Bella lingered in the grand hallway outside Damien’s office, pretending to be absorbed in the marble floors and the faint hum of the city beyond the windows. Her heartbeat hadn’t slowed since dinner with Victoria. Every glance, every whispered word, every subtle shift of Damien’s hand beneath the table replayed in her mind. She wanted clarity, but she also wanted to keep the fire alive—a fire that had nothing to do with propriety and everything to do with Damien.
As she stepped closer to the library doorway, her attention was caught by the soft cadence of voices. She recognized Victoria’s tone immediately: low, controlled, but laced with menace. Her curiosity overpowered her caution. She crept closer, her chest tightening with anticipation.
“…he trusts her far too easily,” Victoria said,
