Evelyn pov
I watched from the edge of the gardens as Leona disappeared into the mansion, her figure barely visible in the fading twilight. Her posture was stiff, her strides deliberate, as if every step required an effort to suppress whatever storm brewed inside her. She was determined, I’d give her that. But determination alone wouldn’t be enough to survive here. Not in this house, not with us.
She was hiding something—something that clung to her like a shadow, quiet but unshakable. Zane might be content to let her secrets unravel in their own time, but I wasn’t. Secrets had a way of becoming dangerous, especially in a place where trust was as brittle as spun glass. If Zane wouldn’t ask the questions that needed answering, then I’d do it myself.
The night had fully settled in by the ti
