Aria kept the phone face-down on the counter while Ethan dressed. She watched him button his shirt—white, crisp, the kind that made him look untouchable...and tried to act normal. He caught her eye in the mirror, paused, and came over.
“You okay?” he asked, voice soft.
She nodded too fast. “Just tired. Didn’t sleep great.”
He kissed her forehead, lingering. “Call me if you need anything. I’ll be back by six.”
Then he was gone...door clicking shut, elevator humming away. The apartment felt bigger without him. Too quiet. She stared at the phone again. No new message. Good. Maybe it was over.
She showered, dressed in jeans and a soft sweater, and tried to focus on the day: grocery run, maybe a walk in the park. Normal things. Safe things. But every few minutes, her eyes flicked to the sc
