Alec descended the stairs slowly, but his mind wasn’t in the present. It was trapped in that suffocating moment—Melissa’s voice echoing in his head, relentlessly demanding he apologize. “Say sorry to my mother,” she had insisted, again and again, eyes burning with fury and hurt. Her mother had stood there too, throwing sharp words like knives. People around them had paused, watching the scene unfold with curious, judgmental eyes. Alec remembered the humiliation, the pressure, the rage simmering just beneath his skin. His fists had clenched, his jaw had locked, but he’d remained silent—swallowing the storm just to keep from exploding.
Lost in his thoughts, Alec suddenly felt a presence behind him. He didn’t need to turn—he knew it was Damien. Without a word, Alec spun around and stormed to
