Chapter 97. Shattered Bonds

Avery’s POV

The weight of Dylan’s words still clung to me, heavy and suffocating, even as I left the garden and returned to the main house. He followed close behind but kept enough distance to let me catch my breath, a silent acknowledgment of the turmoil raging within me.

The air between us was thick with unspoken thoughts, the tension lingering like an unseen force pressing against my chest. I had intended to retreat to my room, to process the whirlwind of emotions swirling within me, but Dylan’s quiet direction changed my course.

He led me to his office, the space radiating an aura of power and control. I watched as he placed a thin folder on the desk, the simple manila folder suddenly seeming ominous. I knew immediately that I wouldn’t have the relief of quietly slipping into my room, not yet.

“Are you ready to see proof of what I said about Amelia?” he asked, his voice steady but careful, as if bracing for my reaction, anticipating the pain and di