Chapter 31: Trapped in Their Hate

Ella’s POV

The dining table stretched long across the royal dining hall, its polished wood gleaming under the chandelier’s warm light. The food smelled rich, but the air felt heavy and tense. I sat between Noah and an empty chair, my hands trembling slightly as I tried to hold my fork steady. Across from me, Mara’s sharp smirk cut like a blade, her eyes fixed on me with open disdain. Beside her, Jasper’s green eyes burned with quiet hatred.

I kept my ...