I stayed in that room for a long time, just staring at the ceiling. The house was too quiet. Usually, I could hear the boys laughing or the sound of their heavy boots on the floor, but tonight, everything felt dead. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Isabella’s smirk. I saw the way she looked at my life like it was something she could just step into.
I couldn't just sit there. I needed to see Alaric. He was the one who always had the answers. He was the one who was supposed to protect me from things like his father.
I unlocked the door and stepped out into the hall. The lights were dimmed, and the air felt cold. I walked toward the study, hoping he was there alone. I found him sitting behind his big desk, staring at a stack of papers, but he wasn't reading. He looked like he was a thousa
