[ CHAPTER 35 ]

I clutched my coffee like a lifeline as I walked into the office, the familiar weight of two weeks in Rehan's empire settling on my shoulders like silk threads that could either caress or strangle. The adjustment had been smoother than I'd expected at least on the surface. The whispers had evolved from "boss's wife spectacle" to something that resembled actual respect, though I caught the lingering glances when people thought I wasn't looking. The way conversations would pause just a beat too long when I entered a room. The careful politeness that felt more like walking on glass than genuine acceptance.