Page 242 of Evil Hearts

“Yeah, I know. It’s just…complicated,” Amelia said quickly, but her heartbeat quickened.

Charlotte sighed, sitting down on the edge of Amelia’s bed. “Love always is, but you’ll get through this, darling. It’s not your first heartbreak, nor your last.”

Elle returned with a tray of tea, setting it down on the vanity. “Cream? Sugar?”

“You two are the best,” Amelia said, her voice cracking.

“Of course we are,” Elle said with a wink, handing Amelia a steaming cup. “Now spill it. What’s really going on?”

Amelia took a sip, letting the warmth seep through her before setting the cup down. She couldn’t tell them about Dimitri’s true nature—how could she? It was too surreal, too terrifying. But the pain in her chest wouldn’t let up.

“Fine,” she relented. “It’s more than just a fight. I found out something…about him. Something huge.”

“Like what?” Charlotte leaned in, her expression curious.

“Something that changes everything,” Amelia whispered. “I don’t think I can be with him now.”

“Amelia, you’ve been through worse,” Elle said. “Remember when that jerk Ethan cheated on you during that gala? You handled that like a boss.”

“Yeah, but this is different,” Amelia said, and then the tears she had been holding back spilled over, running down her cheeks.

“Hey, hey,” Charlotte soothed, yanking Amelia into a hug. “We’re here. You’ll figure this out.”

Amelia sobbed. “Maybe it’s better if I just walk away.”

“Do you love him?” Charlotte asked softly.

“More than anything,” Amelia admitted, her heart aching with the confession.

The admission felt like shards of glass in her throat. Could love really be enough to bridge the chasm between their worlds? She had been taught that love was a fairy tale, a story spun from silk and dreams. But this—this was raw, terrifying, and real. It wasn’t the kind of love that came with guarantees or happy endings.

“Then isn’t it worth fighting for? Real love doesn’t come around often,” Elle said.

“Elle’s right,” Charlotte agreed. “You owe it to yourself—and to him—to at least try and work things out.”

Amelia sniffled. “How? He’s not who I thought he was…” Because he wasn’t human, but a fucking vampire.

The revelation had shattered her reality into jagged pieces she couldn’t quite fit back together. She had always imagined monsters lurking in the shadows, but never in the eyes of someone she loved. It was easier to think of him as a paradox wrapped in centuries of sorrow rather than confront the truth of his existence. Could she accept that darkness as part of him?

“Does he love you?” Charlotte pressed.

“I don’t know. Maybe,” Amelia replied.

The uncertainty gnawed at her insides like a relentless parasite. Love wasn’t supposed to be ambiguous—it was supposed to be clear, surrendering, pure. But with Dimitri, everything was encased in obscurity and ancient pain. The vulnerability she saw in his expression sometimes made her believe there was hope, but doubt lingered like a specter.

“Then talk to him,” Elle encouraged. “If there’s even a chance you two can make it work, you have to take it.”

Amelia closed her eyes, recalling the feel of Dimitri’s lips on hers, the way his touch set her skin on fire. The nights wrapped in his arms, feeling safe despite his dark secret. Could she really let all of that go?

She had never felt so alive as when she was with him; every moment imbued with heat, lust, and passion. Yet, the same fervor that ignited her also threatened to consume her entirely. Was she willing to risk everything for a love that might lead to her own destruction?

This wasn’t just about fighting for love—it was about confronting her own fears and accepting Dimitri for who he truly was.

“All right,” she finally said, opening her eyes. “I’ll talk to him.”

“That’s my girl,” Charlotte said, smiling through her own tears.

“Go get your man,” Elle cheered, squeezing Amelia’s hand.

---