Luciana's POV

Donovan's confession hit me like a brutal punch to the gut, a cruel blow that arched my chest with unbearable, inexplicable pain. I felt myself sinking inward, curling into the comfort of despair. Tears welled in my eyes, but I fought them back, unwilling to let them fall in front of these people. I had to be strong until the very end; I couldn't show them how weak I truly felt.

The one I had hoped was an ally—relentlessly pushing me against Romano, whom I believed to be my ...