Chapter 46

• Belle***
• My entire world shattered as Victor’s words echoed in my mind like a death knell. Jake was dead. The one man who had promised to protect me, the only person who had kept the darkness at bay, was gone. I felt myself suffocate, the air in the mansion growing thick and oppressive, each breath a struggle.
• Victor stood before me, towering like a shadow that swallowed all light. His cruel smile, twisted and taunting, sent a surge of ice through my veins. He tightened his grip on my wrist, digging his fingers into my skin until it felt like the bones might crack under his strength. The pain was nothing compared to the agony in my chest. Jake is dead. The words rang out in my mind like a haunting melody, dragging me deeper into despair.