Catherine froze, her breath catching as Lucius’s words settled over her. She could feel the intensity of his gaze, piercing and unrelenting, waiting for her response. His tone had been steady, almost indifferent, but there was a sharp edge beneath it—something that made her heart race and her palms sweat.
Revenge. The word lingered in the air like a shadow, dark and tempting. She had thought about it, of course. How could she not? Her mother’s cold indifference, her stepfather’s cruel control, the betrayal of Liam and Annie—they had all left scars, some deeper than others. But to act on it, to give voice to those thoughts, felt like crossing a line she wasn’t sure she could come back from.
“I…” Her voice faltered, and she lowered her gaze, unable to meet his eyes. “I don’t know.”
Lucius
