ALEXIO'S POV 

As the days went by, Ciara's sorrow only deepened. She was consumed by grief, her every waking moment filled with thoughts of Bestian and the life they were supposed to build together. And in her vulnerable state, she was easy prey for my manipulation.

I played on her emotions, using every trick in the book to make her believe that I was genuinely concerned for her well-being. I listened to her tears, offering words of comfort and reassurance. I held her hand, pretending to be a rock for her to lean on.

And Ciara, weak and fragile as she was, fell for it hook, line, and sinker. She...