MasukANASTASIA'S POV
The clock chimed indicating 4pm. I looked towards the kitchen where mother stood, holding a glass of wine as she tapped her feet rhythmically to invisible music. She was growing impatient, I could tell. I was too. Silas hadn't returned for so long, I was tired. The stairs had called my name far more times than I could count, but going up to my room would indicate a form of acceptance of defeat and that was far from the message I wished to paANASTASIA'S POV The sculpted nose and jawline in front of me the moment my eyes opened were hard to miss and white disappointing. I had hoped to instead wake up to fresh eyes that looked at me like a goddess and firm lips that would tell me how much of a goddess I looked even in this state. "How are you?" The voice confirmed my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. "I'm good, thank you," I responded quite lazily. "Where's Zain?" My eyes scanned the room. Everything looked the same, untouched except for the chair missing from my drawer on which Jed's bottom found its home. "Ouch." I winced slightly as my arms made to move towards Jed's own barely inches away from me and the recollection of everything came back to me. I remembered fainting from the sheer agony of it. Dying and clawing my way back from hell. Yet my body felt no different now; my heart hammered with the same frantic rhythm, and the ache inside hadn't
ZAIN'S POV The sound that tore from Ana’s throat was barely human. Her body seized instantly, heels battering the floor in a frantic, broken rhythm. The seer lunged, wrapping her arms around her convulsing frame and driving her thrashing limbs into the ground until the violent jerks subsided into a terrible, shuddering tremor. The candles had begun to emit black flames now and with each second, it became harder to see what was actually going on. Vivienne looked mortified, like she had seen a ghost. Her body was tense, the sharp ridges of her cheekbones showing as she stood rooted to the spot, her eyes never leaving the circle. The seer’s chanting dissolved into a low, hollow hum as I looked toward the far corner. There sat Mother. Untouched. Her hands rested folded in her lap, her eyes casually tracing the floor as if the screaming had nothing to do with her. My blood boiled, her serene, spotless silence cutting deeper than any scream in the room.
ANASTASIA'S POV The air was tense as we awaited the seer's arrival. Kora sat at the corner away from everyone as she sobbed quietly, the sobs still managed to fill the room but we all pretended not to hear it. Every small noise felt magnified—the grandfather clock ticking against the oak paneling, the dry rasp of leaves scraping outside the frosted bay window, the harsh, uneven cadence of our own breathing. I looked to the brothers wondering how they must be feeling having to choose between supporting their mate and their mum, it must be tough. Zain leaned against the mantlepiece, jaw set in a rigid line, his knuckles white where his hands gripped the edge of his dark woolen coat. Beside him, his brother remained rooted near the hall threshold, his posture stiff, gaze fixed resolutely on the faded pattern of the Persian rug beneath his boots. Mother on the other hand held me close to her, rocking me from side to side occasionally to calm my nerves but it wasn'
ANASTASIA'S POV The clock chimed indicating 4pm. I looked towards the kitchen where mother stood, holding a glass of wine as she tapped her feet rhythmically to invisible music. She was growing impatient, I could tell. I was too. Silas hadn't returned for so long, I was tired. The stairs had called my name far more times than I could count, but going up to my room would indicate a form of acceptance of defeat and that was far from the message I wished to pass across. Jed and Zain stole occasional glances at me when they thought I wasn't looking. They hadn't moved in the past four hours. I respected it, but it was far from enough to gain back my trust and love. The door flung open, distracting me from my thoughts and visibly shaking everyone. An unfamiliar face appeared in the doorway, her eyes met mine, and immediately she let out a loud shriek. "This was definitely not what I was expecting," I
ANASTASIA'S POV The double doors of the house swung open, but it no longer felt like a home. It was a mausoleum of quiet secrets and hollow grandeur. My mother and I walked through the grand foyer, our footsteps echoing against the polished marble. We had returned under the grim condition Vivienne had dictated the night before, but returning didn't mean forgiving. Silas stood near the grand staircase, looking haggard, gray, and sleepless, his hands hovering as if longing to reach out. Beside him, Jed and watched us with tight, anxious postures. Neither of us spared them a glance. We ignored Silas's hoarse whisper of mother's name. We walked past the parlor without acknowledging the heavy stares burning into our backs, taking seats on the long leather sofa facing the arched front entrance. Mother sat with her back straight, her hands clasped rigidly over her designer purse, her posture that of an empress presiding over an execution.
ANASTASIA'S POV The scent of sterile linen and industrial lemon cleaner did nothing to mask the suffocating weight inside the hotel room. The curtains were drawn tight against the lights outside, casting everything in muted shadows, save for the dull glow of a bedside lamp. We had fled, leaving behind the suffocating walls of the house, but the ache in my chest proved that I couldn't outrun reality. I sat on the edge of the queen-sized bed, watching my mother. For as long as I could remember, Vivienne was the picture of composure, graceful, calculated, and unyielding. Even when the world shook beneath our feet, her spine remained straight, her gaze steady. But now, standing by the small wooden dresser with her coat still clutched in her hands, she looked shattered. Her knuckles were white, her shoulders trembling under the faint hum of the air conditioner. When she finally turned to look at me, the facade dissolved entirely.







