Chapter 490

• The scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the sitting room, mingling with the soft patter of rain against the windows. Anna brought in a tray of delicate cloud cakes, her shoes still damp from the storm outside. As she crossed the polished marble floor, she left behind faint wet footprints little reminders of the storm brewing outside and the tension settling inside.
• I didn’t say a word. I sat quietly, sipping my coffee slowly, the smooth ceramic cool against my fingers. A tall, modern square table separated me from Heather, who sat across from me like a carefully composed portrait of strained civility.
• The cloud cakes were placed between us. Anna took a step back, standing silently by the door, acting as an unspoken sentinel. I picked up a piece of the cake and ate it deliberately, chewing so quietly it was almost imperceptible.