Dianne barely slept.
Her mind kept wandering—back to Damian’s cold smirk, Chloe’s fake sweetness, the sting of old memories reopening like fresh wounds… and then to Roy.
The way he defended her.
The way his eyes burned with anger on her behalf.
The way he told her to breathe, like he could feel her panic inside his own chest.
By morning, her eyes were puffy, her head heavy. She dragged herself out of bed, showered, and told herself she was fine—even though she wasn’t.
She had just slipped on her shoes when a knock echoed on the door.
At first, she frowned. She wasn’t expecting anyone. When she opened it, her breath caught.
“Roy?”
He stood there in a black hoodie and jeans, his hair still messy like he’d rushed out of the house. His brows pinched the moment he saw her face.
“You d
