Camille's PovI was in the kitchen before the sun had fully cleared the horizon. For years, I had relied on a staff of twenty to handle every aspect of my life, but this morning, I wanted the silence. I wanted to feel the heat of the gas and the weight of the pan in my own hands. It was time I started acting like a mother instead of a queen.When Elias finally came down, his face was pale and his eyes were bloodshot, but he looked cleaner—sharper—than he had in days. I served him a plate of eggs and toast, then sat across from him with my own coffee."Thank you, Mother," he said.I smiled, and for the first time, it didn't feel like a performance. "You’re welcome, Elias."I had to swallow back tears of joy. To sit here, in the quiet of the morning, without the suffocating tension that had defined our relationship for a decade, felt like a miracle. He had finally accepted me. We were finally on the same side."I went to see Andrea last night," Elias said, his voice dropping to a seriou
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