Claudia’s POV
I sit on the chair in front of the dressing table, my fingers grazing the polished wood as my eyes lock onto my reflection in the mirror. The image staring back at me seems almost alive, almost mocking, as Liam’s voice from last night plays on repeat in my head: “I want this to remain between the both of us.” What exactly was he referring to? What secret is he hiding that he refuses to let me in on?
Liam used to tell me everything—every plan, every worry, every thought—but lately, he’s been slipping away. I notice the subtle ways he deflects, how he changes the subject whenever I try to discuss us. Yet the moment Lila’s name comes up, I see it. The flicker of something in his eyes, a brief tightening of his jaw, a pulse in his hands that betrays him. He can’t hide it.
I f
