CHAPTER 11

At that moment Raymond stepped closer, his expression calm and reassuring.

"I told you the potion would work," he said simply, his tone matter-of-fact yet kind.

Immediately her glowing eyes filled with tears as she processed his words. For a moment, she couldn't speak. The weight of everything she had been through pressed against her chest, but for the first time, it felt like the weight was lifting.

"I… I need a moment," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Excuse me."

Raymond nodded, stepping back to give her space. Charles and Cecilia followed his lead, quietly leaving the room without a word.

Valentina walked into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. The sound of water running soon filled the air, blending with her soft, shaky breaths. She stared at her reflection again, touching her face, her arms, her neck—everything felt new, unfamiliar, yet hers.