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We descend a grand staircase, our hands trailing along the smooth wooden railing, the anticipation building within me. My pulse quickens with each step, my eagerness to hold my children again growing stronger by the second.
This will be my first time seeing them in over a week.
We continue down the corridor, Isabella leading the way as my heart hammers in my chest. The air feels heavy with anticipation, each breath a struggle as we near the room where my children await. My fingers twitch at my side, longing to wrap around their little bodies and hold them close once more.
“Are you ready?” Isabella asks softly, pausing by a grand oak door adorned with intricate carvings of mythical creatures.
“More than anything,” I reply, my voice trembling with a mix of excitement and nerves.
“Then let’s go see your daughters.”
17
ANNALISE
“Franny! Gina!” I exclaim, unable to contain my joy as I spot my beautiful daughters playing with a maid in the center of the luxurious space. There’s a board game between them, crafts scattered all over the place. It looks like they’ve been occupied. Their laughter fills the room like a melody, wrapping around me like a warm embrace.
It’s been too long…far too long.
“Mommy!” they cry in unison, their faces lighting up with delight as they rush toward me. Our arms entwine, pulling us together in a desperate hug that feels like a lifeline. Tears prick at the corners of my eyes as I press kisses to their soft cheeks, murmuring words of love and reassurance.
Words can’t explain how much I’ve missed them.
I ruffle their hair, holding them close, never wanting to let them go again. I’m so grateful to Isabella for letting me see them. I never thought I’d have to be given permission…but none of that matters right now, not while I have them in my arms.
I would do anything for these girls.
“Sweethearts, I’ve missed you so much,” I confess, my voice shaking with emotion. The weight of their small bodies pressed against mine grounds me and makes everything I’ve been through the last few weeks worth it.
“Missed you too, Mommy!” Gina replies, her voice muffled against my shoulder. Franny simply clings to me, her eyes brimming with tears that mirror my own.
“You’ve been gone so long.” Franny sticks out her bottom lip.
I pat her head with a small smile. “Mommy is back now. I’m not going anywhere.” I hope not, at least.
“Alright, girls, let’s give your mother some space,” the maid chimes in, attempting to gently pry Franny and Gina from my arms. I don’t let her, yanking them back against my chest. She looks at me with an air of confusion.
“Ms. Isabella,” the maids calls a bit cautiously, nodding her head at me like I’m some kind of wild woman. “I thought that…”
“Nobody cares about your thoughts.” Isabella’s words flow out easily, calm and assertive. “Annalise is a Volkov princess. She has a right to be here.”
A Volkov princess?
The words must hold weight, because the look on the maid’s face immediately turns to one of apology.
“Ms. Annalise, I apologize,” she says quickly. “I forgot myself.”
I offer her a reassuring smile, not quite used to the newfound title myself. The atmosphere in the room shifts, tension dissipating as Isabella’s words settle in.
What does it mean to be a Volkov princess? Just thinking the words seems to fill me with a sense of power.
“Mommy, look what we made!” Franny exclaims, grabbing my attention and pulling away from our embrace to gesture toward a table covered in colorful crafts.
Gina joins her sister, her eyes sparkling with pride. “We did paintings and made bracelets!”
“Show me everything,” I urge, my heart swelling with love and admiration for my talented girls. Together, we approach the table, their small hands eagerly guiding mine to each of their creations.
“Franny made this one,” Gina says, pointing to a vibrant watercolor painting of a garden filled with flowers and butterflies. The attention to detail takes my breath away, and I can’t help but marvel at my daughter’s artistic abilities.
