A few minutes later, one of the guards whispered something to Sylus. They had not found anything, of course.
"Can I pack my things now?" I asked, my voice trembling but defiant.
Sylus did not even look at me as he spoke. "No. You don’t need to take anything from here. Leave the manor and go on your own."
His words felt like a final blow, cold and heartless. I watched as he turned and walked back upstairs without another word.
Charlotte looked momentarily stunned, but she quickly recovered, sneering as Xavier helped her to her feet.
I stood there for a moment, staring at the mess they had made of my things, before finally turning toward the door.
My hands still shook, but with each step, I felt a strange sense of freedom growing inside me.
That place had been my prison for far too long, so I would never come back there.
*
A few days later, Sylus appeared at my villa without knocking, without ringing the bell. It turned out he had a spare key.
I was in the living room when he strolled in, holding a small envelope in his hand. His face was unreadable as he looked at me. Then, with unnerving casualness, he extended the invitation towards me.