two more to come 🙏
RonanWe arrived at my parents' house around nine in the evening, greeted by the entire staff standing outside as they always did.It was a tradition my mother had started long ago, and it never changed, no matter the occasion.The air was formal, but there was something different tonight—an underlying tension, a mix of emotions just beneath the surface.Glenda was among the staff, and the moment she saw Camila, her eyes lit up with emotion. I could tell she was fighting back tears, but like the rest of us, she kept herself composed. It was a quiet exchange of understanding, one that didn’t need words.I walked into the house with Camila at my side, holding Katya in her arms. The warmth of the moment was overshadowed by the weight of what was to come. "Where's the room?" I asked Mirabel, one of the housemaids, as we reached the grand staircase.She led us to a guest room just after the staircase—a room we rarely used. It wasn’t one of the larger, more lavish rooms, and I knew instantl
RonanMy father’s face showed a mixture of shock and disappointment, clearly not expecting her to say that out loud. I stood there, my anger barely contained."This isn't about luck or short notice, Mother," I said, my voice tight. "Camila and Katya deserve to be treated with respect, not like they’re being given charity.""A bunk bed with thin, worn-out mattresses?" I said, my voice laced with disbelief and anger."You are a wicked woman, Mother. What did they ever do to you? Even if Katya weren't in the picture, I would never have gotten along with your friend's daughter. And by the way, did Father tell you what your associations with the Semenovs have cost us? It has created a powerful enemy for our family. When will you stop, Mom? Will it be when I decide that I don’t want to have anything to do with you and choose to stay away?" My voice cracked with frustration. "Why can’t you see that these things matter to me?"My mother stood there, shocked by my words, clearly not expecting s
CamilaWatching Ronan leave was like holding my breath, as if I was suspended in time.The reality that he might not return, the possibility that this could be the last time I saw him, was a thought I had been desperately pushing away. But now, as I stood there, the weight of it all came crashing down on me.The fear, the dread—it was overwhelming, and I had to fight back the tears, knowing that everyone was still watching. Why couldn’t they send someone else?The moment the Morozovs left the room, I handed Katya to my mother and rushed to the bathroom, the tears spilling over, uncontrollable now that I was alone.When Ronan told me he loved me, I had felt the dam break inside. I would have preferred he saved those words for his return, because hearing them now, just before he left, made everything feel so final, as if they were a goodbye.I knew it was my fear talking, but how could I not be afraid? Ronan had shown me a kindness that I never thought I deserved, especially in a world
Camila Telling my mother that Ronan had moved on might have been more than I should have shared, but I needed her to feel at ease. I could see the weight of worry she’d been carrying for so long, and I wanted to ease that burden. “He has moved on, really,” I reassured her again, and she nodded slowly, as if she needed to hear it twice to fully believe it. “That’s clear,” she said, “but Madame Melania is still stuck in the past.” She led me to the couch, where we sat down together. The room was nice—not as comfortable as my space at Ronan’s, but I knew Madam Melania wouldn’t have been pleased with even this level of hospitality. "You know, three weeks ago, she had me deliver Kremowki to the Semenovs," my mother began, her voice lowering as she shared her worries. "I overheard them talking about exposing what they believe you did. They were planning to tell Master Ronan that you drugged him, and they claimed they had proof. Camila, I was scared for you. I know what the Semenovs are
Camila Hearing my mother's concern, I knew I needed to find out where this rumour had come from. If General Sergey had said it himself, then there might be some truth to it, though deep down, I wanted to believe it wasn’t true. I trusted what Ronan had told me and understood the real reason he had broken things off with Arya. But was I being naive? To ease my mind, I decided to probe further. "Where did you hear that?" I asked, trying to keep my tone light, even though my curiosity was piqued. She hesitated for a moment. "The workers," she said, and I couldn’t help but laugh at that. "In their dreams, maybe," I said, amused by the way rumours spread so easily among the staff. "He kicked Arya out because she was mean to Katya, and he’s definitely not getting back with Leah. It’s all lies." I tried to sound confident, though I could see her concern deepening. "But Mrs. Semenov was here last week," she pointed out, her frown deepening. I nodded, brushing it off. "Well, that’s thei
CamilaMy mother’s voice took on a darker tone as she continued, her words flowing like a dam that had finally burst. I sat quietly, absorbing everything she said, knowing this was something she had been holding in for a long time."We took over countries and seized their resources, and no one ever told us we were wrong," she said bitterly. "We were untouchable. In most places, you’re expected to follow their rules, respect their customs, but that wasn’t the Belvarian way. When we arrived, we didn’t adapt; we imposed. We forced change on them to suit us."She paused, her expression hardening as she recalled the memories. "Some of us saw the flaws in this system. Your father did—he complained often, but no one listened. They court-martialed him a few times for his ‘extreme’ views, as they called them. But in truth, he was just one of the few who realized how selfish and corrupt the system was."Hearing her speak about my father in this way gave me a new perspective. I had always known
CamilaMy Mother’s tears flowed freely now, and I could feel her grief, not just for the loss of her husband but for the loss of everything they had once believed in."One morning, we woke up to a Jorvikian officer on the news," she said, her voice cracking. "He was addressing us, telling us we had been conquered from within. It was over, just like that."I felt a chill run down my spine as she described the moment everything changed."We supplied the weapons that were used to destroy us," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "We created the opportunity for our own downfall. The Jorvikians were settled in our midst, married to us, living among us. Some of us even had children with them. But when the time came, they drew the line. They showed no mercy."She paused, her eyes hollow with the weight of her memories. "My neighbour Gloria was married to a Jorvikian. Fifteen years they had been together, and yet he marched her to the concentration camps as if those years meant nothing.
CamilaMorning arrived, and despite knowing Ronan would return, my heart felt heavy with an ache I couldn’t shake. My tears wouldn’t stop falling, and it seemed nothing could distract me from the emptiness his absence had left behind.I never imagined I could miss someone so deeply, but it was as if a piece of me had left with him. I went through the motions, taking care of Katya, but my mind was elsewhere, and I struggled to focus.As I was feeding Katya, Mrs. Mirabel entered the room, her presence stiff and cold. "Camila, General Sergey wants to see you in his study," she said, her voice formal, though the disdain in her eyes was unmistakable.I stood up, about to pick up Katya, but Mrs. Mirabel’s sharp words stopped me. "Without the little miss," she added, her tone barely concealing her dislike. She had never cared much for my mother or me, and I could feel the tension in the air.Still, there was something different about her today—her usual hostility was tempered by a hint of ca