“You’ll come to understand one day, Raphaella. I won’t hurt you, but don’t think for a second that I’ll let you go.”
With that, he slammed the door behind him, leaving me alone in the suffocating silence.
As I sat there, my heart had a heavy weight in my chest, I felt more trapped than ever. No matter how much I resisted, no matter how much I fought, Pierre Grassi wasn’t going to let me go whether I liked it or not.
I sat in the corner of my room, staring at the untouched tray of food. I hadn’t eaten in days, not that it mattered. Pierre’s servants had tried everything—begging, pleading, offering me all sorts of delicacies—but I refused every bite. I didn’t care if I starved. Maybe that would be the one thing I had control over.
There was a soft knock at the door, followed by muffled whispers outside. I ignored it, assuming it was another servant, another futile attempt to get me to eat. I wasn’t interested in playing along with their charade.
The door creaked open, and I glanced over, expecting the usual hesitant face. But when I saw who stepped into the room, my heart nearly stopped.
“Raphaella,” a familiar voice said softly.
I blinked, unsure if I was hallucinating. Standing in the doorway, dressed in simple but elegant clothing, was a figure I thought I’d never see again.
“Davina?” I whispered, my voice barely audible, as if saying her name too loudly might cause her to vanish. I scrambled to my feet, my heart racing. “How… how are you here? I thought—”
“You thought I was dead,” Davina finished for me, her tone cool. She stepped closer, her eyes flicking briefly to the untouched food before settling back on me. “You thought I died in the pack war.”
I nodded, still stunned. “I mourned your death. Everyone said you didn’t make it, that you were caught in the attack. I never... I never thought I’d see you again.”
She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Well, here I am.”
For a moment, I couldn’t move. The joy, the relief, the disbelief—it all washed over me in a tidal wave. My twin sister, the one person I had loved more than anyone else in the world, was alive. I rushed toward her, throwing my arms around her in a tight embrace.
“I can’t believe it,” I said, tears filling my eyes. “I thought I’d lost you forever.”