Facing the Past

Amelia’s POV

I closed the door behind me, the cool air of my chambers offering a momentary respite from the lingering weight of my conversation with Lena and Cassidy. They had warned me—Sabrina wasn’t going to play fair. I needed to be prepared. The seriousness of it all hung over me, but as I stepped inside, something else took over my mind.

Lucas was there, sitting on the edge of the bed. His posture was relaxed, but his gaze was anything but. His dark eyes followed my every move, lingering as if he were trying to understand something about me that even I wasn’t fully aware of yet. His presence, commanding and familiar, filled the room, and it made my pulse quicken unexpectedly.

I froze for a second, taken aback by the sight of him here at this hour. Butterflies erupted in my stomach—a strange reaction considering how often we were around each other now. But there was something about the way Lucas looked at me in that moment, something deeper. His intent gaze seemed to pierce right