章 20: The Grief

MARIA'S POV

My bodyguard led me into the house. Ursula and Zia watched their favorite telenovela in the living room when I came in. I tried. I tried to look like everything was fine, but seeing them, my resolve shattered. They ran to me when they saw how much I was shivering. They didn't say anything but only hugged me.

"I lost him," I struggled to say, but they did not understand me. I don't remember how, but the next thing I knew, I was being immersed in the bathtub.

Zia Benedetta turned on the warm water, letting it cleanse me. I don't know if she knew this, but it wasn't only my dirty body. My soul was in rot. I was in so much turmoil.

Every time the thought of how I was so close to reuniting with my brother resurfaced, I shuddered at my weakness in not being able to protect him. The image of his face caught in chaos appeared in my head. He looked so scared and clueless.