I stayed on my knees, staring at the dark stone floor where Giulia had stood moments ago.
You set me free.
For so long, I’d carried the guilt of my sister’s loss like an anchor. It had twisted inside me, shaping every choice, every shadow I wielded. But now, for the first time, it felt like the weight was easing. Her forgiveness was more than I deserved, but I would carry it with me—for her. For us both.
“Raffaele.”
I turned slowly, my vision still blurred with tears. Vivian ran toward me. The sight of her stripped away the lingering darkness in the room, filling it with warmth.
The illusion I’d cast over her earlier had faded, leaving her as she truly was—radiant and unhidden. No longer the veiled prisoner. No longer trapped in my father’s shadow.
She dropped to her knees beside me, wrapping her arms around my trembling frame. Her embrace was fierce, unyielding, as though she could physically hold me together. “I’m here. I’m here.”
I buried my face in her shoulder, clutching her like a lifeline as the dam finally broke. The grief, the relief, the love—it all poured out, raw and unfiltered. She didn’t say anything more, just held me tightly, letting me unravel in her arms.
Minutes stretched into an eternity, and when the tears finally subsided, I pulled back slightly, my hands still resting on her arms. Her face was wet, her expression a perfect mix of sorrow and strength. She was my anchor in this storm, and I didn’t know how I’d survived without her.
“Thank you,” I rasped, my voice raw and uneven. “For being here. For… everything.”
Vivian shook her head, her lips curving into a small, sad smile. “You don’t have to thank me, Raffaele. I love you. That’s all that matters.”
Her words struck deep inside me, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I allowed myself to believe it. To feel it.
I leaned forward, pressing my forehead against hers, our breaths mingling in the stillness of the chamber. “I love you too,” I murmured, my voice steady despite the lingering tremor in my chest. “More than I ever thought I could love anyone.”
She cupped my face, her thumbs brushing away the tears that still clung to my cheeks. “Then let’s figure out what comes next,” she said softly. “Together.”
I pulled her closer for a kiss that felt like both a promise and a release. Her lips were soft and warm, grounding me in a way that nothing else ever could. When we finally pulled apart, I felt lighter. The weight of my father’s legacy had finally been lifted from my shoulders.
“We’re free now,” I said, the realization settling over me like sunlight breaking through storm clouds. “No more illusions. No more hiding. It’s over. And this means Eldora’s finally free from him.”
“Eldora?” Vivian cocked her head to the side. “What do you mean?”
“Eldora is the woman I told you about, the one who has been like a mother to me all these years. She bound herself to my father decades ago. That was the price my father wanted for saving her son.”
“She had a son?”
“Yes.” I took her hand in mine. “Years ago, Eldora’s husband was killed in a war between several factions. My father took her son prisoner. Eldora showed up at our estate, begging to speak to Lord Thorne. He took an immediate liking to her and agreed to let her son go free if she bound herself to him. She agreed without hesitation and took on the role of managing the estate, but whenever he beckoned her through their bond, she had no choice but to join him in his quarters.”
Vivian turned away. “That makes me fucking sick.”
“I know. He treated her terribly, but she withstood it all, knowing that her son would remain safe in the fae kingdom as long as she did whatever my father asked of her.”
“Why didn’t you or Eldora tell me?” She brushed a tear from her cheek.
“She never wanted to be viewed as a victim. She wanted people to see who she was apart from my father.”
Vivian’s eyes widened slightly. “So this all means Eldora is free. Andyouare free.”
I smiled—a genuine, unburdened smile. “I won’t need the illusions anymore. Not for the estate. Not for you. You don’t need to look like someone else. You’re my wife, Vivian. And I want everyone to see you as you are.”
She blinked rapidly as tears welled up in her eyes again. “Raffaele…”
“It’s time,” I said firmly. “Time for this house, this family, to move forward. To let go of what my father made it. To become something better.”
“You mean it?”
“I do,” I said, brushing her cheek. “For you. For us. For Giulia.”
