Morning settled over the mansion with a hush, the kind of quiet that felt deliberate, as though the walls themselves conspired to keep secrets. The corridors breathed faintly, shadows clinging to the corners, chandeliers dimmed to a muted glow.
Stella moved through them with measured steps, her heels clicking softly against polished marble. She carried herself with composure, every gesture precise, every breath controlled, as if she too had learned the rhythm of silence that governed this place.
This was not a gathering for the family. Not a council. Not a public affair. Nor a family breakfast and dinner. It was their meeting. Solely, exclusively, secluded.
The hall stretched wide, its chandeliers dimmed, its air heavy with silence. The long table gleamed faintly beneath the pale ligh
