Fredrick’s Point of View
Tobias escorted me to my suite as my father ordered, standing guard outside my door like a sentry. It felt ridiculous, being "grounded" like a child, but there I was, left alone to simmer in my anger. Fury boiled in my veins. Rose just had to announce to the entire council that she’d been rejected. She could’ve said anything else—could’ve played it off, lied—but no, she had to make me the villain.
The rage simmered until it finally boiled over. I smashed the vase on the nightstand, the shards scattering like my fractured thoughts. The noise brought Sasa out of the bathroom. She’d just finished showering, her hair still damp, and for a moment, I almost pitied her. She was just a pawn in this game, a shadow to my real desire. But then she dropped her towel, and the
