They met somewhere neutral. Not the café where recognition had bloomed, not the villa that felt borrowed. A small, shaded courtyard tucked behind an old chapel on the island—stone benches worn smooth by time, bougainvillea climbing the walls like something trying to reclaim ground. Monet arrived first. She sat with her hands folded in her lap, posture careful, like someone waiting for a verdict. The folded list Elara had given her rested in her bag, refolded. She hadn’t slept much. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw her mother's hands—empty, leaving. Elara came a few minutes later. She didn’t apologize for being late. She didn’t smile. She sat across from Monet and crossed one leg over the other, spine straight, expression unreadable. For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The silence wasn’t awkward. It was weighted. Intentional. Finally, Monet broke it. “We should talk about it,” she said quietly. Elara’s mouth curved—not quite a smile. “I was wondering how long it wo
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-12-29 อ่านเพิ่มเติม