Chapter 139

Hamilton’s POV

Leila thought she could outsmart me? How naive. Does she think I’ve been blind all these years, sitting back, watching her smug little face parade around as if she owns the world? I was there. I’ve always been there, watching her grow from that scrawny little girl into the woman she is now. From the moment her mother abandoned her and left her in my care, I knew she was in trouble. But I played my part. I cared for her as a stepmother should—no, as a *better* stepmother than she deserved.

I fed her, clothed her, sheltered her, even before I got pregnant with Mara, my beautiful daughter, my pride. But Leila? I always knew she’d try to rise above her station. She had that defiance in her eyes, even as a child. That rebellious streak. She thought she could hide it from me, but I saw it all. I *know* her. I know what makes her tick, what she hates, and most importantly, what can destroy her.

Leila is allergic to water. She’s always hated it—despis