Chapter 88

•Edward POV•

I slammed the car door shut with rage bubbling in my chest like a volcano ready to erupt. My fists were still clenched, the knuckles raw and throbbing, and the dull ache in my nose reminded me just how stupid I’d been. I wasn’t sure who to be mad at. Josh, for planting the idea in my head, or myself, for being foolish enough to go along with it.

A streak of dried blood tugged at the corner of my nostril. I dabbed at it with the crumpled tissue in my hand, muttering under my breath. I should’ve gone to the hospital, or at least a pharmacy. But instead, I drove straight home, my thoughts consumed with everything I’d just learned.

As I stepped into the house, a warm scent drifted toward me—sweet and buttery, tinged with vanilla. My stomach growled despite the tension clenching it. The aroma led me toward the kitchen, and with each step, I prayed it wasn’t Raya behind the smell. I was hanging on by a thread, and her face would be enough to snap it.

The moment I stepped into t