Chapter 63

VESTA'S POV

The memory of Kia's words lingered like a bad smell. Every playful jab, every shared joke with Dom echoed in my head, twisted into something suggestive. The sting of her accusation – that I was throwing myself at him – had burrowed deep.

So, today, at warrior training, I decided to play it cool. No more goofy grins or witty retorts. Just a focused silence, a determined glint in my eye. Dom, bless his observant heart, noticed the shift.

"Lila, you alright?" he asked during a break, concern etched on his brow. "You seem…different."

I shrugged, forcing a nonchalant smile. "Just tired. Long day."

It wasn't a complete lie. Work had been a slog, but the real exhaustion stemmed from the emotional tug-of-war within me.

Training itself was a blur. I pushed myself harder than usual, each lunge, each swing of the practice sword a physical manifestation of my internal turmoil. Sweat beaded on my forehead, my muscles screamed, but the ache in my body was preferable to the turmoil in my