Chapter 4

The cold had become my only companion, seeping through my bones until I couldn't tell where the snow ended and my body began. Each breath felt like swallowing glass, my lungs burning with the effort of staying alive. The pregnancy test's revelation seemed like a lifetime ago, though barely two hours had passed since Greyson's cruel rejection echoed through that glittering ballroom.

My fingers had long since gone numb, my bare feet leaving bloody prints in the snow as I stumbled deeper into the Death Forest. The thin fabric of my navy dress clung to my skin like ice, offering…