Irina’s POV
Thankfully, Julie didn’t follow after me, meaning I could find another room to clean in silence; however, as I reached the end of the hall, someone called me.
“Irina, can we talk in private?”
I turned. Luna Rosette stood there, her hands clasped gently in front of her, a soft, pleading expression on her face. The expression I had once associated with comfort and love now felt like a carefully crafted tool.
My guard slammed up instantly. “Of course, Luna,” I said, my voice carefully neutral.
She led me not to a sitting room, but to a small, sunlit alcove off the main hallway, a place that felt both private and exposed. She turned to me, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “I saw what happened with Julie,” she began, her voice a gentle, sorrowful murmur. “I am so sorry, d
