A Taste of Hostility

In the Main Dining Room of Ashbourne Mansion

Leona sat with perfect posture at the end of the long dining table, her cold gray eyes staring at the plate before her with disinterest. Declan sat beside her, while Hayes sat in the middle—creating a triangle of tension that felt heavy in the air.

The sound of silverware clinking against plates was the only sound for the first few minutes. No one spoke