บท 25: Survival and compassion

She slowly unraveled it, her heart beating in her chest. But unfortunately for me, it was a blank paper. 

She went to her dressing room to prepare for the night. As she dressed, she felt something basic had changed. This wasn't simply about punishment and control.

 There was something more going on—a complex dance of power, curiosity, and unsaid history. The mystery closed room continued to plague her thoughts. 

Those prohibited seconds of exploration—the short touch of the hairpin against the lock, the darkness beyond—were imprinted into her memory. Andrei's harsh punishment had just piqued her interest. 

Who was this man? What secrets did he keep so securely that even a basic attempt to investigate could elicit such a response? Her late sister's shadow appeared to hang on the outskirts of these thoughts. Andrei's relationship to her was more than just a familial link—it was sorrowful, something unresolved, and it drove her every interaction with him.