Chapter 61: Tears
Tears sting my eyes as I step into the carriage outside the castle. My heart feels like it’s been shattered into a thousand jagged pieces, and I can’t stop the way my mind keeps replaying the soft, intimate interaction between Thorne and his omega. Every glance, every tender touch—it was all burned into my memory, tormenting me. I tried to keep my composure, to act unaffected, but it hurt more than I thought it would. So much more.
I don’t know how long I’ve been sitting there, staring blankly out the window as the carriage rattles toward my estate. The scenery outside blurs, but I hardly notice. By the time we arrive, I can’t even muster the energy to greet the servants. I rush past them, up the stairs, and throw myself onto my bed, burying my face in the pillows as the tears finally spill over. I cry with everything I have, the sobs wracking my body as I let out all the pain and frustration I’d bottled up inside.
"What’s wrong with you?" a voice asks, cutting through the sound of my sobs. It’s a familiar voice—my half-sister Julia. I ignore her, my face still buried in the pillows, but I feel the bed dip under her weight as she sits beside me.
"Hmm, that’s odd. You usually come back all giddy after visiting that scary man," she says, her tone light but tinged with curiosity.
I sit up slowly, wiping at my tear-streaked face. I know I must look like a mess, but I can’t bring myself to care. Julia’s eyes widen when she sees me.
"Oh no, have you been crying?" she asks, her voice softening.
"I met him," I whisper, my voice thick with emotion.
"Who?" she asks, frowning in confusion.
"His husband," I say bitterly, the words tasting like ash on my tongue. The very thought of it makes my chest ache all over again.