Chapter 23

Stellan had Lyra taken back to the villa by force. He put her in her old bedroom, where everything was left exactly as it had been before she left, as if she'd never been gone. But to her, this was just where her nightmare had begun. Stellan stood before her, his eyes filled with deep emotion. "Celine, I know you hate me, but please don't leave me. I can't live without you… I don't even know how I'd make it without you..." He stepped closer, reaching out to pull Lyra into his arms. She backed away quickly, dodging his touch, and glared at him in disgust. She picked up her phone, her expression blank, and typed a single line before shoving the screen toward Stellan. "I'd rather die than be with you." Every word was final, leaving no room for doubt. Stellan's chest tightened painfully. Lyra's eyes held no warmth, only a cold detachment that unsettled him. He knew that she wasn't bluffing. She had meant every word. Two years ago, she had walked into that raging fire without hesitat