Emma's POV
"We're building something new, Emma. Tonight, we start the foundation. Together."
His voice was a low, possessive command, heavy with the weight of his intent. Standing in the cavernous, empty master bedroom of my new life, surrounded only by the pristine white walls and the single box holding my bedding, the weight of those words felt monumental. This wasn't just a physical act; it was the ceremonial start of the architecture of us.
I looked up at him, my heart pounding so hard I felt dizzy. He was the most dangerous man I had ever known—not because he posed a threat, but because he was the embodiment of the control and power I had spent years trying to escape. Yet, in his presence, I felt the opposite of trapped. I felt anchored, seen, and utterly, unbreakably safe.
"A strong foundation is everything, Mr. Thorne," I managed, the professional title slipping out, a desperate, final attempt to cling to the formality that had protected me.
