Belle’s hands trembled as she buttoned her blouse, the fabric catching against her fingers in her haste. She barely remembered choosing the pale blue dress, only that it felt softer than anything she’d worn in weeks, its color almost daring against the usual muted tones she clung to. Her hair was still damp from the quick wash she’d given herself, but she couldn’t bring herself to care.
Freedom.
The word echoed through her chest, light and dizzying. It was ridiculous—he hadn’t said she could leave the mansion entirely, only that she could step into the gardens. But for her, who had spent months peering out from behind glass at the slivers of green beyond, it felt like the gates of the world had cracked open.
She tied the sash around her waist with unsteady fingers and slipped on her fla
