As my mother and Lauren exited the room, Atlas sat beside me. He seemed to be carefully choosing his words.

Inside, I felt conflicted, a sense of injustice simmering in a corner of my heart. Seeing Stella, still radiant and carefree didn't sit right with me.

From the moment this woman entered my view, I could sense her subtle schemes against me. Even that first dinner together felt calculated. How could I possibly stay calm?

Besides that, I had a persistent feeling of being trapped, which was