(Mira)
I didn’t go back to the room.
That was the first decision I made after walking out of the hallway. Going back meant sitting still, and sitting still meant thinking too much about where Ridge had gone and why he didn’t want me there. I wasn’t doing that, not when everything in me said something didn’t add up.
So I stayed where I could see things.
The main room was quieter now, not empty, just settled into that strange space between busy and controlled. Boxes still sat half open, ribbons still spread across the table, and the seating chart I had started earlier was exactly where I left it. Nothing had changed, but everything felt off.
That was the problem.
I moved toward the table and sat down, ignoring the pull in my ankle as I shifted my weight. It wasn’t enough to stop me, ju
