Stubborn Girl

My leather shoes struck the polished marble floor, each stride snapping through the dark corridors of the estate. I didn't slow down until I reached Noelle's bedroom. I pushed the heavy oak door open and stepped inside.

A dim lamp cast a dull amber circle over the bed. A housemaid stood by the mattress, wringing her hands with nervous tension while Noelle lay curled beneath a thick duvet.

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