The words sounded comforting. Protective. But beneath them. There was something else. Something Amara could feel immediately. Not warmth. Not quite. But possession.
And in that moment. Without a single argument. Without a single demand. The shift had already begun. Because Madam Vale hadn't come to visit. She had come to take control.
"Hello, Madam Vale," Amara said quietly, her voice polite, controlled.
"Silly girl," Madam Vale replied at once, her smile widening as she reached out and lightly touched Amara's arm. "It's mother."
There was warmth in her tone, real, familiar. She had always had a soft spot for Amara. Not just because of who she was. But because her son loved her. And that, in Madam Vale's world, had always mattered.
Amara hesitated for the briefest second. Then nodded. "Yes… Mother," she said softly. The word felt heavier now than it ever had before. She turned slightly, signaling one of the maids.
