Caroline’s breath hitched as the woman stepped forward, her eyes locked onto Caroline with a calculating, almost cold expression. It was as if she were sizing her up, looking for weaknesses to exploit. The woman was beautiful—too beautiful in a way that made Caroline feel small by comparison. Her dark hair fell in waves around her shoulders, and her eyes, a sharp, icy blue, seemed to pierce right through Caroline.
“Who is this?” Caroline asked, her voice barely a whisper, the weight of the words choking her.
Damon’s jaw tightened, his expression hardening as he turned to face the woman. There was a brief flicker of something—regret? Guilt?—but it vanished so quickly that Caroline wasn’t sure she had seen it at all. He stood tall, his usual aura of control firmly in place.
“This is Lila,
