KAYDE
The bedroom door clicked shut behind Inka, leaving the suite with a heavy silence that pressed down on me like a f*****g weight. I stared at it for a moment before returning my full focus to Darlene. She was still standing there by the table, that half-eaten apple in her hand.
“What is this really about, Darlene? Why are you here?” My voice was edged with warning as I asked.
She gave me that sweet smile she'd flashed the moment I walked in. “I already told you. I thought maybe we could have breakfast together. I didn’t want to eat alone—”
“Cut the bullshit,” I cut her off sharply, stepping closer. “We both know that’s not why you’re here.”
Darlene's expression changed, the sweetness cracking just enough to reveal the edge beneath. She laid the apple core down with deliberate c
