Zoya's P.O.V
Suddenly, a pang of jealousy struck me, at the thought that she got to live here with him first, but then I pushed the thought to the back of my mind. I was Ezra's mate now, and Lily had done nothing against me, so I shouldn't envy her.
Lost in my thoughts, I slowly walked through the house, each step carrying me deeper into my own feelings.
I wondered if her soul was looking over at us right now, would she be jealous of me? Would she feel threatened by my presence in his life?
However, I had no right to feel such jealousy either, because I had been engaged to Ravi before I met Ezra, in the same way that he had met Lily before he met me.
I guess the only difference between our situations was that I only liked Ravi, while Ezra seemed to have loved Lily with his whole heart.
I tried to think if I had ever truly loved Ravi, but I realized that I had never felt for him the way I felt for Ezra.
Memories of my past with Ravi flashed before my eyes, but they were nothing compared to the emotions that Ezra stirred within me.
In fact, even thinking about that backstabbing bastard only made me frown in annoyance.
With Ezra, I experienced emotions I had never known before, and I couldn't deny the intensity of my feelings. He had a way of making me feel like I was the only person in the world, like nothing else mattered except the love we shared.
It was true that Ezra had loved Lily, but life had brought us together for a reason. We were each other's second chances, a fresh start at love and happiness. I couldn't let the past hold me back from embracing the love that was right in front of me.
"Do you want to continue or do you want to return home?" Cam asked me, making sure that I was alright with this.
“It’s okay, I want to see more of the house.” I persisted. “It feels good here.”
“As long as you’re okay with it.”
As Cam led me further inside the house, I couldn't help but feel a mixture of excitement and sadness.
But as we stepped into what was once Lily and Ezra's room, I was struck by the emptiness that now filled it. Most of the furniture and belongings were gone, leaving behind a hollow space that seems to echo with the past. In fact, most of the house was devoid of furniture.
"It's been a while since anyone has been here," Cam explained, sensing my emotions. "After Lily passed away, Ezra couldn't bear to keep much of their stuff. He needed a fresh start."
I nodded, understanding his reasons, but a part of me still longed to catch a glimpse of the life they once shared together. Just as I began to resign myself to the emptiness, Cam surprised me by showing me a framed portrait she managed to save.
“Ezra ordered everything to be burned down,” she told me. “All the things that were once a part of what made this their home.”
"This one and the one in the living room are the only pictures I managed to save from the fire," she said.
As I looked at the photograph, unable to describe the emotions within me as I stared at it. Lily's image stared back at me, her blonde hair shining like sunlight, and her fair skin glowing with radiance.
The differences between us were striking. Lily's delicate features and light complexion were in stark contrast to my own light brown skin and dark hair. We look nothing alike, like day and night, and the realization brings a sense of relief I hadn't expected.
I had been worrying that Ezra might see too much of Lily in me, and that's why he was drawn to me. But looking at this portrait now, I could see that we were completely different.
"Why would Silas attack Lily?" I asked suddenly, as the thought occurred to me. "Could you tell if there was any reason for him to kill her?"
“We’ve been through this already, Zoya.” Cam looked thoughtful, her brows furrowing in deep concentration. "Silas and Lily were childhood friends," she explained, "I know Ezra seemed convinced that Silas was the culprit, but I say otherwise. Silas and Lily would never harm each other intentionally. I can't imagine why he would want to hurt her."
Yes, we’ve been through this story countless times before, and yet…Lily was still dead and no one knew for sure who killed her as the two brothers blamed each other.
If Silas and Lily were friends, then why would he attack her? …Did he really kill her?
"I believed that something else happened in this house that we were all unaware of," Cam told me.
I tried to piece together any clues or hints that might lead to an answer. I tried to think of anything that Silas might have said in the past, but nothing came to mind.
It's as if there's a missing piece to this puzzle, and we couldn't find it.
Before I could dwell further on the matter, an uneasy feeling started to creep over me.
It's that same unsettling sensation I had back at my cabin – the feeling of being watched.
I glanced at Cam, but she didn't seem to notice anything amiss. Still… I couldn't shake the feeling that something was not right.
I felt a chill run down my spine, and a part of me feared that Silas might be behind all this.
The feeling of being watched intensified, causing me to shiver despite the warmth of the morning sun filtering through the windows. The wooden floors creaked softly under our footsteps, and the scent of aged wood and memories enveloped me.
I couldn't ignore the prickling sensation at the back of my neck.
But also I didn't want to alarm the oblivious Cam or let my irrational fears cloud our visit.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart.
Could Silas be trying to intimidate me, to make me feel vulnerable and afraid?
I looked around anxiously, trying to shake off the sense of foreboding that wraps around me like a cold shroud.
Suddenly, I caught my own reflection in a nearby mirror, and my heart nearly jumped out of my chest.
Because there…right behind me…was a dark and ominous shadow, lurking just over my shoulders.