#Chapter 58 - A Meal Best Served Cold

Lily & Harper Lily cautiously enters the dining room. The table is elegantly set up, candles running down the center with the silverware polished that it reflects the flames from the candles with ease. She inches closer to her seat, which is typically sat to the right of her father, who sits at the head. His chair is empty. There is no place setting in front of her chair, though. Lily falters. She glances at her mother, who watches her with a close and daring glare. The young woman passes behind Harper. She sucks in a breath, hoping to death that her mother didn’t hear, and circles the table, finding her seat. She pulls the chair out and sits down, looking at the empty space in front of her. There is no napkin. There is no fine porcelain plate and bowl. There is no perfectly polished silverware that she can see her reflection in. Her bottom lip trembles, tears threatening to leave her eyes. She doesn’t dare look up from her spot. She doesn’t dare to provoke the beast that sit