❄ Camille ❄
Turning down Larkhaven felt like closing a door with my own hands. I woke up that morning with the decision already settled in my chest. Not calm. Not easy. Just settled. The baby had made everything clearer in a way I didn’t expect. It wasn’t about fear. It wasn’t about Sebastian. It wasn’t even about Margaret. It was about what I could handle right now. And what I refused to sacrifice. Lucinda watched me eat toast I barely touched and didn’t push. She had become quiet lately, careful with me in a way that made my throat tight.
“You going to call him?” she asked softly. “Mr. Barns?”
“Yes,” I replied.
“And?”
“And I will decline his offer,” I said softly, and she sighed.
“And Sebastian?” she asked, and my stomach twisted. Sebastian hadn’t just taken the day off, he had ta
