Dahlia's POV
Eddie reached out his hand, offering a smile that was polite yet distant. "Eddie. And you are?"
His voice was deep and carried a subtle warmth, but there was something almost unsettling about how controlled it sounded.
When our fingers touched, a chill ran through me. The contact was brief but electric, making my already unsteady heartbeat falter completely. For a moment, my mind went blank, overwhelmed by a fear I couldn't quite name.
But the rage that had been burning inside me for years kept me anchored.
I forced my lips into a calm smile, practiced and smooth. "Dahlia Mathews."
Eddie's grip loosened slightly, and he studied me with newfound interest. "I didn't realize you carried the Mathews name."
"People from Crestwood City aren't anything special," I replied, keeping my tone even while my insides churned.
Behind my composed facade, my heart was anything but calm. It had been in chaos since the moment I first saw him during my freshman year.
