Denderick's POV
I paced back and forth, running a hand through my hair, my mind spinning with everything that had gone wrong. Aria was still missing, and the more time passed, the more certain I became that something terrible had happened. I was so distracted that I didn’t even hear the door open until Giselle’s voice cut through the silence.
"Denderick?" she sneered. "You’re still obsessing over her?"
I stopped pacing and turned to face her. Giselle stood in the doorway, arms crossed, her lips pressed into a thin line. There was fire in her eyes—fury, jealousy, all of it radiating off her in waves. I didn’t have time for this. Not now.
"What do you want, Giselle?" I asked, my voice flat, exhausted.
She stepped into the room, her movements deliberate, every step calculated. "What do I
