The morning light filtered softly through the tall windows of the Sterling mansion, but the calm glow of sunrise did nothing to soften the tension hanging in the air.
The house felt different.
Heavy.
Quiet in the wrong way.
Emma woke early, long before the household staff began their usual routine. For several seconds she simply stared at the ceiling, her mind slowly catching up with reality.
The scandal.
The headlines.
Dominic.
Her chest tightened.
She turned onto her side, pressing one hand gently against her stomach. The baby shifted faintly beneath her palm.
That small movement grounded her.
“Good morning,” she whispered softly.
For a moment she stayed there, breathing slowly.
Then she forced herself to get up.
⸻
Downstairs, Dominic was already awake.
He stood near the
