Raven POV
I stood rooted on the spot, my heart pounding on my chest as the guard broke the news about their father.
Their faces fell, etched with concern as they exchanged worried glances, brows furrowed. Without delay, they scurried off with a sense of urgency, their footsteps quick and urgent.
The air was charged with tension. Guards and maids rushed past me, their footsteps pounding on the ground and echoing through the stillness.
The eerie silence that followed only confirmed to me that something was wrong.
“Did their father die?”
I hurried forward to see for myself but crashed on the ground, hitting the floor with full force.
Pain reverberated through me as I glanced at the fresh bruises on my wrists and knees—Ansel's tight grip had left its mark.
For a moment, I lay the
