Melissa.
I don’t know how I managed to leave that room with my legs steady.
After Cyril left the room, after whatever storm had burned through his eyes dulled into something distant and unreadable, I stood there for a long second, listening to the silence he left behind. It rang in my ears, heavy and suffocating.
Then I moved, mechanical and controlled as I dressed quickly, simple and modest. Fabric that did not demand attention. Long sleeves to cover the burn. I was careful as I pulled them down, careful not to let the cloth brush too harshly against the tender skin. Powder to soften the redness on my cheek. I dabbed it gently, blending until the evidence blurred into something almost invisible.
Almost.
By the time I finished, there was no tremor in my hands. No visible crack in my r
