But then it fades.
She licks her lips. Shakes her head.
“That’s not true.”
She rises and hurries to me.
“This isn’t true, right?”
I don’t respond.
She reaches for my clenched fists.
“Tell me, Salvario. I’ll believe you. Tell me my father misunderstood. Tell me you didn’t crash the plane. You didn’t kill him. You promised me, Salvario.”
Tears roll down her cheeks.
“Say something. Please.”
“I lied.” The words leave me hollow.
“I lied to you.”
Her wide eyes go silent. All the light in them drowns.
She releases my hands and stumbles back. Her father moves to her side, wrapping an arm around her. She keeps staring at me, her eyes asking a thousand questions, all with the same answer.
I betrayed her. Because I’m weak. I can’t fight my own demons. I’m a loser. A fucking loser who broke the most precious, most fragile thing he ever had. Who snuffed out the light in the girl who lit up his world drowned in dark.
“As much as I want to kill you myself, I won’t do that to my daughter.” Alessio’s voice is cold.
“Tell me, Princess. What punishment do you want for him?”
She’s silent for a long moment, just staring at me with those empty eyes.
Then she whispers, “Let him go.”
She looks away, blinks, and wipes her eyes.
“I never want to see him again.”
She turns to her father.
“Don’t hurt him.”
He nods.
“You can’t agree to that, Dad. He killed Uncle, that’s unforgivable.” Her brother’s voice thunders, but I don’t look at him.
My eyes stay fixed on her. Hoping to meet those warm honey eyes again. Hoping they’ll tell me she didn’t mean it. That she didn’t mean what she said. That she doesn’t hate me.
It never happens. Not once does she look at me again. Her face stays rigid, like she’s holding herself back from breaking down.She doesn’t want me to see her crumble. I’m not worthy of it.
I don’t hear a word of the conversation between Matleon, Zloban, and Alessio.
“I never want to see him again.”
That’s the only thing echoing in my ears.
