vin

ight that cast long, creeping shadows across the room. But even in the li

of his phone b

, his tone flat but cl

d, and my stomach

Arixen ca

ed to catch whatever I could from the conversation. Cassian's voice cooled w

s eyes snapping to mine col

was as though he could see straight through me. As tho

aid curtly, en

ully to face me, the intensity in his stare enough

n would side with you?" he

mping around my throat.

orward, his smile

get what you want," he spat,

think very little of him if you believed offering yourself would work. Do you n

You saw he came to me. I only danced with him because I thought yo

le one. But a

the surface that I had gone to Arixen, that I'd begged for help. But Arixen had clearl

dable. The silence stretched, growing

I whispered. "I c

mething shifted behind hi

hed just as quickly, swallowed

eting," he muttered at la

was fleeting, shallow. I knew t

eath the surface, waiting for the

th tension. Even when his voice was calm, t

le wound tight as he pulled out a stack of documents. The heavy doo

my curiosity. And today,

small act of rebellion he would never suspe

hut behind him. As the echo faded, I slipped from the bed, forc

the guilt, the shame, the fear... they clung to me

y fingers found the dial. I turned it with precision, each s

ng rows of meticulously organi

ands trembling, until on

s printed

lse s

ssian have a

rt racing, dread coil

awful. But nothing could hav

name written acro

A transact

belief, breath stalling

hey'd sold me to Cassian. Traded me off like a comm

as cold, clin

le I had loved, trusted believed were pro

e adoption. It wa

the b

clung to Cassian's threats his taunts about m

meant n

anded me ov

ely funded the peaceful lives they were living n

the folder tumbling to the gro

The grief, the fury, the heartbreak it al

ped from within, her voice cutti

er it frees you. Let go. Let

st as fiercely as

t for me. No ties. No

lowing my cries, and

he left it hadn't just been anger.

red. It was waiting, grow

e. Failed. But this time.

Now the illusion was gone. Now ther

du

t f

even

, it would

t give Cassia

this