Kate’s POV
Lunch at Le Jardin was exactly what I needed. I sat alone in a booth surrounded by trellises of blooming jasmine, eating a salad that cost more than my weekly grocery budget used to, and for the first time in a long time, I didn't feel like I was drowning. I felt calm.
The encounter with Damien outside hadn't shaken me; if anything, it had solidified my resolve. He was a ghost, a frantic memory that was fading with every bite I took of my new life.
When I finished, I wasn't ready to go back to the car or return to the empty, echoing halls of the estate.
"Ken," I said as I walked out, spotting him instantly where he waited by the curb. "I'd like to walk for a bit. There's a park just down the street."
Ken hesitated, scanning the perimeter with his usual paranoia. "Mr. Caste
