Book 2. Chapter 17

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The evening had fallen, and the house was cloaked in a somber silence. The whole day had passed, and Alessa had not left her room. Rican sat at the dining table, his mind heavy with the events of the day. Martha served him food, her usual cheerful demeanor replaced by a solemn expression. Sia sat beside him, her eyes fixed on him, not wanting to leave him for a single second. She had been by his side the entire day.

Rican absently pushed his food around on his plate, his appetite lost. The tension in the house was palpable, and he couldn't shake the image of Alessa's tear-streaked face from his mind.

His eyes traveled to the seat where Alessa always sat at the table. They might not have shared much time together, but after living with her for months, he had grown accustomed to her presence without even realizing it. The empty chair seemed to bother him more than it should.

"She hasn't eaten anything since morning. I even went to her room and knocked on her door, bu