Why had Daniel Hale's suspicion bothered her?
Why had Clara's hesitation hurt?
Why did Alaric's silence downstairs feel worse than the accusations themselves?
Her grip around the wine glass tightened unconsciously because deep down… some pathetic part of her had started expecting something different from them.
The realization hit her so suddenly that she let out a quiet laugh afterward.
"How ridiculous…" she whispered softly.
She was Elena Vaughn.
Daughter of Victor Vaughn.
The same man who destroyed their family.
What exactly did she expect?
Acceptance?
Trust?
Sympathy?
No.
She had entered this arrangement fully aware of what waited for her.
The blame.
The humiliation.
Distrust.
Hatred.
She had prepared herself for all of it.
Then why did it sting when it actually came from them?
Her jaw tightened sharply because unlike her own family… The Hales weren't monsters and somehow that made their judgement hurt infinitely more.
