Scarlett

My mouth dropped open. For a second, I just stared at him, completely frozen. Twenty-one? He was only twenty-one? The number kept echoing in my head as I slowly pulled my hand away from his, the warmth of his fingers suddenly feeling distant.

Viktor watched me carefully, worry etched across his face. “You promised you wouldn’t overreact,” he reminded me gently, his voice soft but steady.

I breathed deeply, trying to calm the swirl of emotions rising in my chest — shock, confusion, and a tiny spark of betrayal. I closed my eyes for a moment, forcing the air in and out.

“I am… finding it,” I said finally,...