Chapter 2
Two rough old women dragged her across the floor, as if she were nothing but a lifeless animal.
The icy ground scraped her skin, leaving long streaks of blood behind.
But the pain in her body was barely a fraction of the torment in her heart.
She was tossed into the shabby room, and the door slammed shut with a bang, locking her inside.
The room was thick with the stench of mold, and cold air seeped in from every crack.
Addisyn lay on the freezing floor, staring up at the cobweb-covered beams, tears silently streaming down her face.
'Father, Mother, Isaac, do you know what kind of life your beloved Addisyn is living now?' she thought.
The night dragged on, growing darker and heavier.
Frigid wind whipped through the shattered window, stinging Addisyn's face like a thousand knives.
Addisyn huddled in the corner, trembling from the cold and hunger, her wounds burning fiercely.
She felt like death was knocking at her door.
Right when she was about to lose consciousness, Addisyn heard a faint sound outside the door.
Suddenly, the door opened just a sliver.
A small figure darted inside, holding a bowl of steaming oatmeal.
It was Rayne Acosta, the only servant Addisyn had managed to bring from the palace.
Ever since Addisyn fell from grace, Rayne had been forced to do the most menial and exhausting work.
"Your Highness!" Rayne knelt before her, tears streaming down her face. "How are you?"
Addisyn looked at her frozen, red face, and a warm feeling welled up inside her.
In the cold Kennedy household, Rayne was the only one who still cared about her.
"I'm fine," she said, shaking her head, her voice weak and shaky.
"Here, have some oatmeal while it's still warm. I managed to sneak it out of the kitchen," Rayne said, holding the bowl up to her lips.
The warm oatmeal slid down her throat, warming her from the inside out.
Addisyn felt like she was coming back to life.
"Thank you, Rayne," Addisyn whispered.
"Don't say that, Your Highness. You're the one who saved my life," Rayne said, sniffling. "We can't go on like this. You need to find a way to get word back to the palace!"
'Send a message?' Addisyn thought. 'Easier said than done.'
She was stuck here, unable to even get past the gate, and everyone around her was watching her every move for the Kennedy family.
Addisyn let out a bitter laugh. "It's pointless. The Kennedy family has this place sealed up like a fortress."
"Then... what are we supposed to do? Are we just going to let them bully us forever?" Rayne was nearly in tears.
Addisyn went quiet.
She wanted to fight back, but with what? She had nothing left.
She was like a tiger with its claws and fangs torn out, just a princess in name, powerless and helpless.
"Your Highness, do you remember? Prince Isaac said he'd always be there for you, no matter what trouble you ran into," Rayne reminded her.
'Isaac...' Addisyn thought.
Her eyes suddenly lit up.
'That's right, I still have Isaac,' she thought.
Isaac was the crown prince, the heir to the throne, and he cared about her more than anyone else.
If she could just get in touch with Isaac, she'd be saved.
But the real problem was she didn't know how to reach him.
Addisyn's mind was spinning, desperate for a solution.
'Got it!' she thought.
She had an idea.
"Rayne, come closer, let me whisper something to you," Addisyn said, her voice low and urgent.
As Addisyn whispered her plan, Rayne's eyes went wide in shock.
"Your Highness, this... this is way too risky!" Rayne blurted out.
"Fortune favors the bold," Addisyn said, her eyes flashing with determination. "This is our only shot."
"But..." Rayne stammered.
"No more buts. Just follow my instructions," Addisyn interrupted her. "And remember, be extra careful. Don't let anyone see you."
Rayne met Addisyn's gaze and saw a determination she'd never seen before. She nodded hard.
"Yes, Your Highness!" Rayne said.
Early the next morning, rumors started swirling through the Kennedy household.
Addisyn had come down with a fierce chill in the side courtyard, and everyone said she was on the brink of death.
When Sandra heard the news, she just snorted.
"Sick? Good. Let her die from it, so I don't have to see her face again," she sneered.
Noelle, gently massaging her back, spoke up in a soft voice, "Sandra, please don't be angry. Addisyn didn't mean to cause trouble.
"Maybe we should get a doctor to look at her. If something actually happens, we'll be in trouble with His Majesty."
"Trouble? What's there to worry about?" Sandra scoffed. "She's just a princess nobody cares about anymore. The King's got a whole kingdom to run. He doesn't have time for her."
Still, she sent the Kennedy family's physician over to check on Addisyn.
When the physician returned, he bowed and reported, "Madam, Princess Addisyn has indeed caught a chill. Her fever won't subside, and her pulse is weak. I'm afraid... she might not make it through the winter."
Sandra's lips curled into a smug smile.
"Understood. Leave me," she said dismissively.