Annabelle remained seated on the velvet sofa long after Flavia had left. Her eyes were fixed on the floor, her mind swirling with a storm of emotions. Flavia’s words had given her strength—at least, that’s what she wanted to believe. But the truth was, no matter how much reassurance her friend offered, the weight of her reality didn’t feel any lighter.
Her thoughts drifted to Martha, her foster mother, who was under the care of Derek’s grandfather. She pictured her frail form in that cold, unfamiliar place, far from the home they’d once shared. The guilt gnawed at her like a relentless beast. If only she hadn’t been so desperate to protect Martha, maybe she wouldn’t have ended up in this loveless marriage.
But what choice did she have? Lorenzo had made sure she had none.
Annabelle
