Chapter Twenty Three

Edwina

Struggling to keep my eyes open at barely 6 am, I resisted the temptation to succumb to sleep. Rising from bed, I neatly folded the blanket, returned it to the wardrobe, then lifted and rolled my mattress onto the wardrobe. My sisters, exhausted from chatting all night, were still asleep after Evelyn's return from Eisner with our mother.

Leaving the room, I headed to the sitting room and was surprised to find Justice, shirtless, engaged in one-handed push-ups. With a mischievous smile, recalling his earlier claim of weakness, I tiptoed and playfully dropped onto his back, prompting a loud grunt as he buckled under my weight and collapsed.

"What the hell, Edwina?" He growled, turning to look at me. "Get off!"

"I'm just helping you out," I feigned innocence.

"With what?" He rasped.

"Your weak muscles. Didn't you admit you're not as strong as you appear? Consider this my contribution to building your strength."

"I meant my immune system is compromised," He hissed. "It has