The air outside was cool, the evening breeze rustling through the trees as we stepped away from the mansion. The weight of what had just happened seemed to settle over me in a way I hadn’t expected, suffocating and heavy. I wasn’t sure if it was the shock of it all, the pressure of the choice I had to make, or the crushing realization that my life was no longer just mine to control.
I glanced at Asher, walking silently beside me, his expression unreadable. For the first time since I’d met him, I couldn’t feel the connection as strongly as before. The bond that had been so vibrant, so clear, was now shrouded in something darker, more uncertain. I could feel it, the space between us widening with each step.
“Are you okay?” I asked, my voice tentative, unsure if I was stepping into territor
