SEBASTIAN’S POV
The first light of dawn crept through my mansion’s windows, painting the hardwood in pale gold, but my eyes burned, unblinking, fixed on the ceiling. Sleep had eluded me, my body restless, my mind a storm of confusion and pain. Maximus prowled within me, his low growls a constant hum, his agitation mirroring mine.
Yesterday’s vents replayed in a relentless loop—Isabella’s slap, her tears, my curse flaring, the agony ripping through my chest like a blade. I’d collapsed, my body contorting, my screams echoing, only for the pain to vanish the moment she left to get help. It made no sense.
Once, her touch had dulled the curse’s fire, her hands on my skin a balm I couldn’t explain. Now, her absence had done the same, pulling me back from the edge. How could one woman be bot
