The morning did not begin differently; that was what unsettled her later. Everything followed its usual rhythm. The schedule remained precise. The conversations stayed measured. The world moved forward without hesitation, as if the date carried no weight at all. Only Seraphina knew that it did.
This was the nature of anniversaries tied to loss that no one else remembered. There were no external markers, no visible acknowledgement, no shared awareness. The day existed quietly, hidden beneath routine, waiting for the moment it would make itself known.
Seraphina did not check the date; she did not need to because her body recognised it before her mind allowed the thought to form.
Ashford Tower remained active as always.
