The Scarlet Dress and the Letter H

I abandoned Rita in the rose garden and sprinted back up the damp stone path. My chest heaved with ragged breaths as I pushed past the heavy oak doors and stumbled into the manor living room. Sunlight streamed through the tall arched windows, casting long, geometric shadows across the intricate Persian rug. Kaelen lounged on the plush velvet sofa, one leg crossed casually over the other. He held a