The room was thick with tension, so heavy that I could barely breathe. Every inch of my body screamed to flee, but something kept me rooted to the spot, my feet unwilling to move, my heart unwilling to give up on the fight that had only just begun. Julian’s eyes were cold, calculating. The same eyes that had once looked at me with amusement, with a quiet malice that made my skin crawl. Now, they held something darker, something far more dangerous. And as he spoke, his voice oozed with a venomous sweetness that made my blood run cold. “Damien,” Julian said, his gaze flicking to my side. “You think you can protect her? You think you’re keeping her safe by hiding all this? You’ve done nothing but put her in danger.” I felt Damien stiffen beside me, his posture rigid, his jaw clenched. I co

