Chapter 174: Shadows of Indifference

Thelma Zane’s POV The silence between Aldrich and me lingered, heavy and oppressive, all the way to the plane. He carried my luggage and ensured my safety with his usual gentlemanly care, but not a single word passed between us. He didn’t even glance in my direction, his indifference as impenetrable as stone. I desperately wished for an escape from this unbearable tension. Dorothy, with her gift for easing awkward moments, had stayed behind in the Rocky Mountains. Master Hayley, despite her wisdom, was no conversational savior in situations like this. That left the three of us trapped in the suffocating silence of the cabin, a quiet so stifling I almost wanted to fling the door open and jump out mid-flight. I considered breaking the ice myself, maybe even admitting fault just to end this cold war. A simple, “I was wrong, let’s not fight,” would probably do the trick. But with Master Hayley present, I hesitated. I was the kind of person who cringed at romantic confessions in d