Maya's POV
I was about to return to the terrace to wait for Adonis. I didn't want to linger a second longer—every word I overheard was another wound. But then… Cassandra's next words froze me in place.
"I'm still furious with Adonis," she said, her voice laced with venom. "Even though I know it was a bet. He and Jake—those idiots made a wager that he could kiss Maya tonight without even breaking a sweat."
My breath caught. A dull ringing filled my ears.
Cassandra laughed bitterly. "And he did kiss her. Not once—but again and again, like he actually enjoyed it. Maybe he forgot it was just a game."
A tremor coursed through my limbs. I felt hollow. Betrayed. Stupid.
How could I have believed him? How could I have fallen so easily into his trap? Every word he whispered, every touch, every look—it was all a lie. A carefully crafted performance.
