Caroline lay in the cool darkness of her chamber, the weight of Damon’s presence still heavy in the air, lingering even though he had left for the night. The tension in the castle felt like an ever-present shadow, wrapping around her as tightly as his grip. Sleep eluded her, and as the hours passed, her mind raced with plans—plans that were growing increasingly desperate.
She knew she couldn’t keep playing the role of the docile wife forever. The stakes had become too high. Damon’s obsession with her was undeniable, and while his attention was intoxicating in ways she didn’t want to acknowledge, it also made her feel more trapped than ever. She could feel the pull of the bond between them, the way her heart beat faster when he was near, the way her body responded to him even though she ha
