#Chapter 47: The Earring

Elara Alaric immediately snatched the earring away from Ella, the silver catching the dim light and glinting between his fingers. His face was unreadable, but it felt like the calm before a storm. Something was wrong. “Your wife,” I murmured, shaking my head. “I thought she was—” “It’s nothing,” he said a bit too quickly, cutting me off. He turned to Ella. “Sweetheart, there are plenty of earrings like this one. It couldn’t have belonged to your mother.” Ella just nodded up at him and didn’t say a word—although I could sense that she didn’t fully believe him. I wasn’t sure if I believed him, either. Still, Alaric slipped the earring into his pocket with a deliberate motion. My stomach twisted as I watched him tuck it away, his jaw tight, his eyes clouded. If it was ‘nothing’, then why was he saving the earring? He turned back toward the hallway without another glance, his shoulders rigid. I hesitated, glancing down at Ella, who was still clutching my hand tigh