POV: Claire
The apartment was quiet, almost too quiet different from where I lived, but I’m here since we all decided to live under one roof. And I also got a job.The clatter of dishes from the dinner earlier still echoed faintly in my mind, mingling with the hum of my own heartbeat. I sank into the armchair by the window, the city lights spilling across the floor in shards of gold and silver. My fingers traced the rim of the wine glass I hadn’t touched, and I closed my eyes, letting the memories pull me under.
Dinner had been… excruciating. Margaret’s sharp gaze, Sophie’s oblivious chatter, Ryan’s polite but restrained attention—each element a weight pressing down on me. I had smiled when necessary, laughed when prompted, but behind my lips, there was a storm of guilt, desire, and fear.
