rily quiet, the weight of its grandeur pressing down on her. Every glance from the household staf

r fingers over the spines, her mind restless. The house felt like a trap, its towering walls closing in on her, suffocating her with the s

mien eve

ated in her pocket. A message from her ste

n. Remember, if Damien d

he wanted to scream, to rip the smug satisfaction off her stepmother's face, but what good would it do? Her

hone off and inhaled de

ssion unreadable as always, stepped in. "Mrs. Cross, the

spiked. Why? Had

ir in the hallway outside Damien's room felt thick, charged with an energy she couldn

eyes we

g. Damien's gaze, however, was anything but calm. It was sharp, burning, filled with something

hear me?" the doct

ips parting as if to speak. The sound that fo

.. ar

th hitched. He

d in. "You've been in a coma for over a year, Mr. Cross. You

kepticism, perhaps even anger. His eyes narrowed sl

ugh hoarse, carried a weight

eet his intense stare. "Yes. We were

ng. Then, suddenly, Damien let out a sharp, bi

om. His eyes burned into hers, his jaw tighten

in her throat. "Your grandmother," she admitted. "She

darkened further.

Mr. Cross, you should take it eas

yet filled with something dangerous. Scarlett felt exposed, as if he were strippin

n?" he suddenly ask

Memories of her secret-of the twins she had hidd

l, to keep her expression neutral

ng wasn't right. A slow, knowing smirk formed on his lips, and for a

ice low. "Then I suppose we

t pounded, but

ressing Scarlett. "He needs rest. We should let him reg

excuse to leave. Without another word, s

ng a hand to her chest. Damien Cross had awakened, and he was n

wasn't going to mak

ed, staring at the ceiling. The mansion w

n was

the details of their so-called marriage?

with a notification. A single message appeared, an

see me. No

nore it, pretend she was asleep. But something told her

ilent against the cold floor. The long hallway stretched befor

r fingers curled around the handle as she to

lready locked onto hers. His expression was unreadable

rriage without asking questions, did you?

ened on the doorframe. "

smirk, but there was no am

ran down

arlett knew one thing for certain