Chapter 36: You shouldn’t be here

Nerissa’s POV

The moment I see everyone downstairs is distracted, I move. Lysander is down there surrounded by men, drinking and accepting congratulations like he just won some kind of fucking prize.

Good.

Let them keep him occupied.

I turn away from the crowd and hurry toward the stairs. My heart is pounding so hard I can hear it in my ears.

I don’t even bother looking back.

I climb the stairs as quickly and quietly as I can, my fingers gripping the railing as I go.

Olivia.

I need to see Olivia, i need to know she’s okay.

By the time I reach the hallway, I’m almost running.

I get to the room and push the door open.

"Olivia?"

Nothing.

I step inside and immediately close the door behind me, then lock it.

I turn around and stop.

She’s sitting on the bare bed, the sheets are gone.

For a second, I just stare at her.

I expected tears. I expected her to be curled into herself, maybe crying so hard she couldn’t even speak.

But she’s not crying.....She’s just sitting there, staring at nothing. Her eyes look distant, almost like her mind isn’t even in this room anymore.

"Oli?"

She doesn’t respond, so I slowly walk toward her.

"Olivia?"

Still nothing.

My chest tightens.

I sit beside her and reach out, gently touching her shoulder.

She shrieks, her whole body jerks away from me so violently that I immediately pull my hand back.

"Oli..."

She looks at me and something inside me breaks.

She genuinely looks scared.

My stomach twists.

What the hell did Lysander do to her?

My eyes move over her quickly.

I look for bruises...Anything.

A mark on her neck, a tear in her dress, anything that might tell me what happened upstairs.

Did he hurt her? Is she in pain? Is she sore?

Is that why she dissociated?.

I feel sick.

That bastard.

I knew there was no way a man like Lysander Sanchez could be expected to care about whether my sister wanted any of this.

My fists clench.

But I don’t want to ask her.....Not yet. I don’t want to force her to relive whatever happened.

So I swallow everything burning inside me and soften my voice.

"Oli... come on. It’s me."

Her eyes blink slowly.

"Rissa?."

"Yeah."

I give her a small smile.

"It’s me."

She looks at me for a few seconds before finally relaxing a little.

I move closer, but this time I don’t touch her.

"I’m here."

She nods.

I hate seeing her like this.

Olivia has always been the softer one between us, the one who sees the good in people, the one who forgives too easily and tonight, something about her looks different.

Like someone has taken something from her that I can’t get back.

"What happened?" I finally ask.

Her eyes drop.

"Nothing."

I almost laugh.

Nothing? She looks terrified.

Her hands are trembling, her bed is stripped bare and she wants me to believe nothing happened?

But I don’t push....Not when she looks like this.

"Are you sure you’re okay?"

She nods.

"I’m fine."

"You don’t have to lie to me."

"I’m not."

Her voice is quiet.

I study her face.

Maybe she really doesn’t want to talk, maybe she’s trying to forget.

So I let it go for now.

I look around the room.

"Do you want me to leave?"

She shakes her head.

"No."

"Do you want me to stay?"

She looks at me.

Then, unexpectedly, she whispers,

"Can you cuddle me?"

My heart cracks a little.

"Of course Oli."

I don’t even hesitate, i move closer and open my arms.

She immediately moves into them.

I wrap my arms around her carefully, pulling her against my chest, she rests her head against me.

For a while, neither of us says anything.

I stroke her hair slowly.

"You can sleep," I whisper.

She nods against me.

"I’m here."

Her breathing gradually begins to slow as I keep holding her. Even though my mind is screaming with questions, even though I want to storm downstairs and put a knife against Lysander’s throat, even though I want to demand exactly what he did to my sister.

I don’t.

Because right now, Olivia needs me more than I need answers.

So I stay and I hold her tighter as she slowly drifts to sleep in my arms, I make myself a promise.

Whatever happened tonight, whatever Lysander did to her... He will get back ten times more of that.

————

The next morning, I am woken by a knock on the door. At first, I ignore it...I’m too tired to care.

My eyes remain closed as I shift slightly, feeling the warmth of Olivia curled beside me. Sometime during the night, we separated but she must have moved closer again because her head is resting against my shoulder.

Another knock comes, louder this time.

My eyes slowly open, for a few seconds, I don’t remember where I am.

Then everything from last night comes rushing back.

My stomach twists as I glance at my sister.

She’s still asleep.

"Olivia," I whisper, gently nudging her.

She stirs as another knock comes before either of us can say anything.

"Coming," I call out, my voice rough with sleep.

I sit up and run a hand through my messy hair but the door opens before I can even get off the bed.

Looks like someone found a key...given that I locked it yesterday night.

A woman steps inside, I midly recognize her.

I’ve seen her around the family gatherings before, though I can’t remember the last time we actually spoke.

She’s older, elegantly dressed, and carries herself with the kind of confidence that comes from knowing exactly where she belongs in a place like this.

Her eyes land on me then Olivia then back to me and her expression changes to disapproval.

"Nerissa."

I blink sleepily.

She closes the door behind herself.

"You shouldn’t be here."

I sit up straighter.

"What?"

Her gaze moves around the room before settling back on me.

"It’s against our traditions for you to be here."

I let out a tired sigh.

"With all due respect..."

I pause.

My eyes narrowing slightly.

"...I don’t care about traditions, Aunty."