Chapter 56

The morning came quietly, the soft light of dawn spilling through the windows of Althea’s room. She lay in bed, her eyes fixed on the ceiling as the events of the previous night played through her mind. Kaden’s anger, his frustration, the kiss that left her breathless,it all felt like a storm that had finally settled, leaving her with one undeniable truth. She trusted him. Her father’s words had done their damage, planting seeds of doubt that had nearly consumed her. But Kaden’s fierce defense of his honesty, his refusal to let her spiral into uncertainty, had been enough to pull her back. For the first time in a long time, she felt a strange sense of clarity. The answers about her mother would come, but she couldn’t let the questions control her. There were things she could control,her own strength, her own choices,and that was where she would focus her energy. With a deep breath, she sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed, her gaze dropped to her leg, where the faint scar