Arielle closed the book gently and set it aside. Her hands rested in her lap, her fingers curling into fists. She wasn’t sure if she should confront Kairo. He had built his entire persona on control, and she doubted he would appreciate her prying into the past. Still, she couldn’t sit with the knowledge and pretend nothing had changed.
She rose from her chair, pacing the length of the library. The silence pressed down on her. She felt as if the walls themselves were watching, holding secrets she wasn’t meant to uncover.
Finally, she stopped by the window. Outside, the manicured gardens stretched out in perfect order, but Arielle’s reflection in the glass looked pale and unsettled. She barely recognized herself—the woman who had stepped into this mansion believing she could survive the ar
