Chapter 28

Rose’s POV

“You’ve been distant lately,” I said, stirring my coffee with practiced precision. Three clockwise turns, no more, no less. Morning sunlight streamed through the windows of Stefan’s penthouse, our penthouse now, though I maintained my own apartment for appearance’s sake.

Eight months since Camille’s “death.” Eight months of nurturing Stefan through grief, providing just enough comfort to keep him dependent without allowing him to fully heal. A delicate balance, but one I’d mastered through years of subtle manipulation.

Stefan looked up from his newspaper, dark circles beneath his eyes betraying another sleepless night. “Have I? Sorry. Work’s been demanding.”

A lie. His family company practically ran itself, generations of wealth ensuring he needed to do little more than show up for board meetings and sign occasional papers. No, what kept him awake wasn’t work but guilt. The gift that kept giving.

“I worry about you,” I reached across t