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Chapter 14

                         IVY SILVER POV.
( 3 days later)

    I blinked awake, a wave of disorientation washing over me.  The memory of the previous night slammed back, a heavy weight in my chest. It hadn't been a dream.  I looked around the darkened room, a surge of relief flooding me—I wasn't tied to the tree anymore.

Beside me lay a large, well-loved teddy bear, its fur slightly matted, a maroon ribbon tied around its neck.  A small card attached simply read, "wishing you a quick recovery." A faint ache, a mixture of tenderness and sorrow, tightened my throat.  As I gently replaced the bear, my gaze fell upon a small gift box wrapped in shimmering gold foil on the nightstand.  My breath hitched.

It was nearly eleven.  Throwing back the crisp white sheets, I swung my legs to the floor, the weakness in my limbs a stark reminder of my ordeal.  I reached for the gift, its smooth surface cool against my fingertips.  There was no inscription. Inside, nestled on a bed of velvet, lay a pair of stunning black diamond earrings.  A smaller card lay beneath them.  A simple message: "I’m sorry, Ivy. Love Miguel." Tears welled, a silent, unexpected release.  Not everyone in this brutal world possessed a devil's heart. Their crimes, their pasts… they were my friends, and nothing could change that.

Closing the box, I slowly made my way to the large window, my oversized robe threatening to trip me.

“Ivy! So glad to see you finally on your feet!” Carlos burst into the room, his voice brimming with relief, a tray balanced carefully in his hands.

I smiled, relieved to see him. He rushed to my side, wrapping his arms around me,“You’ve been out for almost three days,” he said, his voice hushed with concern. Three days? It felt like only hours ago.

“That long? No wonder I feel so weak,” I murmured, sinking back onto the bed.

“You’ll be fine in a few minutes,” he reassured me, his voice gentle.

“Carlos, I’m so sorry for—” I began, my voice trembling.

“You have nothing to apologize for, Ivy. I’m the one who should be apologizing. I should have said something when Hermann was… punishing you. I stood there, a coward,” he confessed, his eyes filled with a deep, genuine remorse.

“It’s fine,” I whispered, and his smile, hesitant but sincere, mirrored my own. “How are Genevieve and Miguel?” I asked, my gaze lingering on the golden gift box.

“They’re fine. They’ll be overjoyed when I tell them you’re awake,” he said, handing me a glass of mango juice, its sweet scent a welcome comfort.

“Why tell them? I’ll go see them myself,” I said, taking a sip of the juice, its coolness soothing my parched throat.

“Ivy, Hermann gave us strict orders. You’re not to leave this room. Only I’m allowed in,” he said, his voice serious, the lightness gone from his tone.

“What?!” I exclaimed, my face draining of color, anger surging through me.  “He’s a lunatic!” I yelled, frustration and indignation overwhelming me.

“Calm down. At least you’re out of that tree, right? That’s what we all fought for,” Carlos said softly, trying to soothe my rising fury.

“Yes, but he’s being utterly unreasonable,” I whimpered, burying my face in his shoulder.

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not okay,” I whispered, the tears finally spilling over.

"It's not always going to be rough" he murmured.

    Two hours later,
the remnants of our video game battle littered the floor.
“You cheater!” I yelled, my voice still laced with frustration, despite Carlos’s infectious laughter.  I'd lost, again.  “It’s not fair!” I declared, tossing the controller onto the carpet.
“Come on, you’re such a baby,” Carlos said, his amusement undiminished.  “How about a game of pool?”

My body tensed. Pool.  The image of Wilmert, his face etched with disappointment, flooded my mind.  The game he'd always used to try and make things right.

“I don’t play pool,” I said, my voice hesitant, a small, strained smile playing on my lips.  I slid off the stool, Carlos following suit.

Wilmert, my heart ached.  I moved towards the window, the sunlight catching the dust motes dancing in the air. “I think I’ll sit here, where I can see the trees,” I said, a small, private smile curving my lips—a smile only I could see.  No matter where you are, I'll find you. His words, a whisper against my skin, a haunting echo of a love lost too soon.  He'd hold me close, his breath warm on my neck, his words a promise.

Carlos understood.  “I’ll give you some time alone,” he said softly, quietly closing the door behind him.

Time seemed to melt away, each second an eternity.  The thought of never feeling his lips on mine again, the terrifying prospect of a life without him—it threatened to shatter me.
Oh God, I thought, the tears finally breaking free.

Day and night, the images played on repeat in my mind: the stark paleness of my skin, the gruesome wounds—a horrific contrast to the life I once knew.  I was trapped, utterly hopeless, consumed by a terror beyond comprehension, a terror only those who've stared into the face of hell could possibly understand.

Then, the gates opened. 
Hermann Rodriguez was back. And despite the hatred that still burned within me, a strange sense of relief washed over me.  My future—freedom or imprisonment—lay in his hands.

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