ELLA

Watching Lyla leave hurt me more than I imagined. I half-expected to see Lucian waiting outside, but thankfully, he was nowhere to be found, although his presence would’ve reduced the amount of time I had to stand on the front porch watching her walk away.

Once she was out of sight, I turned around and stepped into the house. The silence was a cold reminder that the sense of familiarity and comfort I’d felt while she was here had disappeared with her.

I started making my way to the stairs, heading straight for my room, when I heard muffled voices in the kitchen. I had initially thought that May...