_Anna's POV_
I couldn’t stop the grin that spread across my face as I watched Kaden walk off into the crowd. He had drunk the lemonade. The potion had worked—at least for now. The witch had warned me that the effects would be temporary, but tonight was all about buying time. I needed him compliant, sweet, and ready to focus on our future.
And he was.
I sipped my own glass of lemonade, savoring the faint tartness on my tongue. It felt like a victory. Kaden’s reluctance had always been a problem, but now, I was in control. I just had to maintain it.
The witch’s words echoed in my mind.
“This potion will make him more… agreeable. But you’ll need to give it to him regularly. His will is strong, and it won’t hold forever.”
She was right. Kaden’s strength of mind had always been his most f
