(Aria's POV)Derek’s ice-blue eyes stared into mine, colder than frost, pinning me in place. His towering presence swallowed the room, making the air thick, suffocating. Every instinct screamed for me to move, to escape, but my legs refused to obey. His cedar scent, usually intoxicating, now felt like a cage wrapping tighter and tighter around me.“Explain,” Derek said, his voice low and sharp, cutting through the heavy silence. It was a demand, not a request.I tried to take a step back, but my retreat was halted by the wall behind me. Trapped. “There’s nothing to explain,” I managed, keeping my voice steady, though inside I was trembling. “It’s irrelevant—Alexander and I—nothing from the past matters now.”His expression hardened further, his jaw ticking in barely contained anger. The room seemed darker, his presence consuming every bit of light and warmth. “Irrelevant?” he repeated, his voice dropping into a deadly whisper that sent a shiver down my spine. He stepped closer, our
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