Chapter 76
Zeraphine's POV
The door slammed shut behind my parents with a finality that sent a shudder through the air, reverberating like a distant thunderclap. The sound of it rang in my ears, the harsh thud of closure making the room feel smaller, suffocating. The walls seemed to close in, pressing on my chest, each breath a little harder to draw in. The silence that followed their departure was deafening, a heavy weight that settled over me, thicker than any storm.
For a moment, I could only stand there, rooted to the spot, seething with a fury that boiled just beneath my skin. Every muscle in my body was coiled tight, like a predator ready to pounce, and yet I couldn’t move. The pressure of their words, their expectations, still rang in my head, echoing like a cruel mantra. Betray
