Seline's POV

The kitchen lights glowed softly as I finished plating the last dish.

By the time I was done cooking, night had fallen, and the house was quiet, the faint hum of the refrigerator the only sound.

I carried the dishes to the dining table and called out, "Mar, dinner's ready!"

Her footsteps echoed on the tiled floor, growing louder as she approached.

She stepped into the doorway, her grin wide and bright.

"Finally! I'm starving," she said, her voice cheerful but tinged with exhaustion.

Maria didn't wait for me to sit down. She slid into her chair, grabbed her fork, and started eating like she hadn't had a...