na's

fits what happened. There were no flowers. No friends. No white dress. Just silence. An exchange

coldness that settles in your bones. Every wall feels like it's watching. Every hallway stretches too long. Every door closes

like I'm furniture. Once, I used to flinch every time I saw him coming now,

ve started get

were actual sisters. She was humming some soft tune, and for a second, I let myself close my eyes.

id, her voice light, but I c

offered her a half-

sing. "Fair. Still... it woul

th, not quite a laugh

t always like this, you know. Leone. He

touched me since I got here. Hadn't yelled. Hadn't smiled. H

t it and stood. "Dante's waiting.

or long after it clicked shut. I didn't want her to leave. Not because I was

ed out of the room, barefoot and exhausted. I didn't know where I was going. Maybe

he floor, every rustle of curtain, felt magnifie

eard the

f them was unmi

mething in me a gut feeling or just pure masochism made me

puzzle," a deep voice said.

n't ask for her. I never wanted her. But n

mach t

fed. "You getting

A long, h

"She was bait. And it worke

bt in my mind wh

door wasn't thick. I heard e

t bro

wait to h

ankles, and the floor was cold under my feet. But no

he door with shaking hands

eful. No

thought maybe just maybe there was something real f

er did. Like Greta did. I was curr

ol I am had start

or for Luna. Didn't eat. I just sat by the window,

? Rage? Shame? They all blurred together. I thought mo

your hand. Call you wife.

when the door creaked open, I

new it

lled the room b

been h

yed s

d closer.

, not

k at

e asked. Because I needed to s

dn't see remorse. Not softness.

me," I w

. "What di

e. I heard every single word, Leone. Clearly. Word for word. There's no mishe

ened. "You mi

t sounded pretty

ep forward.

d. "Don't come near me. Don't touch

Dangerous. "You don

escape? I just want the truth! Did you ever see me

dn't

? It cracked som

I said quietly. A

A long, heavy sil

't keep

tch

let myself believe you were different. That

forward. I

now, more tense than

"You just wa

say something else. Maybe something

he. To scream. To

bbed m

and sla

ound

is chest heaved like he was st

t touch me.

alked out, slamming

nk to th

ver a

t, I didn

n't

t there

ters roared. H

isper lies. Kiss your f

at they took until there