His eyes burned red not only with fury, but with guilt he could no longer hide.
He, who believed he owned everything…nearly lost the one thing he had never understood the value of until it was almost too late.
And that night, the castle truly woke.
The doctor stood beside the bed with a grave expression, fingers still pressed to Valerie's wrist, counting a pulse that was weak yet steady. The lamp in the room glowed dimly, casting long shadows against the walls one of them Demian's, standing rigid, like a statue that had forgotten how to breathe.
"Lady Valerie fainted because her body went too long without proper nourishment," the doctor said at last, his voice calm but weighted. "Combined with excessive mental strain. Her stress levels are severe."
The words fell one by one, striking Demian in silence.
He did not answer.He did not nod.He did not object.
He only stared.
