Chapter 59 The Study Window
Leitana pushed herself upright, eyes heavy with sleep. The room still felt warm, still carried the faint impression of someone else but when she slid off the bed and looked around, there was no sign of him.
“Ravial,” she called softly.
No answer.
Her chest tightened. He wasn’t there.
She slipped her feet into the fuzzy slippers with the ridiculous bunny ears and padded to the door. Pulling it open, she squinted against the brighter light outside, then stepped into the hallway and shut it behind her.
As she headed for the stairs, a thought flickered through her mind.
Where he go now?
She rubbed her eyes again, trying to piece together when she’d fallen asleep. The last thing she remembered was the car. That must have been it.
Downstairs, staff moved about quietly. When they noticed her, smiles bloomed instantly.
“Good evening, missus.”
“Good evening, madame.”
“Good evening,” Leitana replied, then turned to one of them. “Where mi husband went?”
The smiles faltered.
A few of them exchanged glances.
An unease settled low in her stomach.
“We… don’t know, missus, the last time we saw him was when y…” one maid began, then abruptly stopped when another nudged her sharply with an elbow.
Leitana noticed. Of course she did.
She studied their faces, suspicion sharpening her gaze but she didn’t press.
“Tank you,” she said instead, dipping her head as she turned toward the kitchen.
She hadn’t even reached the door when she heard voices.
“I can’t believe she would try something like that here,” Clara said.
Leitana froze, her hand hovering over the handle.
“That’s horrible,” Maya replied. “Imagine the trauma missus would have gone through, seeing your sister’s brain matter all over the floor of your new home.”
Leitana’s heart slammed violently against her ribs.
She shoved the door open.
Every head snapped toward her.
“Wat you say happen to mi sister?” she demanded, panic clawing up her throat.
Silence.
Her gaze locked onto Rosa.
“Wat happen?” she asked again, sharper now.
Rosa stepped forward carefully. “She’s fine. She’s okay now, but…”
Leitana nodded quickly, her heart lodged in her throat. “But?”
Rosa hesitated, then spoke softly. “Miss Avery… she tried to hurt herself. She tried to end her life.”
The words didn’t register at once.
Leitana stared at her, blinking.
“Tried to… what?” she whispered.
Her knees gave way.
A sharp gasp tore from her as the room spun. Clara and Maya rushed forward, grabbing her arms before she could collapse.
“No… no… no,” Leitana murmured, shaking her head over and over. “Why? Why she do that? Why she want die?”
“She fell from the window,” Rosa said quickly. “But the mango tree broke her fall. She’s alive. She’s safe.”
“Window?” Leitana echoed faintly. “Which window?”
Rosa swallowed. “The master’s study window.”
Leitana went still.
“The… study?” Her eyes widened. “Why she there? Why she go there?”
No one answered.
“We don’t know, ma’am,” Maya said quietly. “No one saw her go in.”
Leitana pulled free from their hands.
“Where she is?” she demanded.
“In her guest room,” Rosa replied. “She just woke up.”
Leitana didn’t wait.
She ran.
Her slippers slapped against the marble floor as she rushed down the corridor, breath burning in her chest, fear and confusion tangling in her mind. When she reached the guest wing, she flung the door open without knocking.
“Avery…”
Her sister stood by the window.
Pale. Shaking. Tears slid silently down her cheeks as she stared outside, empty-eyed.
“Avery!” Leitana cried.
Avery turned.
Her face crumpled instantly. “Lei…”
Leitana crossed the room in seconds and pulled her into a fierce embrace, arms wrapping tight as if Avery might vanish if she loosened her hold.
Avery stiffened, then collapsed into her, burying her face against Leitana’s shoulder.
Leitana pulled back just enough to see her sister’s face, cupping Avery’s wet cheeks.
And then Avery broke.
Her sobs tore free, body trembling, fingers clutching desperately at Leitana’s clothes.
“Why?” Leitana demanded, her voice shaking with fear and fury. “Why yu try leave mi so? Yu think mi no need yu? Yu think mi want live in dis big house alone, knowin’ yu gone because of mi?”
Tears spilled down her own face.
“Yu selfish!” she shouted, the words bursting out. “Yu no think ‘bout mi! ‘Bout Mama! How we go live if yu dead? Yu jus’ jump an’ leave us wit di pain?”
Avery flinched but Leitana didn’t let go.
“Mi see di bruise,” Leitana said, her voice dropping, fierce and raw. “On yu face. In di video. Mi know Papa hurt yu. Mi know now. An’ mi sorry mi no see before. Mi sorry mi no protect yu.”
She crushed Avery back against her chest.
“But yu no fix it by dying! Yu fight. Yu stay. Yu let mi help yu now.”
Slowly, Avery’s arms came up, wrapping around Leitana’s back.
They stood there like that, twins holding each other, both crying. One shaking with guilt and fear. The other with a pain so deep it had no name.
Avery couldn’t speak. She only nodded, sobbing harder.
Leitana held her tighter, as if refusing to let go could undo what had almost happened.
And deep in her chest, a new question took shape, quiet, sharp, and unsettling.
What had driven Avery to the master’s study window?
And why did Ravial’s name suddenly feel so heavy in her heart?