The days stretched on in a haze for Valerie, a blur of emotions and unspoken thoughts. Michael’s presence had softened the walls she had carefully built around herself, but with the arrival of Laura—her new bodyguard—the fortress of her solitude was shifting, crumbling ever so slightly.
At first, Valerie had bristled at the idea of having someone, anyone, in her space. She had always been a solitary figure, independent and untouchable. But something about Laura’s calm, no-nonsense attitude had made her reconsider, even if only a little. Laura was a force of nature, strong, unyielding, and yet oddly... warm.
The days after Laura’s arrival had been an adjustment. Valerie had gone from the quiet stillness of her mansion, where only the ticking of the grandfather clock echoed through the hal
