Chapter 108

The tension between Adonis and me hadn’t fully dissipated; it lingered like a shadow that neither of us could shake. Though he wore a mask of acceptance, one that suggested he had come to terms with the situation, I could feel the weight of unspoken words hanging heavily in the space between us. His silence spoke volumes, and even after all this time, a part of me still hadn’t forgiven him for what had happened in the past. I knew he sensed it. It was evident in the way he hesitated before speaking to me, in the brief pauses that punctuated his sentences, as if pride and guilt were wrestling behind his unreadable eyes. “I understand, Ella,” Adonis finally said, his voice calm and measured, yet betraying an underlying current of disappointment. He was trying—trying to maintain control, trying to keep his emotions in check. “We’ll do things your way.” There was reluctance in his tone, and I knew it wasn’t easy for him to yield. His agreement, however begrudging, was the best I was going