Chapter 56 The Suitors

• The pale morning light streamed through the grand dining room windows, casting long shadows across the polished wooden table. The house was still, save for the soft clatter of cups and the occasional rustle of movement. Eve sat at the head of the table, her posture rigid, her gaze distant. Across from her, Yulia, Antonius, and Lorenzo were finishing their breakfast, their quiet chatter subdued as the weight of Eve’s silence hung heavily in the air.
• Yulia was the first to break the tension, her concern evident in her voice. “Eve, we’re all getting ready to leave. Aren’t you coming with us?”
• Eve didn’t answer immediately. Her fingers traced the rim of her cup, the tea within untouched and cold. Before she could respond, a sharp voice from the doorway filled the room.