"Why would you wait until now to say something?" My voice quivers with disbelief as I glare at Victoria. The hospital room feels cold and sterile, but it's nothing compared to the chill seeping into my chest.
Victoria, frail but still managing to maintain that composed air she always wore like armor, sighs deeply. Her face is pale, and dark circles frame her blue eyes. She looks every bit the woman who has carried secrets for far too long.
"I didn’t think you'd ever want to hear the truth," she says softly, avoiding my eyes.
"You didn’t think I'd want to know that Colin's entire legal case against me was built on blackmail? That you had the power to help Gabriel from the beginning?" I spit out the words, anger slicing through my voice.
Gabriel stands rigid beside me, his jaw clenched s
