Elena braced herself for the worst, but what she felt wasn’t the sensation of an unwanted touch. Instead, Mr. Hugo placed a thin, woolen blanket over her, ensuring she stayed warm through the chilly night. Confused and overwhelmed, she silently lay there, her mind racing with questions.
The room was silent, but her thoughts were loud and chaotic. Was this a trick? A delayed moment of vulnerability before he executed the expected demands of a new husband? Or was there a humanity in Mr. Hugo that everyone else had failed to see — one that she was only beginning to discover?
