Astoria’s POV
The pain hit me like a wave I couldn’t outrun. It wasn’t just hot—it was sharp, biting, and everywhere on the side of my face. I tried so hard to hold it in, clenching my teeth, pressing my palm against the burning skin, but a shaky groan still escaped me.
“Ah—! My face—” I gasped, curling forward.
Pup barked louder, running in frantic circles around me like he didn’t know who to bite first.
The maid stood there frozen, her eyes wide, tray on the floor. At first she looked shocked, but through the blur of my tears, I caught something—something that didn’t match the situation at all.
A smirk.
A tiny one. Quick. Gone in a blink.
My stomach tightened. If not for the pain taking over everything, I would have reacted. I didn’t even need a mirror to know the damage. My skin
