"Some scars don't bleed. They rot. Quiet, invisible, but vicious-festering under the surface like poison in the veins. They don't cry out, they wait. Patient and cruel, reminding you every day that you were stupid enough to trust, blind enough to fall, and soft enough to bleed for someone who sharpened their blade on your back. These scars aren't tragic-they're war marks. Burned into your soul, etched by betrayal, fed by silence. And the worst part? The one who gave them to you still walks free, smiling like they didn't gut you with a grin."

AUTHOR'S POV

Dominic - Age 23

The air buzzed with warmth and laughter, the scent of rich spices lingering as servants moved through the grand dining hall, refilling glasses and clearing plates. The Morelli's and the Voltaire's dined together often, as though they were a single household bound by alliances and loyalty.

But Dominic Voltaire knew better.

He sat stiffly beside Pandora Morelli-the girl who had once smiled at him with reckless mischief, who once trusted him enough to let her guard down. The girl who had once...almost liked him.

That girl no longer existed.

Now there was only this poised, emotionless woman who hadn't even glanced at him all evening. Not even when their hands accidentally brushed as he reached for the salt.

The silence was a blade, sharp and cutting, and it was that which tormented him the most.

A year had passed, and still, Dominic had no answer for what had gone so terribly wrong.

A smooth, velvety laugh broke through his thoughts. Pandora's father was recounting some old story about how she'd nearly burned down the kitchen at thirteen. Laughter erupted around the room, but Dominic caught the way her fingers tightened around her glass. Her nails pressed into the delicate stem as though it were the only thing keeping her grounded.

She hated this-the warmth, the illusion of harmony.

She was drowning in it just as much as he was.

As the dinner wound down, Dominic rose, his father clapping him on the back. "We're heading out, son. Say your goodbyes."

Dominic nodded but lingered. He watched Pandora rise, her gaze already drifting toward the grand staircase. She was going to leave.

Not this time.

"I'll be right back," he muttered, excusing himself before anyone could stop him.

He took the stairs two at a time, his jaw clenched.

By the time he reached her bedroom door, he hesitated only for a second before knocking.

No answer.

He knocked again-still nothing.

Patience frayed, he twisted the knob and stepped inside.

Two pairs of predatory eyes locked onto him.

A sleek black panther lounged at her side on the bed, its tail flicking lazily. The midnight black wolf beside Pandora rose from its spot, its body low and poised to strike.

"Shit."

Pandora, sprawled elegantly on the bed in shorts, lifted her gaze from her phone, amusement flickering in her eyes. "You have about five seconds before Eva lunges for your throat."

Dominic lifted his hands. "Call her off, Morelli."

Her brow arched. "Why should I?"

"Because bloodstains are a pain to get out of carpets."

Pandora shifted her gaze back to her phone as she replied in the very uninterested tone "I'll just get the carpet changed you know"

Dominic looks at her in disbelief and then glances back at the black wolf with piercing ice blue cold gaze just like her owner, she was forwarding towards him with the predator gaze

"Seriously Morelli, call her off"

Pandora dropped her phone down, stood up stepping down from the bed crossing her arms over her chest and sighed dramatically, flicking her fingers. "Eva, stop."

The wolf huffed but obeyed, stepping back. Nyx, the panther, remained unbothered.

Dominic exhaled. "We need to talk."

Her expression hardened. The teasing glint in her eyes disappeared. "We have nothing to talk about."

"Like hell we don't," he bit out, stepping closer. "For a whole damn year, you've given me nothing but silence. You turned every interaction into a battlefield. You stabbed me in the back, Pandora. And I still don't know why."

Something dangerous flickered in her gaze. "And you never will."

"Is it really that easy for you?" he challenged. "To pretend like we weren't-"

"Weren't what?" she interrupted, her voice cutting. "Friends? Close?" Her lips curled into a cruel smile. "Lovers? Is that what you were going to say? Because if so, you're more delusional than I thought."

Dominic's body tensed.

Her words burned through the years of memories he still clung to.

His father's voice echoed from downstairs.

Pandora leaned in, her breath ghosting against his cheek. "Goodbye, Dominic."

