The grand estate loomed like a sentinel against the dawn, its marble facade gilded by the first rays of sunlight piercing through the fog-shrouded trees. Shreya hadn't ventured out for a solitary stroll in ages, the weight of secrets pressing upon her like the heavy velvet drapes that adorned the opulent halls within. No one would accompany her—no need to ask. She slipped into a sleek hoodie and leggings, the soft cashmere brushing against her skin like a lover's whisper, and descended the sweeping staircase, her footsteps muffled by the plush Persian rugs that sprawled across the polished oak floors.
Yesterday's escapades had left them all exhausted, a whirlwind of laughter and snow-dusted revelry that now faded into memory. But this morning called for solitude, a chance to breathe amid
