The bathroom was nothing short of breathtaking. The soft, clean scent of pine and citrus hung in the air like an invisible balm, wrapping around him in a way that was strangely comforting yet vaguely unsettling. It was familiar, though he couldn’t place why. The walls were a warm cream, the veins of gold in the marble glinting softly under the glow of sconces mounted with precision along the walls.
Shelves were lined with hygiene products that looked as if they were meant for display, not use, everything meticulously organized. Everything looked expensive, like it belonged in a royal suite. He felt a pang of discomfort—luxury like this didn’t sit well with someone who’d spent most of his life scraping by.
Samuel hesitated at the sight of it all, like an intruder in a sacred space. He re
