CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE – HOW DOES SHE FIT IN THE PLAN?

The next morning, Cassie woke to find Florian's side of the bed empty. She vaguely remembered him coming in late, but they hadn't spoken. The weight of their argument hung heavy in the air. Unable to face the thought of breakfast at the main house, Cassie dressed quickly and headed to Elena's cottage. Her friend answered the door, took one look at Cassie's face, and pulled her into a warm embrace. "Oh, sweetheart," Elena murmured. "Come in. I'll put the kettle on." As they sat at Elena's kitchen table, steaming mugs of tea between them, Cassie poured out her heart. She told Elena about the argument with Florian, about her feelings of isolation and frustration. Elena listened patiently, her eyes full of understanding. When Cassie finished, Elena reached across the table to squeeze her hand. "I wish I could tell you it gets easier," Elena said softly. "But the truth is, relationships like yours and Florian's... they're always going to face challenges. Especially here." Cassie nodde