Velvet’s POV

I stepped into the lounge and felt a small tension tighten my chest. Melissa and Ivy were already there, laughing quietly together. It was strange how they didn’t even glance at me when I entered.

Before, they would have smiled or waved. They would have included me in their chatter without thinking twice. Now, they looked distant, almost cold, and I noticed it immediately.

My heart sank a little. I knew why, of course. Selina had been at the estate while we were gone, and I could guess she had made her moves.

Money and gifts were her tools. She wanted to buy them over. To turn my...