Nathan's POV
It was nearly midnight. In the villa's garden, jasmine flowers glistened with water from the staff's evening tending, catching the light in soft, dazzling droplets.
I glanced out the window, the shimmering petals oddly unsettling.
A strange unease gripped me. I rubbed my temple, dousing the room's lights to retire for the night.
A sudden knock jolted me.
Frowning, I glanced at the door. Who could it be at this hour?
The knocking grew urgent and insistent.
My expression darkened as I strode to the door. The moment I turned the handle, a force pushed through.
---
She appeared in the doorway like a wraith, her hair wild, her skin drained of color, trembling as if the wind itself had stripped her bare. My chest tightened at the sight. Something was wrong. Everything about
