~WINTER~
The dining room was a study in contrasts. Crystal chandeliers cast warm light across polished mahogany, while cold silverware gleamed like weapons. I kept my movements small, my eyes down, my hands folded in my lap when I wasn't eating. Across the table, voices wove around me—business, real estate, the kind of talk that sounded casual but was anything but. Raymond spoke occasionally, his voice low, never rising.
I focused on my plate. The food was exquisite, the kind of meal I'd never be able to afford on my own. But I barely tasted it. I was too aware of the eyes that occasionally glanced my way, too aware of the invisible walls closing in around me.
Then, over the dessert course, Damian leaned forward. His voice carried across the table like a blade.
"Raymond." He smiled, al
