Chapter 24

My heart pounded in my chest, drowning out the party’s music. Damien’s gaze bore into me, his eyes pleading for an answer I wasn’t ready to give. Caleb’s smirk only fueled my anger, his words like gasoline on a fire that was already burning out of control.

“Katrina,” Damien’s voice was quieter now, almost desperate. “Is it true?”

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms as I tried to hold onto whatever composure I had left. The truth was a heavy weight on my tongue, one that I wasn’t sure I could swallow anymore.

“What if it is?” I finally said, my voice cold, distant. I watched as Damien’s face crumpled, the pain in his eyes slicing through me like a knife.

“So, you were with him?” His voice cracked, the hurt unmistakable.

I didn’t answer right away, my mind racing through every memory, every moment I’d tried to bury. The late-night rides, the way Archer’s presence had become a comfort I couldn’t deny. But admitting it now, in front of everyone, felt like ripping open a wo