ValarieThe garden was my haven, the only place where I could breathe freely, away from the imposing palace walls and the stifling weight of my charade. I wandered past the rows of roses, their vibrant petals a stark contrast to the thorny reality of my life. My phone felt like a lifeline in my trembling hand, a thin thread tying me to the person I used to be.I dialed my mother’s number, pressing the phone close to my ear, hoping she would pick up quickly. The line clicked, and her voice came through, calm but distant.“How is Vanessa?” I asked, not bothering with pleasantries. It wasn’t like she cared about anything else.“She’s still weak,” Mom replied, her tone clinical, devoid of warmth. “The Doctor says she’ll recover, but it’ll take time. She’s lucky to be alive, Valarie.”Hearing her call me by my real name over the phone was both comforting and unnerving. Here, in the palace, I was Vanessa, my sister, the rightful bride. To everyone around me, that name defined me, even as it
Last Updated : 2024-12-10 Read more