★Cassandra★
Monday mornings were never easy, but this one felt impossible. From the moment I opened my eyes, my entire body was tense, as if every muscle had decided to coil at once. I moved through my morning routine automatically, brushing my teeth, getting dressed, and making coffee, but none of it settled me. My mind kept drifting back to Saturday night. To the look on Nathan’s face when he refused to explain. To the sound of the woman’s voice behind him. To the anger, the disappointment, and the sharp sting of not knowing anything at all. By the time I walked into LuxeLine, my nerves felt stretched thin. Pauline greeted me with her usual warm smile, but even she paused when she looked at me.
“You look tired,” she said gently.
“I am fine,” I replied, but I could tell she didn’t beli
