Selene’s POV

As I approached the study, my steps slowed, and there they were—Lucian and Maria, standing too close for comfort. Her arms were draped around him, their bodies pressed together in a way that felt like a dagger to my heart. It wasn’t just the sight of them. It was the intimacy in their posture like there was something unspoken between them that I wasn’t a part of.

I froze, my breath catching in my throat. I couldn’t hear their conversation, but I didn’t ...