Eloise’ POV
My fingernails tapped rhythmically against the countertop of the front desk, the soft clinking sound echoing faintly through the vast, empty hallway.
This place—an oversized inn that seemed to stretch with no concrete ends—felt like it was swallowing me whole. Its quiet grandeur, with its polished floors and lofty ceilings, was stifling. My eyes darted around, seeking distraction, but there was nothing here except the oppressive silence.
Behind me, Cedrick sat in a chair, stiff and distant, as though he were a stranger rather than someone who had once been impossible to ignore. His presence wasn't easily dismissed, yet he made no move to engage. It was as if the tension between us magically became thicker than blood, pushing us into separate worlds despite sharing the same
