Chapter 149

Victoria's POV I dragged myself home after dinner with Grandpa William, despite his insistence I stay the night. As much as I adored him, I needed my own space tonight—too many thoughts were swimming through my head. "I should get back to my own place, Grandpa. I'll visit again soon," I promised, giving him a warm hug before leaving. He tried several more times to convince me, but I held firm. The drive back to my house was quiet, giving me too much time to think about everything that had happened today. When I finally pulled into my driveway, the silence of my empty home felt oppressive. After pacing around my living room for a few minutes, I made a decision. I needed to talk to Damien. After our confrontation this morning, things had been left unresolved, and the tension between us was driving me crazy. It felt like a live wire, humming, threatening to snap. I headed upstairs to his penthouse apartment and knocked on the door. Once, twice, three times—no answer. The hallway remained