Chapter 3. Love and Loneliness

BELLADONNA

I stared at the witch before me, my fists clenched, my nails digging into my palms. There were many things I wanted to say to her. I wanted to curse her very name, damn it all the way to hell, scream at her face to release my father from her poisonous claws, but that would be giving her attention. 

I will jump off a bridge before I give her a crumb of attention. 

So I walked past her, not glancing her way as I headed inside the dining room. Papa followed silently behind me, his good mood dimmed. I felt bad that this was the usual whenever I saw that woman, but right now I cared about my feelings and not Papa’s. 

We sat down, the witch sitting beside Papa while I sat further away from them. 

“Join us, Gianna,” I said without looking at her, feeling her gaze burn a hole through the back of my head. 

“I wouldn't want to intrude,” she said, her voice cool as always. 

I wished I had her ability to just clo