The following morning, the dining room felt oddly quiet, yet tense. Alexis entered with Cody, exchanging a look with him as they took their seats at the long, gleaming table. She glanced around, her gaze settling briefly on the empty seat where Diego usually sat. Her chest tightened involuntarily, a small sigh of relief escaping her lips. Perhaps she wasn’t quite ready to face him after last night.
She focused on her plate, cutting into her food with precise, measured movements, grateful for the distraction. Across the table, Mrs. Carrington’s heels clicked sharply against the polished floor as she swanned into the room, a triumphant smile on her face as she spread her arms wide.
“Well, darlings, it’s that time of year again!” she announced with such enthusiasm that even Cody’s face lit
