Chapter 24
Lavender Fields Luxury Hotel.
For the first time in five years, Josephine allowed herself to relax under a hot shower. Wrapped in a plush towel, she sat gingerly on the edge of a soft armchair, her arms drawn protectively over the web of scars crisscrossing her skin.”
Once, this kind of comfort had been her daily life. Now, it felt like an unattainable luxury.”
She no longer had the strength to feel anger or envy; all that remained was a hollow sense of bewilderment.
When she was first locked in that basement, Josephine had dreamed of escaping on her own. She’d even tried seducing one of the guards, hoping he might show her mercy. But when survival was on one side of the scale and dignity on the other, pride was the first thing she learned to surrender.
Later, she tried begging Nestor, pleading with him to let her go. Night after night, she woke from dreams of sinking into soft beds, with the love of her parents and her husband surrounding her.
As the years dragged on, she began to wonder if she’d simply vanished without a trace, and maybe–just maybe–the whole world was out there searching for her. She imagined someone bursting through the door and whisking her away to safety.
Josephine had pictured a thousand different endings. She’d even considered dying in that hellish place. But never, not even in her wildest hopes, had she imagined that it would be Daphne who finally pulled her from that nightmare.
“Do you forgive me?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.2
Or maybe what she really wanted to know was: Would Daphne finally let her go??
Hope and dread tangled in her chest, and then she saw Daphne shake her head.
You’ve never even apologized,” Daphne said quietly. “I just don’t think Nestor had any right to judge you, no matter what you did.“}
Josephine’s fragile hopes collapsed. She could already guess how this story would end for her.
Whatever was coming, it couldn’t possibly be worse than those five years underground.
“Go home,” Daphne told her. “I’m not going to stop you, but don’t even think about running away again. As for those lost years, whether you want to reclaim them or not–that’s up to you.“2
Daphne tossed her a set of clothes. The soft fabric felt like burning coals against Josephine’s fingers, and she winced at the sting.
Nodding silently, she gathered the clothes and turned toward the dressing room. At the door, she hesitated and glanced back at Daphne. “Are you… are you ever going to see Mom and Dad again?”
Daphne didn’t even pause in what she was doing. She didn’t look up.
They’re the ones who said we were done. If we’re done, there’s no point in pretending otherwise.”
Watching her sister’s back, Josephine realized how little emotion Daphne showed. The old Josephine would have made a snide remark, but now she only stood in silence for a long moment before murmuring a quiet “okay” and closing the door behind her.
When the court summons arrived at the Sterling house, the family sat in heavy silence, staring at the official envelope.
Back then, when both daughters vanished–one by choice, one by force–they’d all assumed it was Daphne’s doing. In their anger, they’d threatened to cut ties with her, expecting that would force her to come home. They never imagined she’d stay away for five long years.
who
Now, with the youngest daughter returned in Daphne’s wake, the truth was nothing like Queenie felt a pang of regret. No matter what, Josephine was still her daughter–ten months in the
they’d thought.
and daughters could be truly estranged. Yet every time she thought of Daphne, guilt gnawed at h
her.
womb, a lifetime in her heart. She’d never believed that mothers
Really, it wasn’t Josephine who had done wrong. She and Geoffrey had always favored their youngest, and they owed Daphne far more than they’d ever admit. But pride kept Queenie from apologizing. She told herself children should always be grateful for whatever their parents gave, whether it was a lot or a little.
A bond that should have been unbreakable had stretched so thin it finally snapped. Now, incredibly, they were facing each other in court.#
On the day of the hearing, both the plaintiff and defendant were their daughters–yet Daphne never once glanced their way.
Because Josephine pled guilty, the proceedings ended quickly.
Daphne wasn’t surprised by Josephine’s confession. What did surprise her was that the Sterlings never once tried to defend Josephine. But she had no time to dwell on it. As soon as the verdict was read, she gathered her things and walked out without looking back.
She never expected her parents would chase after her.”
Chapter 25
“Daphne! Wait, Daphne, please!“#
