The shadows seemed darker and more dangerous in the Verdesaint palace as Isabella's heart grew heavier. Adrian's departure had left a palpable void, and the security that she had once felt now seemed to have left with him, leaving her heart tinged with an inexplicable sadness.
As the evening descended, Isabella found herself walking along the corridors of the palace walls, her footsteps echoing through the empty halls. She was deep in thought, and her confidence, once unwavering, began to waver. When she stopped at a familiar door she realized she had unintentionally wandered to Sophia's room. With a reluctant knock Isabella asked for entry, where she would have usually burst in and received a warm welcome, now she waited, expecting to be shunned away.
