Sebastian closed the door to his room with a quiet click, shutting out the world beyond it. The silence pressed in, heavy and suffocating, yet it was the only refuge he had. He sat on the edge of his bed, his hands clasped loosely, his thoughts circling like restless shadows. The encounter at the café replayed in fragments—Julian’s calm composure, Kya’s quiet strength, his mother’s venomous words. Each memory gnawed at him, leaving him unsettled.
He leaned back against the headboard, staring at the ceiling. The house was too quiet, though he knew his mother was somewhere downstairs, likely nursing her own indulgences. He closed his eyes, trying to find calm, but the silence only deepened the storm inside him.
Downstairs, Cecilia’s phone buzzed sharply against the glass table. She picked
