Chapter Twenty Three

Antonia's Pov.

I sat on the living room couch, trying to get myself together. The police had just left after taking my statement and explaining to them how I had gotten the box, as well as the bouquet of flowers I had previously received, which had taken more out of me than I anticipated.

I had been reluctant to report that I suspected someone was stalking me, but now I had no other choice—especially after the pictures and the bloody ring finger delivered in that box.

The cops Gabriel had called tried their best to be polite with their questions, even though I could tell that they had even more questions to ask while they examined the evidence.

They also assured me that the finger wasn't real and the blood was just fake. It was a twisted prank, meant to scare me. While that knowledge provided some kind of relief, it didn't lessen the fear I felt knowing someone was watching me so closely, tracking my every move.

As I struggled to wrap my head around everything, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I jumped a little, my heart racing. When I looked up, I saw Gabriel standing there, a look of concern etched on his face.

"I'm sorry if I startled you," he said softly. "Here, I made you some tea. It should help calm your nerves."

I carefully took the cup from him, my hands trembling slightly. "Thank you," I murmured, grateful for the gesture. I sipped the tea, letting the warmth seep into me and hoping it'd be enough to make me less nervous.

Gabriel sat down next to me, maintaining a respectful distance. "You should try to get some sleep after the tea," he suggested gently. "I've asked the servants to prepare another room for you since your current room might be too uncomfortable for you right now."

I nodded, appreciating his thoughtfulness. The idea of going back to my room, with the memory of the gruesome discovery still fresh, was unbearable. "That sounds like a good idea. Thank you, Gabriel."

Gabriel and I sat without saying anything, and the silence between us became suffocating to the point where I couldn't bear the awkwardness any longer.

Pushing myself off the couch, I avoided his gaze. "I'm going to bed now," I announced, my voice sounding more weary than I intended.

Gabriel also stood up, looking as uncomfortable as I felt. He called for the nearest servant and instructed them to escort me to my new room, which he mentioned was right beside his.

The servant nodded in understanding, but I couldn't help but question his decision.

"Why is my new room right next to yours?" I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral.

Gabriel stuttered, seemingly caught off guard. "I just thought it would be better, you know, in case you needed anything. But if you find it weird, I can have another room prepared for you tomorrow."

I sighed, too tired to argue. "There's no need for that. Thank you, Gabriel."

I then turned to the servant and asked him to lead the way. As we walked down the hallway, my mind raced with thoughts that I was too exhausted to process. When we finally arrived at the room, the servant bowed and excused himself, leaving me alone.

I stepped inside and immediately noticed that the room was much bigger than my previous one. Normally, I might have cared about the luxury, but right now, all I wanted was to escape into sleep.

I climbed into the large, comfortable bed, pulling the covers up to my chin. My body was tense, and my mind was still reeling from the day's events, but I closed my eyes, determined to force myself to sleep.

But sleep didn't come easily. My mind kept replaying the horrifying discovery in the box and the conversation with the police. The fake blood, the gruesome finger—it was all too much.

I tried to push the images out of my head, focusing on the sound of my own breathing. In and out. In and out.

No matter how hard I tried to force myself to sleep, nothing worked. I tossed and turned, my mind replaying the events of the day over and over.

I sat up, glancing around the unfamiliar space, while feeling a growing sense of uneasiness.

I told myself it was already nighttime and I needed to go to sleep to forget everything that had happened today. But the more I tried, the more restless I became.

I began imagining all sorts of thoughts in my head. The shadows in the room seemed to move, and I felt an irrational fear creeping up my spine.

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I needed to be near someone to feel safe, at the very least. Before I even realized what I was doing, I had thrown off the covers and rushed out of the room.

My feet carried me to Gabriel's door, which was right next to mine. I hesitated, my hand hovering over the door, unsure if I should knock. But the fear of being alone in that room pushed me to do it.

I knocked softly at first, then a little louder. Almost immediately, I heard Gabriel's voice from inside, asking who it was, and I felt a wave of embarrassment hit me.

I didn't want to seem weak or needy, but I couldn't bear the idea of being alone. I decided not to respond, hoping he would open the door first.

The door creaked open, and Gabriel stood there, visibly surprised to see me. "Antonia? Are you okay?" he asked, concern evident in his voice. "Do you need anything?"

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. In a low, nervous voice, I finally managed to ask, "Is it possible for me to stay in your room for the night? I know it's weird of me to ask this, but I really don't want to be alone tonight."

Gabriel's eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly composed himself. "Of course," he said softly, stepping aside to let me in. "Come in."

I walked into his room, feeling a mix of relief and embarrassment. Gabriel closed the door behind me and led me to a sitting area by the window. "You can take the bed if you're ready to sleep," he said. "I'll sleep on the couch."

"No, it's fine," I protested weakly. "I can sleep on the couch."

Gabriel shook his head firmly. "You're my guest, Antonia. You take the bed. I'll be fine here."

After Gabriel mentioned that he would sleep on the couch, I couldn't help but feel guilty. Not wanting to inconvenience him further, I suggested, "How about we share the bed instead? It's more than big enough for both of us."

Gabriel looked visibly surprised by my suggestion, but he didn't object. Instead, he awkwardly nodded and said, "Okay. Get some rest, Antonia."

He then directed me to get in bed first, and I climbed in, trying not to think too much about the fact that we were about to share a bed.

I pulled the covers over myself and turned my back to where Gabriel would be lying. A few minutes later, I felt the bed dip slightly as he climbed in on the other side.

We lay there, backs to each other, and I tried to focus on calming my racing thoughts. It was strange, feeling his presence so close to me, but also oddly comforting.

I shut my eyes and tried to force myself to sleep. I was hyper-aware of every sound and every movement in the room, but just as I was starting to drift off, I heard Gabriel speak softly.

"Antonia, I promise we'll find whoever is stalking you. Don't worry too much, and trust me."

His words managed to relieve me a bit, and I felt a little bit of the tension ease out of my body. Still keeping my eyes closed, I replied, "Thank you, Gabriel. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," he whispered back, until we both eventually fell asleep.