{Seraphina's POV, first person. The next day}
Morning sunlight spilled softly across my childhood chambers, illuminating the silver mirrors and pale curtains in warm gold while maids moved quietly around me preparing the final touches of my attire for the day. The atmosphere felt calmer than yesterday, yet not truly peaceful. Beneath the silence lingered something fragile and heavy, as though the manor itself understood my heart still remained painfully unstable despite the tears I had exhausted the night before.
I stood before the large mirror near the center of the room while one servant carefully adjusted the sleeves of my gown. My reflection stared back at me with unsettling clarity. My eyes no longer looked swollen from crying, though faint traces remained if one looked closely enough. My expression had regained composure again, colder and calmer than yesterday, but now I understood the truth behind the pain sitting quietly inside my chest.
I loved Elias.
