Lucien’s laughter echoed through the room—a cold, wicked sound I had never heard from him before. It wasn’t the warm, teasing laugh I was used to. It was sharp, biting, filled with anger and betrayal. My heart pounded in my chest as he stared at me with eyes darkened by hurt.

“I asked you, Aria,” he said, his voice low but fierce, “more times than I can count. I trusted you, but you kept lying to me. Hiding this from me.” He held the locket up, the object that now symbolized the wedge between us.

The room grew tense, the silence heavy. Suddenly, Lucien called out sharply, “Guards! Take her!”...