Chapter 339

• The room was quiet, save for the soft clink of porcelain as a maid entered, carefully setting down a bowl of steaming chicken noodle soup on the side table. I had felt hungry earlier, but now, the sight of it stirred something else grief, maybe, or nostalgia. Whatever it was, it dulled my appetite.
• Fiona sat beside me again, her voice steady but tender. “You should eat, Cassandra. If your mother could see you today engaged to Rafael, standing on your own terms she’d be proud. I promise you that.”
• I wrapped my fingers around the bowl, letting the warmth seep into my palms. My tears came before I could stop them, falling silently into the broth, leaving tiny ripples like unanswered questions. I let out a strangled breath.