Elara stormed out. Her foot falls fading into nothingness but still her presence remained. Her indignance remained. Monet was glad it remained. Something that heavy shouldn't have to shrink with Elara's absence. It shifted the air, cracked the stillness, left behind something louder than silence. The door closed softly behind her, and the quiet returned as if it had been waiting. Monet remained where she was. Stephanie did not sit again. For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Up close, Monet could see it more clearly now—the fine lines time had written into Stephanie’s face, the absence of polish, of performance. There was no distance left to hide behind. Just a woman. Just the truth of her. “You look…” Stephanie started, then stopped. Monet tilted her head slightly. “Like what?” Stephanie exhaled, a faint, almost disbelieving sound. “Like someone I don’t get to claim.” The honesty of it settled between them, fragile and sharp. Monet didn’t soften. “You don’t.” Steph
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