The full day with Lila in the house passed in a strange, polite haze. She stayed mostly in her suite or the living room, never pushing boundaries. She offered to help with small things, setting the table, making tea, asking if anyone needed anything from the store.
Damien’s answers were always short and clipped: “The staff handles that.” Or “We’re fine.”
I tried to keep the atmosphere light. “She can at least make the coffee in the mornings. Yours is too strong, and mine is too weak. We need a middle ground.”
Damien gave me a side eye while sipping his black coffee. “My coffee is perfect. You just have baby taste buds.”
Lila laughed softly from the other side of the kitchen island. “I can make a milder batch if Elena prefers it, no trouble at all.”
Damien didn’t argue, but I saw the w
