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Author: Ghale Larson
last update Last Updated: 2024-11-29 11:27:49

Melanie

I sat down reluctantly in the only empty chair, which happened to be directly opposite Maxine. Her smile, though polite on the surface, was tainted with something darker—something calculating. It was the kind of smile that set my teeth on edge. I could feel her eyes studying me, every inch of my being as if I were some kind of specimen she couldn’t wait to dissect. It didn’t take long for her to strike the first blow.

“You look a little... out of place,” she said, the smirk never leaving her lips. “I wonder if you even know how to enjoy proper food.”

I barely held in a scoff. She was already making me sick. “I can manage just fine,” I muttered, folding my arms across my chest, trying to keep my composure.

But Maxine wasn’t done. She was just warming up.

Before I could respond, lunch was brought in by the maids, and I recognized Celeste among them. She glanced at me with a silent, kind smile before she set down the plate in front of me. The dish looked... magnificent. I couldn’
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