Chapter 42

• I squared my shoulders, determined not to let him rattle me. "You're nothing but a figment of my imagination, a manifestation of my deepest fears," I retorted, though uncertainty lingered beneath my bravado.
• Demion's smirk widened, his eyes gleaming with twisted amusement. "Oh, I assure you, I am very real," he countered, his voice low and chilling. "And I'm here to collect what's rightfully mine."
• I fought to maintain my composure, refusing to let him see the fear gnawing at the edges of my resolve. "I owe you nothing," I shot back, my words laced with defiance.