Chapter 42 - 43
Elodie’s POV~
As soon as Liora’s hair was dry, she announced she wanted to sleep.
I didn’t believe her for a second. She was still clutching her phone like it was a secret she couldn’t part with. I leaned against the doorframe, watching her try to look innocent. “You can look at it for a little while,” I said gently. “But then you go to bed after that, okay?”
“I know, Mom.”
Her voice had that tired patience children use when they want you to leave. I smiled faintly and brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. “Alright then. I’ll check on you later.”
She nodded, eyes already glued to the screen. I hesitated a second longer, then turned away.
The moment I closed her door, I heard it, the soft click of the lock.
My chest tightened. Liora never locked me out unless she wanted to talk to Sienna. And I knew that’s exactly what she was doing now. She’d probably call her, whispering things I wasn’t meant to hear, things about her father that still hung like a ghost in this house.
I stood in the hallway for a moment, staring at the door, then sighed and made my way back to the master suite. The lights in the hallway were dim, and everything felt too quiet.
Dante still wasn’t home.
The house, though large and beautiful, felt cold, soulless. I could almost hear the echo of my own footsteps following me, mocking how alone I’d become in a place that was supposed to be ours.
I showered, took my time with it, let the water burn against my skin until I felt something... anything. Then I slipped into one of Nonna’s old silk robes, found a book on my nightstand, and tried to read.