Chapter 78: Is it so hard to see people happy?
Morning lingered in the mansion like a sigh caught in the walls. Sunlight brushed the edges of the ornate furniture, thin ribbons of gold folding over polished wood, but warmth never settled. Raya sat at the edge of her chair, fork untouched, thoughts spinning like the intricate patterns of shadow across the floor. Adrian had left. The mansion exhaled a quiet that felt both heavy and expectant, like it, too, knew she was dangerous, dangerous not to him, yet dangerous enough to herself and the people she love if she misstepped.
Raya pushed the plate away, her jaw tight, hands clenching the edge of the table. The house smelled of polished wood, linen, and the faint iron tang of control that always lingered after Adrian's presence. Her mind circled, restless. She need to do something
How do I make him listen to me and give me my freedom? She thought
