The air in the hall was thick, almost suffocating, with their words. Every insult, every sneer, every thinly veiled accusation ricocheted off the chandeliers and marble, settling in my bones. Sarafina’s voice, high and trembling with anger, cut through the murmurs of the crowd. “You think you can just stand here and take over what’s not yours? You have no right, no place, no—nothing!” She lunged slightly forward, her perfect nails aimed like claws, her lips quivering as though the effort of her venom was exhausting her already fragile composure. Kyle, ever the mask of calculated authority, took it a step further. His hands shot out, grabbing me by the arms with that familiar mix of force and entitlement, trying to pull me away from the space I had claimed with nothing more than my presence. “Enough, Alina! You will leave. Now!” His voice was sharp, authoritative, but laced with panic, the kind of panic that comes when yo
Last Updated : 2026-02-05 Read more