Chapter 27

Valerie's POV

As soon as the door clicked shut behind Darius, the tension in the room shifted. Not lighter, not heavier. The silence in the room wasn't peace—it was pressure.

Earlier, when Darius made me choose and I chose to stay to talk to Kaelen, I briefly recalled how his eyes had darkened and his jaw had clenched.

Thinking about his expression made my heart tighten. But I wanted to talk to Ka