Just as she lifted her head to speak,she felt a warm trickle slide from her nose,and without hesitation,she rushed to the bathroom to wash it off with cold water.
When Aurelia lifted her head,she caught her reflection in the mirror,her hair messy,her face drawn,her lips red and swollen from the spice.
Just as she was about to leave,Astrid appeared at the doorway,her voice soft with concern.
“Aurelia,are you alright?”
That innocent and gentle tone cut through her like a knife.A girl as pure as Astrid was the one who truly deserved Santino,while she was nothing more than the villain,clinging to him,hurting his mother.
The kinder Astrid seemed,the heavier the shame pressed down on her,and the stronger her urge grew to run.
She forced a small smile.“I’m fine.”
With that,Aurelia hurriedly said goodbye.Santino didn’t stop her.
When she returned home,a sharp pain twisted through her stomach,dropping her to the floor as cold sweat drenched her skin until she finally fainted.
When she woke again,her eyes fluttered open to see Santino sitting quietly at her bedside,watching her in silence.