Beatrice tightened her grip on the wheel. “You know,” she said softly, “I once believed Nikolai truly loved you. The way he looked at you… it was different. But somewhere along the way, power changed him. And I did nothing. Maybe that’s my fault.”
“You tried,” I murmured. “You always did.”
She smiled sadly. “You remind me of myself when I was younger — stubborn, too forgiving.” She glanced at me. “Don’t make my mistake, Sienna. When someone shows you how cruel they are, don’t wait for them to change. Leave before they break you.”
I nodded, my vision blurring with tears. “I’m trying.”
We were only a few blocks from the Arvant estate when headlights suddenly flared behind us — too close, moving too fast.
“Beatrice…” I frowned. “That car—”
Before I could finish, the vehicle swerved violently and crashed into the side of ours. The impact spun everything out of control. Glass shattered. The car flipped once… twice… before slamming into the guardrail.
Smoke filled the air. The metallic taste of blood coated my mouth.
“Beatrice!” I croaked, turning toward her. She didn’t move.