Chapter 141. Out of Reach

The days trickled by quietly after that night, with each one blending into the next in a way that felt almost unreal.

Calla found herself moving through the house like she had begun to belong there, even though a part of her still felt like a visitor in a world built on quiet power and unspoken rules. The hallways no longer seemed as confusing as they once had, and the silence of the place no longer pressed against her the way it had on her first night.

But something had changed.

Rico no longer snapped at her over every little thing. The constant doubt that used to hide in his voice whenever he spoke to her was gone. He stopped looking at her like she was a burden he had to put up with. Instead, there were small moments, easy to miss, when his tone softened around her without him even noticing it himself.

He still gave orders. Stil