Tristan went to bed immediately after finishing his homework, barely lingering in the living room the way he usually did. Cassie watched him disappear down the hallway and smiled to herself, already knowing what that meant.
He'd be up before dawn, training.
She loved that about him. The discipline, the seriousness, the way he committed to things without being pushed. Tristan approached his training the same way she approached her work: with focus, responsibility, and a quiet determination that didn't need applause.
But the night wasn't over for Cassie.
Not even close.
Once the house settled into silence, she returned to the dining table that had become her temporary workstation. Her laptop hummed softly as she reopened files she hadn't been able to finish at the office.
