Chapter 86. Betrayed Trust

Xerina’s POV

I looked into his eyes, searching for any hint of the darkness that had been there earlier. But instead, I found something else—an exhaustion, a weariness that seemed to weigh him down. The anger, the frustration, the coldness—they were all gone, replaced by a vulnerability I hadn’t expected to see.

My voice was barely more than a whisper as I asked, “You’d never betray me, right?”

Rasmus didn’t answer right away. Instead, he moved closer, backing me against the wall until there was no space left between us. He cupped my face in his hands, his touch surprisingly gentle given the tension in the air. His thumb brushed over my cheek, sending a shiver down my spine.

“I would never betray you, Rina,” he murmured, his voice low and intense, his eyes locking onto mine. “No matter what you think of me, no matter how much you doubt, I need you to believe that. I’ve made mistakes, but you’re not one of them.”

His words hung and everything left