Chapter 256: The Calm After the Storm
The door closed behind Minerva.
The click echoed through the silent room like a gunshot.
No one moved. No one spoke. The clock on the mantel ticked. The morning light grew brighter, merciless, exposing every shadow, every line of worry on every face.
Dafa stood frozen by the window, his hands still clenched into fists. His knuckles were white. His jaw was tight enough to crack.
Mr. Halton stared at the door, his face pale, his eyes hollow. He looked like a man who had just watched his life's work crumble.
Meanwhile Grandmother Halton sat in her armchair, her eyes closed, her fingers wrapped around her teacup. But the teacup was empty. Had been empty for hours. She wasn't drinking. She was holding on.
The silence stretched, thick and suffocating.
I took a deep breath. The air smelled of old tea and dying embers. My legs felt weak, but I forced them to move.
I walked toward Grandmother Halton.
