Chapter 36

• Aria sat silently in the back of the car, her heart heavy with sorrow. The world outside blurred past, but all she could focus on was the ache in her chest. She had trusted Zander, allowing herself to believe that their connection was real, that he cared for her beyond the confines of their dark reality. The intimacy they had shared felt like a fleeting moment of hope amidst the chaos. But now, that hope lay shattered.
• As the car sped along the winding road, memories of their passionate encounter flooded her mind—his kisses, the warmth of his body against hers, the way he had held her close as if she were the only thing that mattered. But those moments felt like a cruel joke now. When Zander had called her nothing more than his responsibility and handed her over to Dante so easily, it had broken something deep inside her.
• “Why did I let myself believe?” she whispered to herself, tears brimming in her eyes. “Why did I trust him?” The weight of betrayal pressed down on her, and she felt hollow, as if a part of her soul had been ripped away.