LILY
The corridor felt too narrow, the walls closing in as Ace led me away from the foyer. His hand was still wrapped around mine, warm and steady, but my chest felt tight—too tight to breathe properly.
Every step echoed.
Every word Ella had said replayed itself in my head, sharp and relentless.
Before I even realized what I was doing, I pulled my hand from his.
Ace stopped immediately.
“Lily,” he said, turning toward me. His brows furrowed, concern flickering across his face. “What’s wrong?”
I swallowed hard, my throat burning. Everything was wrong. The words pressed against my ribs, desperate to get out, and once they started, I couldn’t stop them.
“Everything,” I said quietly.
He waited. He always did that; gave space, let the silence stretch until I felt safe enough to fill it
