Braelyn’s POV
Raphael’s guard was up. It was as if he could read my mind or sothing else. One thing was for sure, he was suspicious.
My leave was approved earlier than planned. I have been stuck with Raphael in here with what seed like a cold war. I didn’t ntion the word divorce again. It felt like a taboo.
The dining room was quiet. It’s rare for us to have lunch together with our schedules, but this week, with both of us trapped within the walls of this mansion, silent lunches like this have beco normal.
It wasn’t that I didn’t want to go out. I would rather not. No matter how the Volkov family was controlling the news, rumours of Alia’s pregnancy were now silent gossip among our circle. Although no one said it out loud, they knew based on what Genny told .
Mrs Sinclair is probably pretty smug at the possibility of her dearest Alia being the next Mrs Volkov. At this point, I would gladly give her the title, but I was more than certain Raphael would make her life hell.
"Isn’t it to your taste?" Raphael’s voice snapped from my thoughts. I glanced away from the soup I had been stirring forever.
I shook my head, then brought a sip to my lips. "It is fine," I muttered with a weak smile. A small smile crossed his lips and he just stared at . I knew he had a lot to say, but he would rather not.
He was avoiding bringing up the divorce. His solution was to avoid discussion. The al continued until I could barely put anything in my mouth. Everything tasted bland.
I pushed my seat back. Raphael glanced up, distracted by the sound. "Are you done?" he asked, concern filling his eyes. "You should eat more," he suggested. I just gave him a smile.
"I am fine. I can’t take a single bite more," I answered.
He nodded. I knew he had more to say and, as expected, he spoke again. "Maybe we should travel sowhere for the holidays. It’s been ages since we went on a trip," he suggested, leaving dumbfounded. He was suggesting a trip now of all tis.
I didn’t shut him down imdiately despite having no plans whatsoever to go on a trip with him. "I will think about it." His eyes lit up, pleasantly surprised I didn’t turn it down imdiately.
"Although I am not certain, a trip seems like a good idea," I added, my gaze lingering a bit on his face that still held hope. That look made my heart ache, knowing it was pointless.
I walked out of the dining room towards my bedroom. The maids gave their greetings on my way down the corridor. My eyes darted around and a helpless smile hung on my lips.
He changed everything. Raphael changed the interior to exactly what it was before Alia ca in, down to the smallest detail. The walls now looked like the house I had decorated with hope and love, but this doesn’t reverse ti.
His efforts only made it more suffocating. My fists clenched. This wasn’t the ti for to waver. I stepped into my room and the door shut behind . I slouched against the door, just staring at the ceiling.
My eyes closed. "5..4...3..2..1.." I took in slow breaths to gather my thoughts as I counted. Everything went silent for a mont and the ache faded.
That was before my phone buzzed with a text notification, snapping out of it. I imdiately opened my eyes and glanced at the phone screen. A simple ssage stared back at .
Genny: The plan is in motion. 6 pm today.
It was 2 pm. My heart squeezed. It was finally ti.
My fingers rapidly typed back a reply.
Braelyn: Alright then.
I switched off the screen. One week. It has been exactly one week of silent planning and pretending everything was fine. Genny actually delivered and by the ti Raphael would find out it would probably be too late.
It wasn’t ti to celebrate yet. The problem was whether we could pull this off.
*******
3 pm. The sky was a bit cloudy, as if it might rain, which didn’t matter. It was three hours to the planned ti. I changed into a simple outfit: high waist jeans, a crop top, and a bomber jacket paired with sneakers.
It was a casual outfit giving I want to grab coffee vibes. My hair was pulled up into a bun and a backpack hung on my shoulders.
I stepped out of the main entrance to the driveway. I had inford the butler earlier to prepare a car for .
"Is the car ready?" I asked Joshua, the butler who was walking out.
"Yes, ma’am," he said. His gaze hesitantly darted around before settling back on . He had cold sweat on his forehead. Joshua’s voice ca out a bit weak.
"Madam, when will you be returning?" he asked. There wasn’t the slightest crack in my expression.
"I will be back for dinner. I just want to grab coffee and a little shopping spree," I chid, finally stepping outside. Despite it being noon, the weather was a bit chilly with that autumn cold.
The car was waiting in the driveway, but my face fell imdiately. I fixed my expression anyway and walked down the steps.
A driver was holding up the door for already and he wasn’t the only one. Another guy was seated inside. I recognised them faintly. They weren’t drivers or casual escorts.
They were part of security, ex military soldiers that guarded the house. Raphael, that sly snake. I almost hissed.
"Good afternoon ma’am, I am Jeremy. Part of your private security." He didn’t bother hiding it. "And he is Zayne."
I stared at Jeremy. He was built like a bull, almost 200 cm, standing before and I could not help but laugh. "Is this necessary?" I asked.
"I am going for coffee and not war. There is no need to accompany ," I hissed.
Jeremy didn’t budge. "I apologise, but my orders were to guard you as long as you are leaving these premises."
My fist clenched. "And who gave those orders?!" I barked at him.
My answer ca imdiately.
"I did."
Raphael’s voice answered. My head snapped to the lean figure standing at the door.
"It is for your good, Lynn. With the Sinclair family growing desperate, I can’t take that risk."
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