Victoria’s POV
I woke up restless.
The morning light sliced through the curtains like an unwelcome judgment. I turned my head slowly, my cheek pressing against the cool silk of my pillow. But the chill couldn’t quiet the heat simmering inside me.
Last night’s events clung to me like smoke–thick, suffocating, impossible to escape.
Her.
Lily.
My jaw tightened at the mere thought of her name. That stupid, timid look in her eyes–like she didn’t belong here. And somehow, that made everyone want to protect her.
It sickened me.
Still, I couldn’t ignore the knot of dread twisting in my chest. The fear that she might finally open up to Sebastian about everything I’d done to her–it gnawed at me. A part of me believed she was too scared to speak, that I had already crushed her spirit with my
