."
He then stood up, methodically undoing his buttons and shedding his clothes.
Despite his sculpted, flawless physique, I was in no mood to admire. My gaze was locked on his face, drawn to his fierce, determined eyes signaling his readiness to mete out punishment.
I braced myself, knowing the ordeal ahead would be unforgettable.
With a voice full of vigor, Corin approached, telling me, "Joey, this is like a dream come true for me."
As he spoke, he leaned in to kiss me. His lips were cool yet tender, momentarily disorienting me.
I clenched my teeth, anticipating his tongue's attempt to pry my mouth open, but my resistance only fueled his anger.
Corin's grip tightened on my chin.
The pain made me cry out, giving him the chance to invade my mouth with his tongue, which I eventually ceased to resist, allowing it to explore freely.
He paused only when breathless, his gaze fixed on me while his body tensed, ready to pounce like a tiger on its prey.
"I hate you, you know that?" he said, his breath short, with a cold laugh.
Before I could reply, I felt a deep intrusion. Corin prolonged the moment deliberately, drawing out the sensation.
Holding my face in his hands, he forced me to meet his eyes. "You deserve this. All the pains and struggles you put on me for all these years..."
"I'm sorry, Corin..." My voice was a mix of a moan and a plea, but it only led to more intense impacts.
My cries didn't make Corin pause; instead, they seemed to drive him to even more fervent actions.
The room's temperature climbed as I felt like a doll at his mercy. He was living out his dream, unleashing emotions pent up for over a decade.
Time seemed to slow down. I began to let go, reaching peaks of passion with Corin repeatedly until, after who knows how many rounds, I drifted into unconsciousness.