~ Niamh ~
Since our confrontation on Monday, I've perfected the art of avoidance.
I limited our interactions to the strictly necessary—breakfast and dinner—and even then, I remained a ghost.
I made sure that whenever Massimo was stalking through the halls, I was securely behind the locked door of my room.
I even pulled back from Matteo whenever Massimo was around, refusing to give him the satisfaction of playing house or acting like the normal couple he so desperately wanted us to be.
Massimo made it easy. He was barely a presence this week, consumed by a schedule that kept him out until the early hours.
Whenever I caught a fleeting glimpse of him upon his return, he looked disheveled—like a dark god returning from a brutal war.
I knew the conflict with the Irish and Russian syndicates had reached a fever pitch, but I never asked for updates. I hadn't seen Andrej or Griffin since Monday either, but I kept my tongue stilled.
