The days crawled by at Confidant Haven, each one slower than the last. Sunrises bled into sunsets without a single customer crossing their threshold.
Dust settled once again on the furniture Morfida and Raven had meticulously cleaned, and the initial peace of the silence had transformed into a suffocating weight.
Morfida's visits became less frequent as her duties at the palace demanded more of her time. She played her part perfectly—serving Sunny while pretending to be the fake Althea, all while her true mistress navigated the city's shadows.
When she can steal time, she would come to Confidant Haven, her heart heavy as she tried to devise new strategies to attract clients. Yet, despite their efforts, the business remained stubbornly stagnant.
Through it all, Althea refused to surrender. Every afternoon, her face hidden behind the silver mask, she stood alongside Lyra in front of their aging building, handing out flyers to indifferent passersby.
