Elena’s Pov
I carried the stack of fresh towels up the main stairs because Mrs Hale had told me to replace the ones in the west wing bathroom before lunch. My arms ached from folding laundry all morning, and my mind kept drifting back to the study last night, even though I promised myself I would forget his hands on me. I reached the landing and turned toward the family hall when my foot caught the edge of the rug, and the towels flew out of my grip. I lunged to catch them, but my elbow hit the small table against the wall, and the framed photo there wobbled hard. I watched in slow motion as it tipped and crashed to the floor with a crack that echoed loud in the quiet house.
The glass shattered into pieces, and the frame split at one corner. I dropped to my knees fast and started pickin
