Raphael stormed down the hallway, his footsteps echoing off the walls. His jaw was clenched, and his fists were tight at his sides. The anger bubbling inside him was like a volcano ready to erupt.
As much as he and Damian didn’t always get along, he couldn’t stand the thought of someone deliberately hurting his brother. And now, every instinct in him pointed to Lina.
“She has something to do with this,” Raphael muttered under his breath.
He reached Lina’s door and didn’t bother knocking. He shoved it open with such force that it slammed against the wall, making Lina, who was sitting at her table, jump in surprise.
“Raphael?” Lina said, spinning around to face him. “What are you doing? You can’t just barge into my room like this!”
Raphael didn’t answer immediately. He walked across the room, his movements quick and angry, and grabbed her arm, pulling her to her feet.
“Raphael!” Lina cried, her voice rising in shock and fear. “What’s wrong with you? Let me go!”
Raphael’s eyes burned with anger as he looked down at her. “What did you do to Damian?” he demanded, his voice low but filled with anger.
Lina’s face twisted into confusion, though there was nervousness in her eyes. “What are you talking about?” she said, yanking her arm away from his grip. “I didn’t do anything to him!”
“Don’t lie to me!” Raphael snapped, his voice rising. “I just found him on the floor of his room, sweating and trembling like he’d been poisoned. And you were the last person seen giving instructions about the wine. So I’ll ask you again: what did you do to him?”
Lina’s eyes widened slightly, but she quickly masked her expression with anger. “How dare you accuse me of something like that?” she spat. “I don’t know what’s wrong with Damian, but it has nothing to do with me!”
Raphael took a step closer, his face inches from hers. “Don’t play dumb with me, Lina,” he growled. “You’re not as innocent as you want people to think.”
Lina scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “And you’re not as smart as you think, Raphael. If Damian is sick, maybe it’s because of all the stress he’s under. Did you ever think of that?”
Raphael’s temper flared, and he pushed her backward. She stumbled slightly, catching herself on the edge of the vanity.
“Don’t test me, Lina,” Raphael warned, his voice deadly calm. “You think I don’t see through you? You’ve been plotting something from the moment you stepped into this house and sadly I was part of those plans at first.”
Lina’s expression hardened as she straightened up. “You don’t know anything about me,” she hissed. “I’ve done nothing but try to be a good wife to Damian, but he treats me like I’m invisible! If anyone’s to blame for his condition, it’s him, not me!”
Raphael’s eyes narrowed. “A good wife?” he repeated, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Is that what you call sneaking around, giving orders to maids, and conveniently disappearing when things go wrong?”
“I don’t have to explain myself to you,” Lina snapped, her chin lifting defiantly. “You’re just his little brother. What do you even know about anything?”
Raphael’s fists clenched at his sides, his frustration growing. “I know enough to see through your lies,” he said coldly. “And I know Damian doesn’t deserve this, no matter what’s happened between you two.”
Lina laughed bitterly, though there was fear in her eyes. “You think you’re so righteous, don’t you?” she said. “But you’re just as bad as he is. You both think you can control everything and everyone around you.”
“This isn’t about control,” Raphael shot back. “This is about Damian’s life. If you did something to him, you’d better come clean now, Lina, because I promise you, I won’t stop until I find the truth.”
Lina stepped forward, her voice rising in anger. “I didn’t do anything!” she yelled. “Stop blaming me for something I didn’t do!”
Raphael glared at her, his breathing heavy as he tried to keep his anger in check. “You’re lying,” he said through gritted teeth. “I can see it in your eyes.”
Lina crossed her arms again, her lips pressed into a thin line. “Believe whatever you want,” she said coldly. “But I had nothing to do with this. If Damian is sick, maybe it’s because of all the enemies he’s made. Did you ever think of that?”
Raphael’s frustration boiled over, and he slammed his fist onto the wall, making Lina flinch. “Stop deflecting!” he roared. “If you didn’t do anything, then why are you acting so guilty?”
Lina’s face twisted with indignation, but there was fear behind her defiance. “I’m not guilty,” she said sharply. “I’m just tired of being blamed for everything that goes wrong in this house!”
Raphael stared at her for a long moment, his chest heaving with anger. He wanted to keep pushing, to force her to admit the truth, but her stubbornness was unshakable.
Finally, Raphael let out a frustrated growl and stepped back. “You’re not worth my time,” he said coldly. “But don’t think this is over, Lina. If I find out you had anything to do with Damian’s condition, you’ll regret it.”
Lina glared at him, her jaw tight. “Get out of my room,” she said, her voice low and furious.
Raphael smirked bitterly, shaking his head. “With pleasure,” he said.
He turned on his heel and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him. As he walked down the hallway, his mind raced with thoughts of Damian and the strange events of the night.
“Lina’s hiding something,” Raphael muttered to himself. “I just need to figure out what.”