Rafaelle's POV
I leaned back further into my recliner which felt so comforting and nice. The soft fabric surrounded me like a cozy hug that made me feel safe. But right now instead of feeling relaxed I felt trapped and overwhelmed by my sadness.
I was completely worn out every single breath I took felt heavy and hard not just because I was tired but also because I was carrying a deep and heavy burden of frustration. Tomorrow was meant to be one of the happiest days of my life—the special day when I would marry Luiza.
It was supposed to be a joyful celebration filled with love and happiness something I had dreamed about for a long long time. But instead of feeling happy about it, I felt like a puppet caught in a mess of strings made of despair being pulled in every direction except towards the happiness I so desperately wanted.
My thoughts suddenly returned to the confusing and distressing events of the day before which had completely changed everything I knew. Dahlia my dear and innocent friend was lying in a hospital bed. She had become a victim of poisoning and her once lively and vibrant small body now appeared fragile almost like a pale ghost of what she used to be.
The bright sparkly light in her eyes had faded because of the pain she was experiencing and the uncertainty surrounding her situation. The doctors were working tirelessly putting in long hours and showing expressions that were serious and determined as they tried to help her recover.
Even with their constant efforts, I found little comfort in their presence. The haunting image of Dahlia’s pale sickly face kept playing over and over in my thoughts gripping at my heart like the relentless force of a raging storm. It felt deeply unfair because no child especially someone as kind and gentle as Dahlia should ever have to go through such a horrible experience.
I found it impossible to avoid thinking about Iris even though I didn’t want to. Just hearing her name sent a wave of discomfort through my stomach. She was right in the middle of this complicated situation and it was hard for me to believe that she could be the main suspect in something that seemed so messy and confusing.
I wished I could trust her completely. I deeply wanted to believe that the kind and caring girl I had always admired could never be involved in something as terrible as a crime especially not one aimed at Dahlia who was so innocent.
Unfortunately, the evidence against her was like a dark cloud hanging over my mind making it hard to think clearly. The poison that was found had come from a leaf of a plant that was in her room.
This realization felt like a knife twisting painfully in my heart—how could someone as gentle and sweet as Iris possibly be connected to something so cruel? It was incredibly difficult for me to match the image of her kind nature with the harsh reality of the serious accusations being made against her.
As I ran my fingers through my messy hair I could feel the frustration building up inside me almost ready to burst much like a pot of water that is about to boil over. Time seemed to make fun of me as I looked over at the clock hanging on the wall. Each tick of the clock was loud in the otherwise quiet room making the silence even more intense.
Every second seemed to sound like a drum beating marching me closer and closer to midnight. Sleep was calling out to me inviting me to rest but how could I possibly welcome sleep when my thoughts were swirling around chaotically filled with doubts fears and a sense of looming disaster? In the end, my tiredness took over and I gave in to my weariness. I drifted off into a light sleep as the heavy burdens of the day pressed down on me making it hard to truly relax.
I felt a gentle knock on the door and it startled me awake. It pulled me back into the sad and unwelcoming reality that I was trying so hard to get away from.
“Who is it?” I asked in a raspy voice struggling to sit up from the cozy embrace of my recliner chair. I felt confused and surprised as I tried to understand what was happening.
“It's Hugo,” he said urgently. “We have a problem.” he continued his voice cutting through my sleep like a sharp knife slicing through soft butter.
As soon as I heard Hugo's voice I became immediately alert. I jumped up from my chair as if I had been stung by a bee. My heart started to race because I could hear the urgency in his voice.
“Is it about Iris? Has she managed to escape?” Panic suddenly took hold of me making it feel like my chest was being squeezed tightly. Thoughts of her running away into the night filled my mind and I couldn't shake the feeling of worry and fear.
“It’s even worse than I thought,” Hugo said with a serious expression on his face. When he spoke those words a cold feeling started to spread throughout my body and it was the kind of fear that was very intense and unsettling.
Without taking a single moment to think I quietly moved past Hugo and entered the hallway. I could feel the rush of adrenaline flowing through my body as I hurriedly followed him trying to keep up with his fast pace to the living room.
With each step I took my feet felt heavier and heavier and a growing sense of fear and unease started to build up inside me. When I finally walked into the room the sight that met my eyes was so shocking that it sent a wave of disbelief and terror throughout my entire body.
Don Campani stood in that place and he looked very powerful and intimidating. On either side of him, two large bodyguards made him seem even more imposing. But what truly caught my attention and filled me with concern was Iris.
Campani had a firm hold on her as he pulled her forward and I could see that her big beautiful eyes were filled with both fear and a sense of defiance. Just looking at her like that made my stomach twist painfully.
“Iris cried out for help saying ‘Raf please help me!’ Her voice was filled with a sense of urgency and desperation. When I heard her I could feel a strong wave of protective feelings welling up inside of me making me want to do everything I could to assist her.”