Page 21 of The Art of Ruin

Quieter.

Intimate.

I set my bag down slowly, taking it in.

There’s a door.

A lock.

A space that isn’t shared.

Something in my chest loosens just slightly. “This is… more than I expected,” I admit.

“It’s standard,” he replies.

Of course it is to him. There is no way he can know what this means to me, because it’s more than a job or room and board with a good wage. It’s a sanctuary where I can rebuild and reset.

I nod, folding my hands together to stop myself from touching everything, from testing the reality of it. “I appreciate it.”

He inclines his head once, acknowledging my thanks.

Professional.

Distant.

Safe.

We stand there for a moment that feels longer than it should.

Then I step back. “I’ll get settled,” I say.

He nods again. “Dinner is at six.”

“Understood.”

He turns to leave, then pauses briefly in the doorway.

Not looking at me.

Just… there.

Then he goes.

When the door closes, the silence settles in.

But this time, it doesn’t feel empty.

I walk slowly through the space, trailing my fingers along the back of the couch, the edge of the counter, grounding myself in something real.

It’s quiet, but not lonely like the hotel. I can hear Letty’s voice and the deep rumble of Adriano’s reply, even if I can’t make out the words.

But this little space is mine. For now, at least.

I exhale slowly.

If I keep this simple, if I do the job, keep the boundaries clear, stay out of the spaces that don’t belong to me, I might be able to breathe here.

I might even be able to heal.