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“I was so angry he had bought you at an auction,” she says, huffing “Can’t believe the gall”

“How did you …?” I murmur

“A leanbh, we have eyes and ears everywhere,” she says, her glareme feel hyperaware of my environment

I can’t ever forget I’m in the lion’s den

“Ever since that wretched Igor set our house on fire, we’d been searching for you nonstop, but you went under the radar … until you suddenly showed up at that auction,” she says, putting down her drink again while keeping her eyes oners around his neck”

I don’t knohy, but it feels like she’s clawing at mine instead

I shift inWhy would she talk about Marcello instead of us, our faht that shaped all of our lives?

“But your father and I fought hard to get you back” She grabs lad you’re back where you belong now”

I slowly retract my hand froor”

Her brow rises “Igor So Marcello told you?”

Rage bubbles to the surface “You knew, and you never told me Don’t you think you should have?”

Her eyes suddenly turn icy “That grimy schmuck didn’t deserve you” Her voice isyour tiny little body froe I could ever dream of”

My eyes widen as I lean back on the couch, completely shocked at her viciousness

“He killed hter, Alannah,” she says

Alannah Marcello’s fiancée

It’s all connected

“So you replaced her with me,” I mutter

She nods unapologetically “And I don’t regret a single second of ain “Because you’ve grown into such a beautiful young wohter”

When she reaches for my face, I lean back even more “Don’t”