NICHOLAS'S POV
"I thought I did. But looking back..." I shook my head.
"I think I loved the idea of her. The possibility of something normal, something that wasn't built on violence and power. Sophie herself... I'm not sure I ever really knew who she was beneath the performance."
Simone nodded slowly, processing this. "And now? Do you think I'm performing too?"
The question caught me off guard with its directness.
I studied her face—those sharp cheekbones, the stubborn set of her mouth, the way she held herself like she was ready to fight even when she was vulnerable.
"No," I said finally.
"Whatever else you might be, Simone, you're not a performer. You're incapable of hiding what you really think, even when it would be smarter to do so."
A ghost of a smile flashe
