Every desperate heart has its price.
Isabella hadn’t slept in days.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the same image.
Damon looking at Aria.
Not with pity.
Not with guilt.
With love.
It was the same look he used to give her.
Now…
It belonged to someone else.
The thought burned like poison.
She stood alone inside her chambers, staring at her reflection.
The woman in the mirror was still beautiful.
Long golden hair.
Perfect skin.
Elegant gowns.
Everything she had always believed would make Damon choose her.
Yet none of it mattered anymore.
No matter how flawless she looked…
She couldn’t compete with the bond between true mates.
With trembling hands, she swept a crystal vase from the table.
It shattered against the floor.
“Why?” she whispered.
“What does she have
