Chapter 80

• Chapter 80: Washed in Fire and Water
• The night was heavy with silence, the kind of silence that comes after storms and battles, when the city holds its breath. But inside the southern mansion, steam rose like a secret.
• Elena stood barefoot on the cold tiles of the bathroom, staring at her reflection in the mirror. The diamond collar still glinted at her throat, droplets of candlelight clinging to each stone. Her skin bore faint bruises and marks—memories of hands, mouths, battles. She reached up, fingertips brushing the diamonds, and whispered to herself: Am I really theirs now? Or did I just surrender to survive?