Illyana's POV
I retreated to my room, the weight of Alessandro’s revelation pressing down on me, heavy and suffocating. The villa, usually a sanctuary, now felt like a cage, the silence amplifying the turmoil within me. I sank onto the edge of the bed, the plush mattress offering no comfort. Every corner, every shadow, seemed to whisper of the darkness I’d uncovered, the brutal truth of Alessandro’s past.
I slipped the engagement ring off my finger, the diamond’s sparkle suddenly cold and accusing. It felt like a lie, a cruel mockery of the genuine connection I’d believed we shared. I placed it on the nightstand, the cold metal a stark contrast to the burning confusion in my heart. How could I have been so wrong about him? How could I have missed the signs, the darkness that lurked benea
