The house had settled into its evening silence. It was the kind of silence Ava had come to recognize, one that crept in slowly as daylight faded and shadows stretched long across the estate.
The corridors were dimmer now, the sounds softer, the footsteps fewer. Somewhere downstairs, plates were being arranged, cutlery aligned with the same rigid precision as always. Dinner would be ready soon.
Ava stood under the shower, her palms braced against the tiled wall, her head bowed as warm water poured over her hair and down her back. Steam filled the bathroom, blurring the mirror, fogging the glass, cocooning her in a small pocket of heat and silence
She hadn't realized how tense her body had been until now. Her shoulders ached. Her neck felt stiff and even her jaw hurt, as if she'd been clenching it for days without noticing. She tilted her head back, letting the water run over her face, down her closed eyes and over her lips. For a few seconds, she let herself breathe.
