_Avery's POV_
I opened the front door and stepped inside, clutching the vial and the amulet tightly in my hand. The air in the house felt heavier than usual, as if it carried the weight of the lies I had just uncovered. My heart raced when I saw Liam sitting on the couch, casually flipping through a magazine like nothing was wrong. He looked up when he heard me enter, and a charming smile spread across his face.
“There you are,” he said, setting the magazine aside. “Where did you go? You’ve been gone a while.”
I froze for a moment, forcing myself to stay calm. “I was craving something sweet,” I lied, holding up the bag of pastries I had grabbed on my way back. “I went to the café to get some cake.”
His eyebrows lifted in mock surprise. “Cake? You should’ve told me. We could’ve gone tog
