Something flickered in his eyes. Panic. It vanished almost instantly, swallowed by irritation.
"That was years ago. Why are you still dragging it up? Throwing another tantrum over nothing." He frowned, his tone dripping with impatience. "I promised your mother I'd keep you safe, give you a stable life. But that comes with conditions. You don't hurt Selene. You don't cause problems."
I stared at him, and a bitter laugh escaped me. I was laughing at myself. Five years of misplaced devotion. Five years of blindness, and only now could I see him for what he truly was. In his heart, my mother's injustice, my pain, none of it weighed more than a single tear from Selene Blanc.
The anguish in my chest surged. Days of suppressed anger, frustration, and disappointment crashed over me all at once. The room tilted. My legs gave out, and I fell backward into darkness.
When I opened my eyes again, the sharp sting of antiseptic filled my nostrils. The family's private physician was putting away her instruments. She noticed I was awake and offered a gentle smile.