Crystal sat in the quiet drawing room, her gaze lingering on her wrist. Dimitri 's grip earlier had been harsh—unforgiving, almost brutal. His mother noticed her inspecting the wound and sighed softly.
“He held you a little tight, didn't he?” she asked, as though trying to downplay it.
“Little tight? He nearly broke my wrist,” Crystal muttered, wincing as she flexed her hand.
Dimitri’s mother only smiled. “And what exactly did you do to make him this angry?”
Silence fell. Crystal looked away, her lips pressed into a firm line. Dimitri’s mother’s smile deepened.
“Best not to test his patience, Crystal,” she advised gently. “Dimitri’s temper… it’s difficult to rein in once he’s set off.”
Crystal’s frustration bubbled over. “Does he even know the meaning of gentle?” she snapped, eyeing his mother.
His mother only chuckled. “Well, maybe you should try teaching him that.”
“I’d rather die,” Crystal muttered under her breath, but Drimti’s mother caught the words, her eyes glinting with amusement.
“What was that?”
“Nothing,” Crystal replied quickly, averting her gaze.
An uneasy silence settled between them, filling the room with a tension Crystal couldn’t quite name. She took a steadying breath, wondering if she should ask the question that had been gnawing at her since she’d met Dimitri. Hesitating, she looked at his mother.
“Can I… ask you something?”
Dimitri’s mother raised an eyebrow, her expression encouraging but watchful. “Go ahead.”
Crystal shifted uncomfortably. “Why did Dimitri’s engagement end?”
The older woman’s face flickered with something unreadable, her smile slipping into a frown. She seemed to weigh her words carefully. “The girl… she got sick.”
“Sick?” Crystal echoed, her curiosity piqued. “What happened to her?”
Dimitri’s mother looked away, her fingers tapping idly against her teacup. “She… she fell mentally ill. It was a very difficult time for all of us.”
Crystal's heart skipped a beat, and she felt a chill run down her spine. The more she knew about Drimti, the less she seemed to understand him.
“How?” she asked, voice almost a whisper.
“It’s a long story, Crystal. Another time, perhaps.” Dimitri’s ’mother brushed off the question with a wave of her hand, but Crystal could sense the weight behind her words.
“Did he… love her?” Crystal ventured, feeling a strange pang of jealousy rise within her.
Dimitri’s mother smiled faintly, a guarded look in her eyes. “Not as much as he loves you, I’d imagine.”
Crystal couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head in disbelief. “As if.”
His mother’s gaze was steady, her smile never faltering, but a strange, uneasy feeling began to settle in Crystal's chest.
YOU ARE READING
Kidnapped to love
Roman d'amourThe cool night air stung her cheeks as she stumbled through the deserted alley, her heart racing with panic. The echoes of her footsteps bounced off the walls, but no matter how fast she ran, the shadows behind her seemed to close in. "Keep running...
