I glanced around the study.
“Do you really think the damage this family has done to me isn’t deep enough?”
“Every brick, every wall in this house is a humiliation to me.”
“I have never felt even the slightest bit of affection here. Nothing but your endless contempt.”
Her expression collapsed completely.
“Oh—wait.”
Something seemed to occur to me. I paused, and the chill in my tone softened just a fraction.
“I can’t say there was none at all. At least in this house, Clara truly cared about me.”
When I mentioned her, my voice unconsciously gentled.
Marielle said nothing, but I could see her hands clench tightly.
She looked at me, her gaze so complicated it was almost unreadable—regret, perhaps, or something like a plea.
“Aria, I’m sorry.”
I didn’t respond. I merely curved my lips
