Ashes and Accusations

Donovan POV.

I found my mother in her study late afternoon. She was sitting in her usual chair, the one by the window, with a cup of tea perched delicately on the table beside her. Her posture was as stiff as ever, her expression one of cool nonchalance as she skimmed through the pages of a magazine.

“Mother, we need to talk,” I said, my voice strained as I stepped into the room.

She looked up fro