Evangeline understood what Hades had meant without him needing to say it plainly.
Serena had always wanted to see her falter. To see her crack and turn lesser than her. If she were to appear now at that wedding, dressed well, standing beside a Lord, and living in a castle Serena could never even step into without permission, her sister would burn green with jealousy.
But revenge had never lived in Evangeline's heart.
The mere thought of returning made her chest tighten. She could already imagine the familiar passive aggressive remarks, the idea of making herself smaller so she wouldn't take anymore space that would make her be despised, everything made her shudder. Even now, standing safely beside Hades, just a simple imagination made her her pulse race, her back prickling with that old, dreadful sensation, like tiny icicles pressing against her spine.
"It's alright," Hades said softly.
When she looked up, she found no mockery in his expression. Only assurance.
