Chapter 34
Stephanie's Point of View
I got into the car with Alexander, and he drove us away from Cedric's villa. I sat beside him, my body as stiff as a wooden plank; I wanted nothing but to escape that place as quickly as possible. I couldn't comprehend how I had allowed myself to trust him, how I let him lead me into those murky depths where my feelings flowed recklessly, and how I had foolishly begun to imagine that I was truly his girlfriend—that a beautiful life might one day bring us together.
But everything was shattered now; all those fragile dreams I had built on shifting sands collapsed over my head. Alex broke my train of thought when he asked quietly, "Steph... are you okay?"
I answered mechanically, with a stilted coldness without looking at him: "I'm fine."
