Alex sat frozen in the chair, staring at the broken shards of his phone scattered across the stone floor. The silence pressed in from every angle, but his mother's voice still echoed inside his skull, sharp and accusing.
You're mine.
The words burrowed deep, clawing at the fragile edges of his sanity.
Liam's hands were still on his face, holding him firmly, forcing his eyes up to meet the fierce emerald glow. "She is not your mother," he repeated, his voice raw with urgency. "You can't let her poison you."
But Alex's heart twisted painfully. His voice cracked when he finally spoke: "How do I know you're not poisoning me?"
Liam flinched as if struck. His hands loosened, his mouth opening but no sound coming out.
