The next day, Marisol woke up in her own room. In her disoriented state, she felt surprised and confused at first, the once-familiar space no longer felt like hers, until the memories from the night before came flooding back, bringing the pain along with it.
As the events of the previous night replayed in her mind, so did the embarrassment and sorrow. She wanted to stay locked in her room for as long as it took for her mind to forget about it, but a stubborn feeling of hope fluttered in her chest, causing Marisol to get out of bed, dress up, and make her way to the hidden castle after breakfast.
On getting there, she found Cedric to be in a slightly better mood than last night, hope rekindling within her, until he raised his eyes to meet hers, his expression darkening before he silently walked out and away from her.
Marisol’s heart fell. But she decided to stay. Only if she did would they work out whatever it was that was going on between them. However, it only got worse to the point where Marisol began to feel like a pest, an unwanted disturbance to Cedric.
Just like that, Marisol found herself caught in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions in the days that followed Cedric’s sudden withdrawal. Anger, hurt, and confusion warred within her, each vying for dominance as she struggled to make sense of what had transpired between them.
She felt foolish for allowing herself to be swept away by the intensity of their connection, only to be left standing alone in the aftermath. Her pride smarted at the thought of being rejected and ignored, yet beneath the layers of hurt, there lingered a nagging sense of longing.
It went on for the next few days until one day, Marisol angrily stomped back to her room, tears threatening to spill and that was when she made the decision to return the favor and ignore his existence too.
She berated herself for losing sight of her ultimate goal, which was to regain her freedom and return home. But try as she might, she couldn’t shake the care and affection she now held for him. Marisol couldn’t deny the glaringly obvious truth that Cedric was her mate. The bond between them, though strained and frayed, still tugged at her heartstrings, refusing to be ignored.