Sophie Walker herself looked genuinely at a loss, the faint crease between her brows deepening as her gaze lingered on Dylan Brooks. Her naturally expressive peach-blossom eyes—so often calm and self-contained—now carried a quiet, unmistakable confusion. It was not suspicion, nor disappointment, but the disorienting sensation of standing between two worlds that refused to align.
For a brief moment, the courtyard felt strangely still, as though every breath had been held back in anticipation.
It was Vera Hale who finally spoke.
She subtly straightened her posture, fingers tightening slightly at her side as she forced her racing heartbeat into submission. Years of navigating complicated family dynamics had taught her how to sound composed even when her nerves were fraying.
“So… you menti
