The air went still for a couple of seconds.
Nancy finally got a clear look at who was on the floor—and froze.
One beat of silence, then she muttered, “My bad.”
Watching Matthias’s face swell up like that, she knew she'd gone too far. She reached out, trying to check his injury.
But Matthias flinched like she was about to hit him again and shouted, “Stay away from me!”
He bolted up the stairs.
Moments later, there was a servant's panicked yell from upstairs: “Wait—that vase’s an antique! And that painting’s Ashton’s birthday gift to the master! Get down from there, it’s not safe!”
Then—slam. Door shut.
Two minutes later, Matthias came downstairs, dragging his suitcase.
He floored it out of the estate, storming off.
Silence swallowed the whole place.
No one
