Cecilia's pov
I watched Maggie’s perfect mask start to c***k, and satisfaction warmed my chest.
The fury in her eyes told me I had hit my mark.
I casually tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and let a slow smile curve my lips as quiet laughter spread through the room like a soft current of amusement.
Zane stood frozen for a moment before recovering, his expression twisting into an awkward smile.
"I’ll consider it, of course," he said, his voice too smooth to sound honest. "You’re my daughter. I would never disappoint you."
The sweet talk rolled off his tongue like cheap booze at a dive bar, easy to serve but hard to swallow.
I could see right through his little stalling act.
He smelled of fear and guilt, faint like iron and smoke.
Maggie was too angry to stay
