Semua Bab My Arrogant Stepbrother Is My Mate!: Bab 21 - Bab 26

POV SIENNAWhat blazed as consuming fire last night returned this morning as undeniable proof, glowing beneath the grey light like a secret threatening to reveal itself at a single glance.At seven o’clock the pale cold light of winter seeped through my window, casting everything in a leaden hue that felt like silent accusation. I stood before the bathroom mirror, resting my knuckles against the chill edge of the marble, unsure how to face my own reflection. The left strap of my lace nightgown hung frayed over my shoulder, torn where Killian’s teeth had pulled it free with that mix of fierceness and tenderness that left me breathless. Beneath it across my neck and the slope of my chest lay reddened marks, small and deep, forming a burning map of everything we had shared in the shadows, marks that would take far longer than a few hours to fade completely.I dressed with deliberate care, choosing a thick flannel shirt buttoned all the way to the collar, straight‑cut jeans and heavy sole

POV SIENNAHe did not just drop me at the kerb. He took the very air with him and left behind a silence so heavy I had to force myself to breathe so I would not drown in it.When the Porsche rolled to a halt before the steps of St Jude’s Academy Killian did not speak a single word or glance my way. I undid the belt with hands that still trembled, pulled the door open as though escaping a cage that had suddenly grown too small and too hot, and stepped down onto the pavement without looking back. The engine roared as he pulled away and the car vanished into the morning mist between buildings. That sound was all the farewell I got, cold swift and final.I walked through the school doors feeling as though every step cost me more effort than it should. The main hall smelled of fresh acrylic paint stale coffee and floor wax, familiar everyday scents that usually calmed me yet now felt too thin to hide what lingered on my skin. I brushed my thumb lightly over my lower lip. It still throbbed

POV SIENNAWhen the enemy no longer lurks beyond the border but sits beside you in the classroom the danger is not something you see coming from far away. It is something that already breathes the same air as you do.I walked out through the south gate barely feeling the biting cold cutting through my jacket and settling deep into my bones. The sidewalk along the side of the building stood completely empty at that hour while mist began curling down from the hills blurring the streetlights and softening the outlines of everything beyond the campus fence. Waiting there half‑hidden in the fog was the matte black Porsche Panamera its dipped headlights casting two warm beams across the damp asphalt. As soon as my fingers brushed the handle the lock clicked open. I slid inside pulled the door shut behind me and dropped my backpack and laptop onto the floor at my feet finally grateful for the shelter of that small space even though the air inside felt heavy enough to press against my chest.