Chapter 226

Stella That kiss in the library was a total mess. Hot, reckless, way too much. I got the hell out of there. I couldn't even look at Orion. My brain was short-circuiting. I needed out. Fast. I didn't have a plan. I just needed space. Somewhere he wasn't. But when I pushed open the front door of our house, I froze. Completely. Standing in the middle of our living room like he owned the place was someone I hadn't seen in over ten years. My father. The shock hit me like someone had punched me in the chest. He looked older. More gray in his hair. But he still had that same intense, controlling vibe. He turned slowly, locking eyes with me. Always too precise. Too sharp. "Well, well. Look at you. College girl now, huh ?" he said, giving me a slow once-over that made my skin crawl. "Didn't expect you home this early." My hand moved to my pocket, fingers tightening around my phone. I gripped it so hard my knuckles turned white. I kept my face still, eyes unreadable. "Felt sick," I said, my voic