Dahlia's POV
After the tense dinner concluded, Soren drove me back to his residence in complete silence.
Throughout the entire journey, he kept his eyes shut, appearing to rest. The exhaustion was written clearly across his features, and I could see the weariness settling into the lines around his eyes.
His silence actually came as a relief. The tight knot of anxiety in my chest finally began to loosen without the pressure of forced conversation.
Kellan appeared at the front entrance the moment our car pulled up, his face brightening with genuine warmth. "Mr. Zaid, welcome home." His eyes shifted to me with the same kindness. "I had the kitchen keep some oatmeal warm, Miss Mathews. Would you care for some? It should still be the perfect temperature."
My stomach responded before I could, and I found myself nodding with more enthusiasm than I intended. The truth was, I had been far too distracted by the evening's family theatrics to manage more than a few bites at dinner.
