His mind was not settled.

Raymond exhaled slowly, his gaze fixed on the lake near the edge of the estate grounds. The water reflected the soft glow of the late afternoon sun, casting a warm, almost dreamlike haze over the scene. By the shore, Emilia was with the triplets, laughing as they skipped stones across the water, the sound of their giggles carrying up the hill to where he stood.

He felt a pang of envy for how easily they laughed with her, the warmth that she so effortlessly gave to them, while he stood at a distance, grasping for scraps of her attention. She was right there, yet it...