Pecan's pov
The garden was peaceful, or at least it had been. The late afternoon sun streamed through the trees, dappling the grass with golden light, and the air was filled with the soft rustling of leaves and the faint hum of distant voices. I had been tending to the roses near the edge of the garden, using the time to clear my head and find some sense of calm amidst all the chaos that had taken over my life.
Then Stella stormed in.
I didn't notice her at first, too focused on the stubborn weeds clinging to the base of one of the bushes. But the sharp sound of her footsteps on the gravel path made me look up. Her face was a mask of fury, her green eyes blazing as she marched toward me, her hands clenched into fists at her sides.
"You just can't help yourself, can you?" she spat, her voice cutting through the tranquil air like a whip.
I blinked, caught off guard by the sheer venom in her tone. "What are you talking about?"
