Before, all Victoria wanted was to remove Amy from the picture—nothing extreme, just enough to push her aside.

But now, because of Amy, Alexander was growing more distant each day. Victoria's patience was wearing thin.

No matter what, she had to eliminate Amy first.

Lost in her dark thoughts, Victoria was startled back to reality by Julian Delacroix's soft, chilling voice.

"I've cleared my schedule. For now, I'll be staying at Solmaris Conservatory to assist you."

His piercing gaze locked onto hers. "Victoria, you should focus on your music, not men."

A cold smile played on his lips. "Frankly, your playing now is nothing compared to when I first heard you."

He tilted his head, studying her. "It's just a man. If you want, I can find you any breathtaking gentleman you desire. Why obsess over Alexander?"

His tone turned mocking. "He's divorced. He even has a child. What's so special about him?"

Victoria had heard this speech from Julian countless times.

But instead of comfort, it only made her blood run colder.

Julian Delacroix was too devoted to her. Whatever she wanted, he delivered without question—no limits, no hesitation.

If she asked him to kill, he'd do it without blinking.

At first, she had reveled in his attention. She knew he mistook her for someone else, but she never corrected him.

But as time passed, Victoria realized something was deeply wrong with Julian.

His moods were unpredictable, swinging from calm to violent in seconds.

What terrified her most was his unwavering devotion—all because he had once heard someone play Luna Serenade in the gardens and decided she was his salvation.

He would burn the world for her.

If Julian had been in love with her, maybe it would have made sense. But his offer to find her another man proved his feelings weren't love—at least, not in any normal way.

And after seeing what Julian was capable of, Victoria only grew more afraid.

This man was dangerous in ways she couldn't fathom.

If he ever discovered the truth—that she wasn't the one he had heard that day—she would pay dearly.

The worst part? Victoria still didn’t know who had actually played Luna Serenade in the gardens.

The piece was the masterpiece of Evelyn Harrington, a legend at Solmaris Conservatory. She had never revealed her face, only that she was a woman.

The composition had become iconic, even adopted as the standard for competitions. Victoria adored it too, so she often practiced it in the gardens.

But Julian had stumbled upon someone else's performance—not hers—and convinced himself she was the one.

At first, Victoria assumed he meant her. He had praised her violin skills and asked her to play Luna Serenade again.

But when she did, his face darkened with disappointment.

"It doesn’t sound like what I heard that day," he murmured.

Victoria dismissed it—everyone had off days.

Then Julian produced a single earring—something he'd found after the performance—and she realized he had mistaken her for someone else entirely.

Still, she stayed silent.

Back then, Julian had seemed perfect—powerful, devastatingly handsome, and utterly devoted.

It was easy to indulge in the fantasy.

But when she saw the depths of his instability, all that remained was fear.