Jaw clenched, he stormed out of the room, rage curling inside him like a storm.

Yet behind the anger was that damn ache.

That damn question.

What the hell went wrong?

The ride back home was all silent, his parents rode in another car and he along with his younger sister were in another car, seated at the back seat

The soft hum of the engine filled the car as it glided through the winding roads. The city lights blurred into streaks of gold and silver beyond the tinted windows, but Dominic Voltaire barely noticed them.

He sat stiffly in the backseat, his head tilted against the cool glass, staring out at nothing in particular. His sister, Serena, sat quietly beside him, scrolling through her phone, blissfully unaware of the storm brewing inside him.

The silence in the car was oppressive, but it was nothing compared to the chaos inside his chest.

What the hell went wrong?

His hands clenched into fists against his thighs. He could still hear Pandora's voice-sharp and venomous-cutting through the years of memories he had stubbornly held onto.

"You're more delusional than I thought."

The words gnawed at him, tearing through the fragile hope he hadn't even realized was still there.

What the hell had happened to them?

Just one year ago, they had been close-too close for what their families would have deemed appropriate. She had been wild and fearless, a force of nature that had drawn him in like a moth to a flame.

And then, without warning, it had all fallen apart.

He had spent a year replaying every conversation, every moment, trying to pinpoint where it had gone wrong. But no matter how hard he searched, the answer remained elusive.

All he had was her silence. Her cold, unyielding distance.

Dominic's jaw clenched, frustration and hurt coiling tightly inside him.

He had tried to move on-to bury whatever feelings he had for her under layers of duty and distraction. But seeing her tonight, hearing her voice, feeling the brush of her presence for the first time ever since that night over a year-it had unraveled everything.

"You stabbed me in the back, Pandora."

Had he been wrong to accuse her? Had there been something he missed? Or had she always intended to cut him out of her life? What the hell happened that made the things go south so sudden? What.The.Hell.Went.Wrong? What change overnight that resulted in this current situation?

The questions spiraled endlessly, feeding his anger.

"You're quiet," Serena's voice broke through his thoughts.

Dominic blinked, tearing his gaze from the window. His sister's curious eyes met his, concern flickering beneath her playful exterior.

"Just tired," he muttered. .A perfect tailored Lie

She studied him for a moment before shrugging. "Suit yourself. But you looked like you were about to punch someone back there. Everything okay?"

"Yeah," he lied, forcing his voice to remain steady. "Everything's fine."

But it wasn't.

It hadn't been fine for a long time.

As the car turned onto the long driveway leading to their mansion, Dominic let out a slow, measured breath, trying to steady the turmoil inside him.

He was done with the silence. Done with the unanswered questions.

Pandora Morelli owed him the truth.

And one way or another, he was going to get one way or the other.

________________________________

Pandora - Age 19

The door had barely clicked shut before Pandora sagged against the bed.

Nyx padded closer, her sleek body brushing against her arm. Eva huffed before leaping beside her, nudging her shoulder gently.

"You saw that, didn't you?" Pandora murmured, stroking Eva's thick fur.

Eva gave a low whine, resting her head on Pandora's lap.

Nyx let out a soft rumble, her green eyes watchful.

"He's still a fool," Pandora muttered bitterly. "Thinking he can just waltz back in and demand answers."

Nyx flicked her tail as if in agreement.

"I don't care what he wants," she whispered, though her voice trembled.

Nyx growled softly, sensing her tension.

Pandora sighed, her fingers tightening in Eva's fur. "He doesn't deserve an explanation, does he?"

Eva huffed as if in reassurance.

"No," Pandora agreed softly. "He doesn't."

But the memory clawed at her mind-Dominic's voice from that night, smooth and confident

-Some things break so quietly, you don't even realize it until the silence cuts deeper than the shatter-Her throat burned with unshed rage.

He had never known she was there, never known she had heard.

Never known how thoroughly he had shattered her trust.

"I will never forgive him," she whispered, the words like steel. "Never."

Eva nuzzled closer, a quiet comfort, while Nyx's watchful presence anchored her.

Pandora closed her eyes.

She had made her choice a year ago.

And she would never look back.

