The room was dimly lit, the flickering light of the fireplace casting long shadows across the walls. I sat in the oversized armchair, my legs curled up beneath me, arms wrapped tightly around myself. Freddy stood across from me, his figure dark and imposing in the dim light. His words hung in the air between us, thick with unspoken tension.

"Stay with me until they're ruined. That's the deal, Aliana."

I stared at him, my heart pounding in my chest. Stay with him? After everything, after how ...