Chapter 49 : Shadows of the Heart

Vera’s POV

The walls of my chamber seemed to close in more each day. I wasn’t allowed to leave, not even to see the sunrise or feel the cool night air on my skin. The guards posted outside my door stood like statues, their faces impassive, indifferent to the desperation that clawed at me.

I couldn’t understand why Sylvester hadn’t thrown me in the dungeon like he did with others who defied him. He had every reason to. My loyalty to Derek had been made painfully clear, yet here I was, locked away but kept in relative comfort. It felt like a cruel twist the room was a prison cloaked in luxury, but still a prison all the same.

Perhaps, I thought, he still cared for me, or at least clung to the idea of what we once were. But if I didn’t find a way to protect Derek, whatever feelings Sylvester still held would mean nothing. He wouldn’t hesitate to destroy Derek, and I couldn’t let that happen. I’d have to go along with his demands, deny Derek publicly, make him believe I was breaking ties.