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CHAPTER 349
~Valerie's POV~
I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't hide my smile.
Then Ace's gaze shifted, softening in a way that caught me off guard. His smirk faded into something almost solemn, like he'd peeled back a mask I didn't even know he wore.
"You're stronger than you think, Val."
I blinked, startled by the sudden seriousness in his tone. "What?"
"I've seen you doubt yourself," Ace said quietly, brushing a damp strand of hair from my cheek. His fingers lingered, gentle, almost reverent. "But when you fight… there's fire in you. You just need to trust it."
The words struck deeper than I expected. He was right—too right.
I had been holding back. Not just against him, but against everyone, even myself. Since that night—the accident, the men I killed—I hadn't allowed myself to let go.
The memory clung to me like a dark shadow whispering that if I unleashed too much, I might never be able to cage it again.