Olivia sat in absolute, heavy silence for a long time after Matthias finished recounting everything that had transpired with Serene. The ticking of the clock in the quiet chamber seemed to echo the chaotic racing of her own thoughts, each second pulling her deeper into a dark, unyielding realization.
Matthias watched her closely, his dark eyes tracing the subtle shifts in her expression, waiting out her silence with a heavy patience. "Why the sudden silence, Olivia?"
"It's just..." Olivia trailed off, her gaze hollow as she stared at the intricate patterns on the heavy blanket, her fingers tracing the silver threads without truly seeing them. "Serene truly loved Elvira. She loved her with everything she had. But Elvira did everything in her power to force her own mother to loathe her. First and foremost... the murder of her own siblings. If it weren't for her malice, I would have had three siblings right now."
