A few days later, the new model arrived.His name was Elias Hart. He had a baby face, but a steady, reserved temperament that played against it.The moment he stepped inside, he noticed my parents' tablets against the wall, and saw me standing there alone, staring, the loneliness in my eyes.Without a word he found a clean cloth and an incense tray, wiped the thin dust off the tablets bit by bit, straightened the scattered offerings, and set everything neatly in place.Sensing me watching, he stopped, his voice soft and low."You keep staring at the tablets, Master. They must be family who mattered deeply to you, so I tidied up. From now on, leave the daily incense and cleaning to me."In the days that followed, I found that Elias never demanded company the way Lucien had, and never held his own needs over my head.When cramps left me curled on the couch, he'd have warm brown-sugar ginger tea ready and sit quietly nearby. When I went looking for my old allergy meds, he'd already sorted
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