บท 56: My Story

Leila's POV:

 The tension between us was suffocating, the air thick with unresolved anger and desire. Drake hadn't looked at me the same since that night by the stream, his eyes cold, distant. I could feel the mate bond once more, buzzing beneath my skin, but it was weaker than before—like a thin thread that could snap at any moment.

 I had to fix this. I had to make him understand that I wasn't the enemy, that the sins of my parents didn't define me. My heart ached at the thought of losing him, at the idea that the man I loved could be slipping away, drowned in his hatred for a past I had no part in. I stood outside his office door, taking a deep breath before knocking softly.

 "Come in," came his voice, gruff and strained.

 I stepped in, closing the door behind me quietly. He was seated at his desk, papers scattered in front of him, but his eyes were focused elsewhere—on thoughts darker than the night. He barely acknowledged me.