The Habits

The sheer absurdity of Valerie's claim hung heavy in the private dining room, yet Gideon didn’t blink. His dark eyes locked onto her. A tiny tremor of emotion flickered in his cold pupils before his towering frame closed the distance, demanding submission.

"You stand there and say you're not Valerie, a soul from another world," Gideon’s voice dropped to a cold, analytical cadence, dissecting her