Lilian’s POV
The elevator ride up to the penthouse felt different this time.
The other times the rapid ascent made my stomach flip in a fun, roller-coaster sort of way. It was a reminder of the sheer, dizzying height of Alexander’s world. But today, as the numbers on the digital display climbed higher, it felt like the floor was dropping out from under me.
I leaned against the mirrored wall, the cool glass pressing against my cheek, trying to ground myself. My head was swimming. The adrenaline from the confrontation with Will and the intense, suffocating tension of the drive home was crashing, leaving behind a hollow, aching exhaustion that settled deep in my bones.
It wasn’t just tiredness. It felt… heavier. Like someone had attached lead weights to my limbs while I wasn’t looking.
