EMBER’S POV

Devika turns toward Knox with an expression of hurt understanding.

“Knox, I know you care about my daughter,” she says gently. “I can see that. And I appreciate that you want to protect her. But this is exactly what I’m talking about. Ember latches onto powerful men who make her feel safe, and then she becomes completely dependent on them. It’s not her fault—it’s a symptom of her condition. And the fact that you’re defending her so aggressively, that you’re willing to accuse her own mother of forgery… it suggests to me that perhaps you’ve been drawn into her patterns without realizing it.”

It’s masterful manipulation. She’s turned...