I stood on the cliff behind the villa at dawn, the Atlantic wind tearing through my hair, salt biting my skin. Below, the waves slammed into the rocks like a war drum.....rhythmic, unrelenting. Fitting.
Donata had taken everything from me.
But now I had nothing left to lose.
Adrian stood a few feet behind, silent. I felt his gaze before he spoke.
“You didn’t sleep.”
“No.” I hugged my arms tighter. “I kept seeing her face. The lies. The blood. How could she look me in the eye all these years and still...”
“She was preparing you,” he said carefully. “Molding you into a weapon. That kind of manipulation takes time. Patience.”
“I wasn’t her heir,” I whispered. “I was her investment.”
I turned to face him. “And now she’ll see her return crumble.”
Adrian stepped closer, offering me the
