Shattered Control

**Serafina's POV**

Dario froze by the door. His broad shoulders stiffened, the dark suit stretching tight over his back. The weight of my confession dragged the oxygen from the room. He let go of the brass doorknob. In the blink of an eye, he closed the distance. His heavy boots thudded against the plush carpet, each step sounding like a death knell in my ears. I scrambled backward in panic until