Chapter 57

Victoria "Apparently," I murmured, opening the journal. Unlike her botanical notes, this was a personal diary, filled with elegant handwriting that chronicled her thoughts, feelings, and experiences after meeting my father. I read aloud from a random entry: "*Dominic brought me wildflowers today—not store-bought roses or lilies, but meadow blooms he gathered himself at dawn. He understands that the most precious gifts are those that show attention rather than wealth. Mother would be horrified by my werewolf suitor, but for the first time in my life, I feel truly seen.*" Leo's hand settled on my shoulder as I continued reading through passages documenting their courtship and early marriage. Then I paused at an entry that made my breath catch: "*I've made my decision. I will tell Dominic the truth about my family, my heritage. I cannot build a life with him on a foundation of half-truths, especially now that I carry his child. He deserves to know who—and what—he's bound himself to. I pra