Impossible. The evidence was overwhelming. They found it all, after her sister ran for help. No, Anastasia is exactly who I know she is. “You’re blinded because you want her, Kit.”
My brother stands. “What if you’ve got it wrong? What if you’re the one that’s blinded? You hate her more than Rafe and I combined. Why?”
I stare into my glass, not responding.
If you hurt them, I will destroy you.
I have no plans to hurt them.
My hand clenches. “She’s a liar, Kit. Be careful.”
But I’m speaking to an empty room. My brother has already stormed out.
15 – Silas – ten years ago
Ihear her before I see her.
Hesitating, I debate just turning around and going back to my room. I’ve managed to successfully avoid any face-to-face interaction with the delightful Angelica and her scrawny daughter since their arrival, aside from the uncomfortable family dinners enforced by my father.
But the twins are enamored by her. Won’t leave her side. It’s a miracle that she’s alone at all.
Their obsession is enough to make me at least a little curious about the girl. So I slowly approach the end of the hall. She’s tucked away in the empty space, almost invisible apart from the quiet sobs. Her head shoots up, and she wipes away the tears frantically. “Sorry. I was just—,”
“Why are you crying?”
The words slip out, and she shakes her head in blatant denial. “I wasn’t crying.”
A tear plops off her chin with perfect timing, and she reaches up to swipe it away, her chin lifting into the air.
“Sure,” I say shortly. “Your eyes appear to be leaking, in that case.”
She stares up at me, and I blink at the directness of her gaze. “Feel free to turn around, walk away and continue ignoring me, if it bothers you so much. You do it very well already.”
My head tilts to the side in curiosity. She balks when I take a seat next to her on the floor instead, my back resting against the wall. “What are you doing?”
“Notignoring you.” Not looking at her, I stare at the art across from us. “Come on, then. Out with it.”
I wait for a few minutes, until she gives in. I can almost feel her wrestling with her words. “My… my father died. Five years ago today.”
I glance down at her, mildly surprised. “I didn’t know that. That he’d died. I’m… sorry.”
I assumed he’d left. Anastasia shakes her head. “My mother… she doesn’t like to talk about him. Or acknowledge him at all, really.”
“Why not?” I’m genuinely curious. Dad talks about our mother all the time. Even though none of us really remember her, since she died when the twins were born. All I remember is her voice. But he keeps her memory alive enough for me to feel that I have a sense of who she was. I don’t feel as if I’m missing parts of her, even though she isn’t here.
And I know that she was nothing like cold, greedy, grasping fucking Angelica.
“Things changed,” she whispers. “When he died. I…. I should go.”
But when she moves to get up, I stop her with my hand over hers. “Tell me.”
I don’t feel sorry for her. If anything, I’m wondering if the information I’m about to learn might free us from the curse ofAngelica. I can’t stand the woman, and the twins aren’t keen either.
But they’ll put up with her, forAnastasia. We’ve already had that discussion.
I rake my eyes over her face. She’s by no means the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen, although I suppose her eyes are nice enough. “Whyaremy brothers so obsessed with you?”
A hint of color appears on her cheekbones. “They’re notobsessedwith me. But… I like them.”
