Chapter 68. Securing the Crown

Lily’s POV

Ethan’s study was always dark, filled with the heavy scent of leather and scotch, just like him. For months, I had loved the way it made him seem powerful, untouchable. Now, it just felt suffocating, as if the very walls were closing in on me.

I stood outside the door for a moment, steadying my breath, my hand lingering on the knob. My silk robe hugged my body, the deep purple shade chosen not just to flatter me but to remind him of everything I had to offer, everything Victoria never could. I had no intention of leaving this room without getting exactly what I wanted.

Ethan had been slipping away from me, and I couldn’t ignore it any longer. The auction had been a nightmare, a turning point I hadn’t seen coming. Victoria, that pathetic bitch, had walked into the room like she owned it.

But it wasn’t just her presence. It was him. Ethan. The way his eyes trailed her as though seeing her for the first time, lingering too long on her waist, he