She didn’t answer.
She couldn’t bring herself to admit she’d been sobbing over pictures of the daughter she’d thrown away.Instead, she turned her face aside and clenched her teeth.
The silence grew heavy, unbearable. All she could hear was her own breathing and the distant ticking of a clock.
Jasper didn’t say anything.
He walked to the nightstand. His fingers paused on the thick pages before he closed the album and picked it up.
Without looking at her, he went to the window and yanked the heavy curtains open. Bright sunlight flooded the room. Nina squinted and instinctively raised a hand to shield her eyes—it was too bright.
“I brought food,” he said dully, standing by the window.“I didn’t know what you like, so I got a bit of everything. Chicken broth, cream soup, fruit jelly, fish, pancakes. Desserts. You’ll eat something.”
Nina nodded, still not quite understanding where this was going.
Headed for the door, then stopped as if an afterthought, turning his head slightly.
“I sent Irina home for the day. Get dressed. You need to take your medication.”
She stayed on the bed, staring at nothing long after the door closed, unable to gather her thoughts. Inside, everything was tangled—embarrassment, irritation, anxiety… and something else.
Something she didn’t want to name.
Eventually, Nina got up and went to take a shower.
The warm water helped a little. Then she realized she hadn’t locked the bathroom door—and for some reason, panic flared. She hurried out from under the spray and wrapped herself in a towel.
They were alone in the house. Just her and Jasper.
That scared her again.
Even though he hadn’t given her a single reason to fear him this whole time, the past still followed her. Could a person be a monster and suddenly change?
She studied her reflection in the mirror.
Pale skin. Dark circles under her eyes. She looked like a woman who’d just been pulled back from the edge of death.
Which, technically, she was.
Instead of simply getting dressed, Nina styled her hair, too carefully. Strands fell softly, curling around her face. She looked at her reflection—and for the first time in a long while, she liked what she saw.
Back in the bedroom, she frowned.
She barely had any clothes here. Before, she hadn’t cared—pajamas, oversized sweaters, sweatpants. But now…
She stood at the closet.
Finally, she chose the most presentable option she had: a soft knit lounge set in a warm cream color. It fit her well, comfortable but neat. She’d meant to order clothes online, but she’d been too drained to think about it. She’d worn whatever was handed to her.
In the living room, the table was neatly set. Cutlery laid out carefully. A white teapot and two cups. Jasper was in the kitchen, chopping something.
In front of Nina waited a deep bowl of chicken broth, a slice of white bread. And pills. A glass of water beside them.
She stopped, not moving.
“Sit down,” Jasper said evenly, without turning around.
She obeyed and lowered herself into the chair.
