It had been three days and the Liroux estate was steeped in a heavy, suffocating silence. The grand hall, which was usually buzzing with servants and activity, had been muted into a solemn chamber of mourning. Tall candles flickered along the walls.
At the center lay a closed coffin, polished to a mirror sheen and draped in soft white blooms. A framed portrait of Evelyn rested atop it, her gentle smile frozen forever in a moment of purity that twisted the hearts of those who saw it. White lilies and pale roses surrounded the frame, their sweetness thick in the air.
Servants stood along the sides of the hall in respectful silence. Many wore mourning blacks. Some held handkerchiefs. Others stared down at the floor, unsure, their grief sincere but their confusion deeper. None of them knew w
