SERENA'S POV
I wake up the next morning with a burning anger simmering beneath my skin. Frustration coils in my chest like a snake, tightening its grip with every breath I take. The events of yesterday replay in my mind on an endless loop—my father's controlling grip on my life, his suffocating rules, his ruthless determination to keep me away from Damon. It all fuels the fire raging inside me, a wildfire of defiance that refuses to be extinguished.
Throwing the blankets off me, I swing my legs over the edge of the bed and sit up, running a shaky hand through my tangled hair. My jaw clenches as I try to will away the sharp sting of helplessness curling in my stomach. I refuse to be powerless. I refuse to let him dictate my life. With renewed determination, I yank open my wardrobe, pull o
