Page 166 of Porcelain Lies

I glance up, meeting her gaze. “Is that a bad thing?”

“Not necessarily,” she concedes. “But it can be overwhelming.”

I sip the tea, its warmth calming. “I suppose I’m still adjusting to all of this.”

Her expression softens slightly. “I can imagine it’s a lot to take in.”

An awkward silence settles between us. Seeking to lighten the mood, I ask, “Have you always lived here?”

She tilts her head slightly. “For some time now. Aleksei values family close by.”

I nod. “It must be nice, having that support.”

A shadow passes over her features. “Family is complicated.”

I chuckle softly. “Isn’t that the truth.”

She allows a small smile. “Indeed.”

We lapse into a more comfortable silence as we eat. Surprisingly, the food sits well, and I feel a bit more grounded.

“Thank you for breakfast,” I say sincerely.

“Thank you for the company.” She stands gracefully. “Shall we do it again?”

“I’d like that,” I say, surprised to find that I mean it.

As she moves toward the door, she pauses. “Oh, and Stella?”

“Yes?”

“Perhaps, if you’re feeling up to it, we could hang out in the gardens later. Fresh air might do you good.”

I smile genuinely. “Sure, sounds good.”

She nods once before exiting, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

Turning in my seat, I gaze out the window. The meticulously maintained gardens stretch out below, a maze of hedges and blooming flowers. In the distance beyond the small forest surrounding the gardens, the mountains rise against the clear sky.

For the first time in days, I feel a glimmer of something. Hope, perhaps. Between Aleksei’s promise to handle Gianni andHannah’s commitment to help uncover the truth about Dad, maybe things can begin to make sense.

I rest a hand on my abdomen, a protective gesture. “We’ll get through this,” I whisper to the tiny life growing inside me. “One step at a time.”

The day stretches ahead, and while uncertainty still looms, I feel a renewed determination. I may be entangled in a world far beyond my control, but I won’t be powerless. Not entirely.

Finishing the last of my tea, I rise and prepare for the walk with Diana.

Perhaps forging connections here isn’t such a bad idea after all.

Chapter Forty-Nine

Aleksei

I huff out a breath and settle at my desk.

The soft glow of the laptop screen shines through the dim light of my study. The house is quiet — an unusual calm that settles only in the dead of night. I shift in my seat as I open my encrypted email. A new message from James Whitmore sits at the top of the inbox.

I click it open, my eyes scanning the formal language:

---