The room was dim, illuminated only by the soft glow of the bedside lamp. Pandora lay sprawled on the plush mattress, one hand resting on Nyx's sleek fur while Eva's head was heavy on her lap. The wolf's quiet breathing was steady, a comforting rhythm that contrasted sharply with the storm raging inside her chest.

Her jaw clenched as fragments of the past resurfaced-Dominic's voice, smooth and arrogant, laced with betrayal.

"I'll make her submit to me."

The words were a wound that never healed, festering beneath every cold stare and bitter exchange.

She had trusted him. She had let him in. And he had made a game out of her emotions.

Pandora's fingers tightened in Eva's thick fur, the wolf letting out a soft whine. Nyx's green eyes flickered upward, ever watchful.

"I'm fine," Pandora murmured, though the lie tasted bitter on her tongue.

Eva huffed, unconvinced.

Pandora exhaled sharply, pushing herself upright. "He thinks he has the right to demand answers," she muttered, her voice low with fury. "After what he did."

Nyx's tail flicked lazily, as though unimpressed by Dominic's audacity.

"I should've let Eva lunge at him," Pandora mused darkly.

The wolf's ears perked up at that, and Pandora couldn't help but smirk faintly despite the ache in her chest.

A knock at the door shattered the fragile quiet.

Pandora stiffened, instinctively brushing a hand through her hair as though to erase any trace of vulnerability.

"Come in," she called, her voice steady.

She turned towards Nyx and Eva, speaking "you two, behave and stay back, it's just Lucian. Understood."

The door creaked open, revealing her brother, Lucian Morelli. Tall and broad-shouldered, with the same dark eyes as Pandora, he exuded a calm, protective presence that had always made her feel safe.

But tonight, his gaze was sharp with concern.

"You okay?" Lucian asked, stepping inside and closing the door behind him.

"I'm fine," she said quickly, too quickly.

Lucian's brow furrowed as he crossed the room, leaning casually against the edge of her desk. "Really? Because I saw Dominic storming out of here like you set his hair on fire."

Pandora's expression didn't falter. "He's overly dramatic."

Lucian huffed a quiet laugh but didn't drop the subject. "Pandora...what's going on between you two?"

Her heart clenched, but her face remained impassive. "Nothing that concerns you."

He frowned. "You've been at each other's throats for years. I thought it was just some petty rivalry, but it's more than that, isn't it?"

Pandora looked away, her gaze hardening. "Drop it, Lucian."

"You know I care about you, right?" His voice softened, genuine.

"I know," she whispered.

"And you can tell me anything."

"I know that too."

Silence hung between them, heavy with unspoken truths.

Lucian sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I won't push. But just...don't shut me out completely, okay?"

Pandora's throat tightened. She loved her brother-trusted him more than anyone. But there were some burdens she couldn't share, not even with him.

"I won't," she promised quietly.

Lucian gave her a searching look before nodding. "Alright. I'm here if you need me."

He pushed off the desk, pausing to scratch behind Nyx's ears. "Good girl," he murmured, earning a satisfied rumble from the panther.

Eva thumped her tail against the bed as he patted her head.

With one last glance at Pandora, Lucian made his way to the door.

"Goodnight, Pan."

"Goodnight, Lucian."

The door clicked shut, and Pandora exhaled slowly, the tension easing just slightly.

Nyx curled back up next to her on the bed, and Eva rested her head on Pandora's knee once more.

Pandora stared at the ceiling, her heart heavy with rage, betrayal, and the ache of broken trust.

Some things were too deep, too raw to share.

But one thing was certain-Dominic Voltaire would never break her again.

Never.

♡♡♡

Please note that the age mentioned in this chapter are the past age not the current age. 23 year old Dominic and 19 year old Pandora you saw are from past. Currently Dominic Voltaire is 32 and Pandora Morelli is 28.

And that's a wrap for this chapter! I hope you enjoyed the tension, the power plays, and the unraveling emotions. Things are only going to get more intense from here, so buckle up! Let me know your thoughts-I'd love to hear them. Until the next chapter, stay hooked and happy reading!

Finally the prologue is out now! I hope you stay around til mid May when I drop the first chapter of the book, happy reading my dear readers. Love you all.