Brace stepped out of the study with renewed resolve buzzing through his veins, but his expression softened almost instantly as he paused outside the doorway.
At the far end of the hallway, down a corridor bathed in late morning light, he spotted her—standing alone in the mansion library.
Sabrina's fingers brushed slowly over the spines of old hardbound books, her delicate silhouette framed by towering wooden shelves.
She wasn’t reading; she just seemed to be absorbing the space slowly, quietly. The room was warm and golden, yet from the look on her face, Brace could tell she still felt like she didn’t fully belong there.
He cleared his throat gently so he wouldn’t scare her.
She turned, startled—then relaxed slightly when she recognized him.
“Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude,” she sa
