😊AUTHOR POV😊.

Ava tried to stifle her sobs, but they continued to escape her lips in uncontrollable bursts. She had cried so much that her eyes were starting to hurt. The pain of witnessing Kayla's brutal punishment was unbearable, and the guilt weighed heavily on her shoulders. It was her fault that Kayla had suffered, her actions that had led to this moment.

She sniffed, her tears threatening to overwhelm her. How had Lucian changed so drastically? He had always been gentle and kind, never even harming a fly, let alone another person. When had he become so cruel?.

The sound of the bed creaking caught her attention, signalling that Lucian had finally retired for the night. She hadn't laid eyes on him since he had ordered the brutal punishment of Kayla.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she felt Lucian's strong arms wrap around her, his touch both comforting and suffocating at the same time.

Lucian's voice broke through her thoughts, his tone commanding and harsh. "Stop crying!" he ordered, his gr