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
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