Countess Evelyne sat alone in the dimly lit chamber, her delicate fingers gripping the armrest of her chair as she stared at the door her husband had walked through. The candlelight flickered against the polished wood, casting long shadows that danced across the chamber walls.
Her mind was a whirlwind of confusion and frustration.
The heavy oak door had barely closed behind Count Hamen, and yet his presence still lingered in the room like a shadow. She stared at the space where he had stood moments ago, her thoughts racing.
How could he be so calm? So unbothered? She had expected anger, perhaps even rage when she confessed Inadrys's visits.
But instead, he had been… indifferent.
Hamen had merely smiled. A knowing, unreadable smile that unsettled her more than rage ever could.
Her heart pounded in her chest as she replayed their conversation. Did he truly not care? Or was he hiding something behind that impenetrable mask?
And that was what unnerved her the most.
