EMILIA’S POV

For a moment, Maximus didn’t even blink.

He just stared at me like the floor had been ripped out from under him—like my words had cut straight through whatever strength he had left. His hands were still on my face, but suddenly they felt frozen, rigid, trembling.

“What… are you talking about, Emilia?” he whispered again, voice rough and confused. “I might not like your family for how they treated you… but I swear I didn’t kill them. Why would I do that?”

More tears burned down my cheeks.

I shook my head slowly.

“Not them,” I whispered.

His brows knit sharply. Confusion flashed across his face, then...