Jessica/Tessa’s POV
I placed a steaming cup of coffee on Zane’s desk, gently nudging it toward him. “Here. Calm down a little. He’s already convicted.”
Since we got back from the council meeting, he hadn’t moved from that chair. Just sat there—arms crossed, eyes sharp like blades—staring at nothing and everything at once. The weight in his gaze was almost heavy enough to shatter the room.
“I should’ve ended him years ago,” he muttered, his voice low and bitter.
I didn’t need to ask who he meant. Eric.
His betrayal hit harder than any of us expected. The lies, the manipulation, the council bribes—it all felt like a slap across the face, especially to Zane.
Sinking into the chair across from him, I spoke softly. “You didn’t know. None of us did.”
I shrugged and added, “I mean, yeah, w
