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Mama sighed deeply. “I just wanted to pray for her soul.”
Confused and a little scared, I stayed quiet, pretending to still be asleep.
I didn’t understand what they were talking about, but the tension in the car was thick.
I pressed my face harder against the window, trying to make sense of their words.
“Victoria was nothing but a whore. Don’t let any stupid guilt you may have in you destroy our family.”
Feeling suddenly scared, I called out for Mama, which made both of them jump.
The tense feeling in the car started to go away, like my cry had made everything better.
Papa’s face got softer, and he looked at me with kind eyes that weren’t angry anymore.
“Hey, Angelochek,” he said gently, his voice all warm now. “Want to play dress-up now?”
Mama reached over and took my hand, holding it tight.
“And while you two play, I’ll bake some cookies just for you,” she whispered, her voice as soft as a bedtime story.
Their sudden change in how they acted calmed me down, making me feel safe again.
I nodded eagerly, relieved that everything seemed okay again.
Papa and I played for hours, pretending to be kings and queens.
Mama joined us just for teatime, serving warm chocolate chip cookies as we imagined ourselves as Princess Cinderella and Aladdin.
That day felt perfect, like a dream where we laughed and played together.
It was also the first and last time I had ever heard them argue.
Chapter
Thirty-Three
“There is no honor in betraying your friends.”
? Madeline Miller
Volk
I slammed the car door shut and leaned against the vehicle, my eyes locked on the jet as it touched down. Dve was next to me, silent but I could feel his eyes on me.
Before leaving Sofiya, I had taken her to the shower, letting the hot water do its magic. I gave her a thorough massage, her shoulders and back relaxing under my touch.
She fell asleep on my bed, hugging my pillow and smiling.
Part of me wanted to crawl in beside her, to snuggle up and forget everything for a while.
But I couldn’t. I had things to take care of.
I told Dasha to look after Sofiya when she woke up, then left to get everything ready.
Now, as the stewards opened the door of the jet, I drummed my fingers on the car impatiently.
Dve, looking worried, crossed his arms. “You sure you wanna tell him everything?”
