Natalie's triumphant smile made my stomach turn. I watched from the shadows as she practically skipped down the hallway away from Julian's office, her victory evident in every step. The snakes had worked perfectly—just as I knew they would.
"Poor, pathetic Aurelia," she whispered to herself, unaware of my presence around the corner. "Did you really think Julian would ever believe you over me?"
I pressed myself against the wall, not wanting her to see me. My chest ached with every breath, the physical wounds from my imprisonment still fresh.
"Everything is falling into place," she continued, checking her reflection in a decorative mirror. "Julian is wrapped around my finger again, and you'll be gone soon enough."
She adjusted her hair, her perfectly manicured fingers lingering on her neck. "And then Isabelle and I will have everything that should have been ours from the start."
