Chapter Twelve

Isabella's POV

Fuck me for previously avoiding him, it's not working.

The days after the forbidden room incident had been... tense. Every morning, I woke expecting a small change-perhaps a hint that Adrian's icy distance might soften. Maybe the conversation in the car after dinner with his father had shifted something. But reality proved stubborn. Adrian remained just as distant, unreadable, frustrating in ways I couldn't quite grasp.

I tried subtle gestures-placing a cup of ...