BESTIAN'S POV 

Ciara didn't stop at making Alexio feel less than a beggar. She seemed to take great pleasure in pushing his buttons, in watching him squirm under her verbal attacks. As the dinner wore on, she continued to taunt him, her words dripping with venom and malice.

At first, Alexio tried to defend himself, to push back against Ciara's attacks. But she was relentless, wearing him down with her constant barrage of insults and jibes. I could see the frustration building in his eyes, the anger and hurt that he was trying to keep under control.

But Ciara just laughed, her eyes glowed. She seemed to enjoy watching Alexio...