JASMINE
I must have dozed off again after Stella and Jaden left our bedroom. The mattress felt a bit too firm, my collarbone was sore, and my mind simply refused to quiet down.
Flashes of the day kept replaying in my head, Henry's rough grip on my arm at school, the panic in my voice when I called Stephan, and that shocking news on my phone about the mansion being seized by the police.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the strange Book, recalled the System's warnings, and pictured Henry's furious face as the officers dragged him away from our front entry.
A soft click of our bedroom door pulled me back to full awareness. Heavy, familiar footsteps crossed the room. I opened my eyes slowly.
It was Stephan.
He looked completely exhausted. His tie was loosened, his suit jacket was slung over one arm, and his hair was messy like he had run his fingers through it too many times.
But the exact moment his eyes met mine, something soft and warm appeared in his expression.
