Bella's POV
My skull felt like it was splitting apart from the inside. Hugo had left without another syllable, his fury radiating through the mansion walls even after the front door slammed shut behind him. Once Zack drifted into peaceful slumber, I wandered back to the living room and reached for the wine bottle.
The fireplace cast dancing shadows across my face as I settled into the armchair, crimson liquid warming my throat while salty tears traced paths down my cheeks. My carefully constructed world was crumbling piece by piece.
The web of lies I had woven was unraveling, and each exposed thread felt like a knife twisting deeper into my chest. This nightmare scenario had never been part of my plan when I made the decision to return home. I had foolishly hoped that time might have changed these alphas, made them better men somehow. Instead, their chaos had only intensified, leaving my heart shattered in ways I never thought possible.
