I hadn’t set foot back on the sprawling Villarosa estate in what felt like an eternity. Weeks had turned into months since the media frenzy erupted; not since the foundation underwent an extensive restructuring; and certainly not since Rafael, my once-ambitious brother, had turned his back on the empire in a silent gesture meant to protect my honor.
But today, I returned not as the rebellious daughter they once sought to rein in, but as a woman who had risen from the ashes of their expectations, stronger than ever. I wasn’t searching for their approval this time; I was here to establish my terms.
As the ornate gates creaked open slowly, as if the very estate was bracing itself for the storm I was about to unleash, I stepped into the familiar yet foreign grounds. I walked in unaccompanie
