The days following Chris's visit were marked by a strange serenity tinged with melancholy. The feeling of being definitively safe clashed with the terrible images Chris’s words had planted in Marina’s mind: Léna, locked away, lost in the labyrinth of her own shattered mind. This outcome brought no triumph, only a profound sadness and a painful compassion for the sister she had known as a child, before jealousy devoured her.
Paul, sensing her state, redoubled his discreet attentions. He brought her light books, prepared hot baths for her on evenings when Lucas went to bed early, and held her in long, wordless embraces, letting the warmth of his body gradually dissolve the cold of her grief.
Christmas was approaching, their first as a family. The house adorned itself with soft garlands and
