Chapter 97

• I leaned in, pressing my lips to his, claiming my place as his wife—his woman—no hesitation, no fear. This was mine.”
• ARLET
• The next morning, my eyes fluttered open to the sound of Raya’s soft chuckle, and I sat up too quickly, but the moment I did, everything around me spun, darkness rushed over my eyes, and I immediately sat back down, holding my aching head as a wave of dizziness took over, and only after a few seconds when the feeling settled, I got up again, slowly this time, and walked toward the window, where I saw Raya clapping her hands with a wide smile as if someone was making her really happy, and when I followed her gaze, my heart skipped a beat because there he was—Ruben—standing outside, flying kites with her, smiling, laughing, like everything was fine, like nothing had happened, and for a moment I wondered if I was dreaming, but I turned and saw the clock, it was already eleven, I must have slept for a long time, and as I dragged my feet toward the bathroom.