“Do you love my son, Jasmine?” Victoria's voice was deceptively soft, but there was a sharp edge beneath the surface.
I blinked, unsure how to respond. The question had come out of nowhere, cutting through the elegant ambiance of the café she had summoned me to. Victoria Knight didn’t make small talk, and judging by the way she sipped her tea, she was already several steps ahead in whatever game she was playing.
“Why does that matter?” I countered, keeping my tone steady. “Gabriel and I—”
She held up a manicured hand to silence me. “Spare me the romantic clichés. I asked if you love him.”
I clenched my fists under the table. “Yes. I love him.”
Her lips curled into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “How... inconvenient.”
“Excuse me?”
She leaned forward, her voice dropping to a cons
