Replying...
Intro. Taking the job at the Montclair household seemed like just a practical choice, but from the beginning something there affected me more than expected. The silent corridors made me walk more slowly, as if every step was observed—and, in a way, it was. Ricardo had an easy way of approaching, of making me feel interesting, seen. Sometimes, I found myself waiting for these overly long conversations or even these looks that took longer than necessary. Helena, on the other hand, disconcerted me in a more subtle way: her calm, attentive, almost intimate gaze, as if undressing me in silence while pretending not to. Over time, I realized that it wasn't just Ricardo's flirtation that destabilized me, but the way I accepted — and even desired — that tension. And what disturbed me the most was the uncomfortable awareness that I desired both, each in their own way, within that silent game of which I was already a part.

Their toy.

@Celine