ra

in my body and the sharp

the memory of the night crashed down on me, leaving a so

vements hurried and clumsy. He was just as I

, impossible memory. I glanced at his still form, then shook my he

ooked like a stranger. Her face was pale, her eyes

ely, as I dried off, the heavy, leaden feeling in my limbs seemed to lift. I felt... lighter. Almost

n the bedroom d

r. Her face was a blank slate. In her hands

to me. She didn't

eets. She folded the one from last night carefully, the faint, dark stains a damning testam

lt like another violation. I was not a person. I was a

na finally turned to me. Sh

me anyone had called me that. "The Matriarch

ill-fitting. But it wa

laid out for me and followed Helena to

sipping coffee. They looked up as I entered, and

glanced at it, a brief, approving smile touching her l

oice warmer than I had ever h

with a nod. "Welcome, Clara. W

efore me-fresh fruit, pastries, eggs c

s of the family will convene at the estate. We will fo

A public acknowledg

h the final asset transfer document

hing I had been promised was bei

d I feel

had been prepared for me. Two young maids, Ava and

noon's assembly. A breathtaking creation from a top

items. They felt like they

osed my eyes, but I couldn't rest. The image that kept

of a feather-light

should not

n alarm. No one in that hospital room had treated Damien Fa

on my skin, too delicate to p

t I had felt him and kept my eyes closed until the ca