I know.
Finally, mercifully, dinner ends.
"Aurora, walk with me," Luca says, standing. "We should discuss some financial matters."
She stands, clearly relieved to get away from Leo.
They disappear into Luca's office.
Leo stretches. "I'm going to the game room. Anyone want to play pool?"
"I'll join you," Sergei says.
They wander off, Alexei following.
I wait exactly five minutes. Then I head upstairs.
I know which room is Aurora's—saw the staff bringing her things there earlier.
I shouldn't go there. Shouldn't corner her.
I go anyway.
I'm standing outside her door when I hear footsteps. Aurora rounds the corner and stops when she sees me.
We stare at each other.
"What are you doing here?" Her voice is sharp.
"We need to talk."
"There's nothing to talk about."
"Aurora—"
"Don't." She moves toward her door. "Just don't."
"Please." The word comes out rough. "Just — give me five minutes."
She stops. Turns. And I see it all in her face — the fury, yes, but underneath it something worse. Something exhausted. Likeshe's been holding everything up by herself for so long, and she's just now realizing she's still holding it.
"Five minutes for what? To explain why you sold me to your son?"
"I didn't know it was you."
"But you did it anyway." Her voice is very controlled. That's almost worse than if she were screaming. "You went to my father and you arranged my future, and you didn't know my name. Didn't ask to meet me. Didn't think to wonder what kind of person you were handing over to your prick of a son."
"I was trying to—"
"I know what you were trying to do. I heard the reasoning." Her jaw tightens. "Leo needs a wife. You and my father should be officially allied. I was the convenient solution. The pregnant daughter who needed dealing with." She laughs, and it comes out wrong, too sharp. "Do you know what my father said to me when he sent me to the countryside? That I needed to bedealt with.And then you sat in his office and agreed to deal with me and nobody—" Her voice finally cracks, just slightly. She swallows it. "Nobody asked me anything."
I don't say anything. There's nothing to say.
"Aurora—"
"Don't." Her eyes are bright now, and I realize she's furious at herself for telling me, for giving me that, for cracking even that much. "Don't look at me like that. I don't need your guilt. I have enough of my own."
"You have nothing to feel guilty for—"