“What are you whining about now?” he sneered. “Your allowance isn’t enough? Do you want a luxury gift? Just say it instead of making a scene.”
His words struck me like ice, cutting deeper than he could understand, reducing all my love to something material in his eyes.
Tears streamed down my cheeks as I whispered, “I don’t need your wealth, Lorenz. I need you. I need my mate to be with me, to care for me. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
But he smirked, amusement flickering in his cold gaze as he pinched my chin sharply.
“Your tears won’t sway me, Toni. You’ll never get what you want. Don’t expect me at your graduation.”
He released me with a rough tug, leaving a sting behind, then slammed the door, reverberating through the manor.
Our union had always been hollow. From the start, it had been a pact arranged by his mother, two strangers under one roof. Though the manor thrived with staff, he insisted I perform every task for him, a mockery of intimacy and care.
The mate I had hoped to spend my life with had become a stranger. And though memories of my efforts and hope lingered, I knew that from this day forward, I had to let them all go.