The smile on his face faded, replaced with something colder. “Because, Danica… I don’t need you anymore. I never did. I’m done pretending. I’m done being the good husband. You’ve always been a means to an end. And now that Dulcie’s here, I don’t need you to play the part anymore.”
I could feel my heart breaking, piece by piece. This man, this monster, had never loved me. He never even liked me.
“I should’ve known,” I said, voice shaking with emotion. “I should’ve known when I saw you two together. Four years ago, on the staircase.”
His eyes flashed with irritation. “You’re still stuck on that?” He scoffed, running a hand through his hair. “You’re crazy, Danica. You’ve always been crazy. Just like your mother.”
The words stung more than anything. My mother. The woman who had slowly lost herself to the darkness, to the lies. And now, Reagan was using her as an excuse for his cruelty.
He stepped closer, his breath hot on my face. “Run, and I’ll bring your father’s empire to its knees. Titanis will fall. He’ll die knowing his daughter caused it.”
I felt the air leave my lungs. My father… I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t destroy him. Not for me.