Isolde lay awake long after Damien fell asleep. The new message from her mother burned in her mind. Damien is not who you think he is. She kept reading it in her head until the words lost meaning. The collar stayed quiet now but she could still feel its weight. Like it was waiting for her to make a mistake.
She slipped out of bed carefully. Damien’s arm fell to the mattress. He looked different when he slept. Less like the powerful CEO and more like a man carrying heavy things. She pulled on his shirt and walked to the kitchen. The city lights outside made everything feel unreal.
Her phone was still on the counter. She opened the message again. Her thumb hovered over the reply button.
"What are you doing?" Damien’s voice came from behind her. Low and rough with sleep.
She jumped and
