[Reid Mansion — Dinner]
The dining hall felt different tonight.
Margaret sat at the head of the table with her spine straight and expression unreadable—exactly where she belonged.
Benjamin took the seat to her right without question.
Alexander sat on her left, posture relaxed but attentive, instinctively angled toward her as if guarding her presence.
Pauline sat a little further down, composed, quiet, her hands folded neatly beside her plate.
Olivia sat alone on the opposite side.
Not excluded by instruction but by gravity.
The staff moved with careful efficiency, serving dishes that had not been laid out this way in decades. The clink of cutlery echoed softly, filling gaps no one rushed to close.
Benjamin broke the silence first.
"So," he said, glancing toward Alexander, tone neutral, almost courteous. "How are the wedding preparations coming along?"
Alexander met his father's gaze. "They are going well. Evelyn has been handling most of it."
