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Chapter 23: The Price of Contract

Author: Winter
last update Last Updated: 2024-09-26 01:29:52

Pamela’s Point of View

The morning sun filters through the kitchen window as I stir the pot of soup on the stove. The aroma of the broth fills the air, a simple comfort on an otherwise heavy day. I glance at the clock—early enough for Rowan to still be sleeping off his hangover, but I’m too restless to stay in bed. Last night still lingers in my mind, his unconscious grip pulling me into the bed, his drunken whispers of my name. But none of that means anything now. It never does in the daylight.

I finish cooking, setting the table with a quiet efficiency. Soup, eggs, toast—nothing fancy, just something to help with the hangover I’m sure he’ll wake up with. As I arrange the dishes, I hear footsteps descending the stairs, slow and heavy. I don’t turn around, but I know it’s Rowan.

I feel his presence before I see him. He walks into the kitchen, his movements sluggish, clearly feeling the aftermath of the alcohol from the night before. His hair is disheveled, his eyes half-lidded with ex
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