The dining room of the Helwart villa was set with its usual polished perfection, silverware aligned like soldiers, crystal glasses gleaming faintly under the chandelier’s glow. The space carried a quiet grandeur, but for Linsy it felt more like an interrogation chamber than a place for warmth.

Ceci’s voice, light and bright, broke the tense silence:

“Miss Linsy, please stay and have dinner with me.”

Her tone carried genuine eagerness, as though she truly wanted companionship rather ...