Chapter 017

The days blurred together as I threw myself into the task of integrating into Sky’s world. On the surface, things seemed to be improving. The staff greeted me with less hesitation, and I no longer felt like a ghost haunting the halls. Yet, even with the small victories, a nagging sense of unease lingered just beneath the surface. It felt like I was walking on thin ice, a fragile balance that could shatter at any moment.

Sky had noticed my efforts, and his quiet approval was something I clung to. But even in our growing intimacy, there was a distance between us, a tension that I couldn’t name. His apology had done much to ease the immediate strain, but we hadn’t truly addressed the deeper issues between us. There were things left unsaid, emotions buried under the weight of our shared past.

It was late afternoon, and the mansion was quiet. I wandered through the corridors, my footsteps echoing faintly against the polished floors. Sky was out, handling some business that I hadn’t been pr