Chapter 28

• At that moment, as Mr. Anderson attended to his mother's well-being, I couldn't help but sense a deliberate avoidance in his gaze. It was as if an unspoken boundary had materialized, excluding me from the core of the unfolding situation. The air was charged with an intensity of disregard that left me feeling like a mere observer, distanced from an experience that should have been shared.
• With gentle care, Mr. Anderson guided his mother, Mrs. Anna, to her room, the tenderness in the gesture contrasting sharply with the emotional distance I felt. Ella, in her departure, subjected me to a thorough scrutiny, her eyes lingering from my head to my toe. It was a disconcerting moment, intensifying my sense of isolation.
• Left standing there, the touch of Mrs. Vilis on my shoulder briefly grounded me. I summoned a forced smile in response, concealing the complex emotions swirling beneath the surface. The weight of Mr. Anderson's avoidance and Ella's assessing gaze lingered, prompting my retreat to the refuge of my room.