Fabian wanted to rebuke Maria, but her pale complexion stayed his hand. She looked better today than she had in days.

"Are you listening?" he asked patiently.

"I heard you," Maria replied, setting down her cutlery and dabbing her mouth. "Cameron's awake. So?"

"He's disobeying us again! He's back to his old ways!" Fabian sat heavily, distress etched on his face. "It's over for us if he reneges and reclaims the project!"

In the past, Maria would have been in tears. Today, however, she was remarkably calm. "No, he won't," she said soothingly.

"How can you be so sure?" Fabian questioned, surprised.

"Are you an idiot? This isn't child's play. He can't just easily take it back after we've made so much progress. He already caused enough of a stir last time," Maria said dismissively, rising to retrieve her handbag.

"Where are you going?" Fabian stood as she moved toward the door.

He hadn't noticed before, but Maria's behavior was unusual, unsettling. What's going on? Cameron's acting strange, and so is my wife. Are they both having problems, or is it just me? he wondered.

"Shopping," she said.

"Shopping? With whom? Where? How can you even think about it now?" He blocked her path, a barrage of questions tumbling out.

Maria stopped, a smile playing on her lips—a smile he couldn't decipher. "Are you crazy? Why all the questions? Why can't I go shopping? I used to do this all the time."

"That was then, but now..." Fabian faltered.

Maria had been inconsolable after Rhea's death, sometimes overcome with grief at the mention of her daughter's name. Fabian had avoided the subject, instructing the servants to do the same. He'd even locked Rhea's room and rearranged the furniture.

Why does she seem fine now? Is she truly over her grief, or is this a deceptive calm? he mused.

"What about 'me' now?" Maria grinned, stepping closer, causing Fabian to retreat slightly. Her next words stunned him. "Are you saying I should just stay home and cry all day now that Rhea's gone?"

Fabian stared, speechless. "You..."

"What? Think I've lost my mind?" Maria's smile remained. She settled onto the couch, sighing. "I'm not crazy! I'm just… over it. Rhea's gone, but I have to accept reality. There's no point in dwelling on it, crying all day. Life goes on. We never know what the future holds, do we?" Her gaze dropped to the floor, a flicker of dazed weariness in her eyes.