Iris POV
As I stepped into my room the door suddenly slammed shut behind me with a loud bang and the sound echoed all around in the chilly silence. I took a step back feeling a rush of panic as my heart started to race faster and faster. Outside my door, the world felt like a prison with the walls around me feeling like they were closing in tighter and tighter. I bit down on my lip hard trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall.
“Why did you do it, Iris?“ Raf's words felt like a hot iron pressing against my thoughts leaving a painful mark. “You poisoned her! You poisoned my little girl!”
I could still feel the anger hanging in the air around us from our earlier fight. It was a strong heavy feeling that seemed to stick to me almost like it was part of my skin. This anger wasn't just coming from Raf who was furious and unrelenting I also couldn’t shake the terrifying memory of the cold hard metal of the gun that had been pressed against my temple.
That image was burned into my mind and I couldn’t forget it. The way Raf's finger was hovering dangerously close to the trigger made it hard for me to breathe like I was choking on fear.
I shuddered when I thought about what might have happened and what could have gone wrong at that moment. Thankfully it was Hugo—a surprise—who came to my rescue. He stepped in front of me just in time to prevent a disaster.
“Please Raf don't go through with this” he urged his voice shaking slightly but filled with determination. “You can't decide to end her life just because of a false accusation!”
Raf looked at me with wild angry eyes and quickly replied “Do you think I care about this?“ I could see the intense rage on his face and it made me feel a gripping fear deep inside me.
This fear was so strong that it felt like a tight band wrapped around my chest making it hard to breathe. I was scared—not just for my safety but also for Dahlia. Her fragile and weakening figure kept appearing and vanishing in my thoughts and that made me even more frightened.
Why did this situation occur? Just as I was starting to believe that I had discovered a place where I truly fit in and could be myself a complicated and cruel game of power struggles and treachery shattered everything I had come to know.
I had started to feel a sense of belonging almost like I was a member of a family even though I was aware that danger and darkness were hiding everywhere I looked.
However, deep down inside me alongside my strong desire to be accepted, there was a terrifying realization that my life was always at risk and I was never completely safe.
I collapsed onto the bed feeling overwhelmed by a heavy sadness that seemed to weigh me down like an anchor. I couldn’t hold back my silent cries they shook my entire body as I tried to deal with the deep pain inside me.
In my frustration, I hit the pillows hoping to find some sort of relief from all the hurt I was feeling. Tears flowed continuously down my cheeks while I lay there staring blankly at the ceiling above me.
I found myself wondering deep down if I would ever be able to escape from the chaos and confusion that surrounded my life.
How did it come to this?
I slowly fell into a deep sleep but it was filled with bad dreams and disturbing images. In my mind, I kept seeing the gun the intense blue stare of Raf, and the sight of Dahlia’s body which looked like she was no longer alive.
I was suddenly jolted awake by a loud crash. The noise was so startling that I felt my heart race when I heard a key turning in the lock of the door. A wave of fear rushed through me making my heart pound even faster.
I quickly sat up in bed and I found it hard to catch my breath as panic washed over me pushing away any remnants of sleep that had still been lingering in my body. I had a terrible feeling that it must be Raf coming back.
He was coming to complete something he had started before. I couldn't help but worry that maybe Hugo wouldn’t be there this time to help me save me from whatever Raf had planned.
The old door slowly opened with a loud creaking sound and for just a very brief moment I stood completely still feeling a deep sense of fear and shock.
However, it turned out that it was not Raf at all. Instead, it was Luiza.
“What is it that you want from me?“ I said sharply my voice low and filled with menace. “Are you here just to brag or show off?“
Luiza walked into the room and gently shut the door behind her. I saw her face and realized it didn't show the smug happiness I thought I would see. Instead, she appeared weary as if she had given up or was feeling very low.
She slowly sat down on the edge of my bed letting out a deep sigh that seemed to carry a lot of weight. Our eyes met and I could sense that something was troubling her.
“I understand that you might feel very angry with me and perhaps even hate me for what happened,” she said in a gentle tone. “But I want to clarify that my intention is not to make fun of you or belittle your feelings.”
“What happens after this? Are you trying to complete your plan to make me look guilty for Dahlia's poisoning? Do you believe it's all done just because you came here to brag about it?“ I replied narrowing my eyes at them.
“Whether you want to believe it or not I honestly don't think that you are the one who did it,” she said looking directly into my eyes with a steady and serious expression.
My heart started beating fast when I heard her words. I couldn't believe what she was saying. “Are you being serious right now?“ I asked and you could hear the shock and disbelief in my voice.
“You of all people don’t think that I poisoned Dahlia? The very person who has always seen me as nothing but a bothersome problem and a danger?“ I lost my strength and fell back onto the pillows completely stunned and unable to comprehend what was happening.
“Yes, I can tell that you enjoy that,” Luiza said while nervously playing with her fingers. “However that's not the main issue we need to focus on right now. What’s important is Raf. He still firmly believes that you were the one responsible for what happened. Because of this belief, you are not safe here at all.”