Ana's POV
Allison had a servant drag me from Hughes's room, her grip so tight it left angry red marks on my arm.
I pressed my back against the door, straining to catch every word Allison and Aileen exchanged inside.
"Aileen, Hughes's always clinging to you. I hate that you have to keep coming over like this," Allison's voice drifted through the wood.
"Don't worry about it. He's so attached to me, and honestly, I adore him. I'll come as often as he needs if it helps him recover," Aileen responded warmly.
I heard Hughes's weak voice as he struggled to sit up. "Aileen, you're the only one who's ever nice to me. I love you so much."
The perfect little family scene made my stomach turn. I let out a hollow laugh and turned away, the bitter irony of it all hitting me like a slap.
The moment I spun around, Preston emerged from the stairwell corner. "Ana, we need to talk," he said, back to his usual gentle tone with me.
I followed him into the study, my mind racing.
