Orion's POV
Celeste scrambled to find her footing.
"I never doubted Elara loves Mia, Ori. I wouldn't—any more than I'd doubt my love for Lily." Her voice steadied, the tears vanishing, replaced by a cold, hard certainty. "But look at the facts. Did Mia die? No. She's safe. No damage, no madness, nothing broken that won't heal. That proves the whole thing was controlled from the start. Mia only looked like she was in danger. Mia was never in real danger, but she walked away with a father drowning in guilt and a husband who'll forgive Elara for anything now out of pure sympathy. From here on out, Elara gets two men devoted to her instead of one. You and Samuel. Both."
It was blunt. Uglier than anything I'd ever heard from her. Celeste rarely spoke without softening her words first.
Part
