Her smile returned, brittle and sharp, though her eyes betrayed the sting of my words. She smoothed her hair with manicured fingers, as though restoring her crown, and looked at Damien with a pout.
“She’s cute,” she said lightly, though the venom beneath it was unmistakable. “But you and I both know she’s a phase. You’ll tire of her. You always do.”
I sipped my water, unbothered. “If you’re trying to convince yourself, darling, say it louder. Maybe you’ll believe it.”
Damien’s voice cut through the tension, low and dangerous. “That’s enough.” His eyes flicked between us, storm-dark.
But it wasn’t enough. Not for her.
Not for me.
She leaned closer to him, her perfume suffocating the air. “You’re mine, Damien. Always have been.” Her voice dropped to a whisper, though I caught every wor
