Chapter 85. Morning After

S:

The pain in my shoulder has dulled into a low, steady throb. Bandaged and stitched, yes—but no amount of stitching closes the kind of wound Rae’s silence leaves behind.

She hasn't spoken to me since last night.

Not really.

A few words. Cold ones. The kind meant to function, not feel.

I sit at the dining table in a fresh shirt, only half-buttoned because lifting my arm too high still makes my teeth clench. The room smells of eggs and something sweet—honey, maybe. She made breakfast. Set the plates. Served me first.

Hard.

The force with which she sets the plate in front of me makes the utensils jump. Not a glance. Not even a twitch of her lips. She turns and walks back to the kitchen without saying a word.

I don’t deserve her kindness—but the silence is worse.

Kieran clears his throat across from me. His eyes flicker toward Eliza, who’s poking aggressively at her toast. He’s been trying all morning to get her to meet his eyes. N