Lara's POV
I woke up with a heaviness clinging to my chest, the kind that reminded me of truths I wished I could forget. Marco had proved it yesterday. He really planned to take Cassian from me. He really intended to give Serene the place that should belong only to my son's mother.
No matter how many times I tried to convince myself otherwise, his actions made it clear. And yet here I was, trapped in the Blackwell mansion like a guest who did not belong. A wife in name, a mother fighting to keep her child, and a woman trying to hold her heart together.
I stayed still for a long moment, staring at the ceiling, trying to gather what was left of my strength. But the ache in my chest refused to settle. I hated that part of me still hoped he would knock on the door just to check on Cassian. Or maybe check on me. I hated that a pathetic little wish inside me still wanted to believe he cared in ways he never said. It made me feel foolish, weak, and embarrassingly hopeful.
