Chapter 45
Quiet, Timeless, and Profoundly Mine
Lilith's footsteps clattered down the stairs in a storm of indignation, her dramatic exit leaving the air vibrating in her wake. The door clicked shut behind her. For a moment, only the soft, herbal scent of the spilled tea lingered, curled like smoke against the edges of my calm.
My mother didn't leave.
She stood there in the doorway. Her shoulders sagging as she let out a long, weary sigh . The kind reserved for moments when her carefully arranged world began to tilt.
"Alayna. You must understand… your sister is still so young. Her emotions are volatile. You're the older one. You should try to be more considerate. More patient," she said, her voice soft pleading.
The old script. Memorized. Rehearsed. Performed.
But this time, it washed over me like water over stone.
