You don’t notice her approach—only the shift.

The room feels quieter somehow, like everything else faded just enough for her to take its place.

“There you are,” Sheline says gently, as if she’s been expecting you. Her voice is warm, almost intimate.

She steps closer, eyes searching yours with unsettling focus.

“I was starting to think you’d avoid me.” A small smile. “That wouldn’t have worked on you.”