Elena's POV

Jason practically fled the room.

The door slammed behind him so hard the heavy wood rattled the wall, and the entire corridor fell silent.

I didn't move.

In that final instant, I thought I'd seen his eyes glistening — as if he were about to cry.

But I no longer cared to figure out what was real and what wasn't.

Ten years of half-truths and false tenderness had killed any interest I had in reading between the lines.

My phone buzzed twice in my pocket.

I glanced down.

Luke's name on the screen.

[Are you okay?]

[I can't stop worrying about you.]

Two short lines — but something in my chest loosened.

Like a pair of hands, steady and sure, reaching for me from a distance.

I used to believe Jason and I would be together forever.

Back when we were young, he'd walk with me through the hills behind the estate. He'd drape his jacket over my shoulders when I was scared.

I'd told myself that no matter how much it hurt, I'd never leave him.

But now I knew — people change.

So do hearts.

I typed slowly.

[I'm fine. Just a little longer. It'll all be over soon.]

The message had barely sent when the click of heels echoed down the corridor.

The door flew open.

Vicky stood in the doorway.

Her face was ugly with anger, her flowing red dress in disarray.

"Jason's drinking."

She glared at me, her voice edged with venom.

"He locked himself in the wine cellar. He's been going through bottle after bottle since you two were in that room."

I said nothing. I just looked at her, calm and still.

That only made her angrier.

"Feeling smug, are you?"

A cold sneer.

"Seeing him like this — you must be thrilled."

I still didn't respond.

Vicky's nails dug into her own palms. Her eyes darkened.

"You don't actually think Jason is doing this because of you?"

Then she laughed.

A vicious, deliberate laugh.

"Keep dreaming."

"Jason never loved you."

She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a near-whisper — each word sharpened to a point.

"The one he's always loved is me."

I leaned against the window, my expression unchanged, as though listening to a story about someone else entirely.

That reaction pushed her over the edge.

She stared at me for a long moment, then shifted tactics, wearing a mask of feigned sympathy.

"You’re quite pathetic, actually."

A soft sigh.

"Ten years of marriage, and you couldn't even give him a child."

Her gaze dropped to my stomach, heavy with scorn.

"Humans and vampires were never meant to reproduce. What a pity."

I still said nothing.

Seeing that nothing got through to me, she suddenly smiled. "Oh, wait. I misspoke."

"It's not that you couldn't conceive. It's that you couldn't carry to term."

My hand clenched.

Vicky caught the reaction, and satisfaction flickered in her eyes.

"You remember that car accident, don't you?"

Her voice was airy, careless.

"You called Jason on video, begging for help."

"Too bad."

A soft laugh.

"He was with me. He didn't have time for you. Those photos you saw? I'm the one who sent them."

The air went dead.

Something detonated inside my skull.

Vicky's voice grew even lighter.

"And that car — the one that hit you."

She tilted her head, smiling like a child.

"Who do you think arranged it?"

In that instant, my last thread of reason snapped.

I was on her before I knew it.

We collided. A chair toppled. The table crashed to the floor.

Vicky clearly hadn't expected me to attack.

But the gap between a human and a vampire was too vast.

She recovered in a heartbeat, swinging her arm. The force sent me sprawling.

The back of my head cracked against the floor. My vision went black.

She stood over me, her expression completely changed.

"How pathetic."

Her voice was low.

"So you really knew nothing. You've been a blind fool this entire time."

Then hands seized my wrists.

Several servants rushed in and dragged me, still dazed, into the next room.

The door slammed. The lock clicked.

A sharp, chemical smell filled the air.

I looked down and saw oil pooled across the floor.

From outside came Vicky's gentle voice.

"Elena. Jason doesn't blame me. "

"After all..."

She chuckled softly.

"It’s just an accident. And, you deserve to die."

The next second, flames burst in beneath the door crack.

Thick smoke spread swiftly, and a wave of scorching heat washed over me.

I leaned against the wall, my vision slowly fading.At the very moment my consciousness was about to slip away.

Bang!

The window was suddenly shattered from the outside.

Shards of glass flew everywhere, and a figure burst into the flames.

I could barely make out his face, only that he rushed to me and held me tight.With the last of my strength, I clutched at his clothes.

My voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible.

"Take me away."

I whispered.

"Luke."