MARIA POV
I tossed and turned, restlessly shifting beneath the blankets. The night seemed to drag on forever, the minutes stretching into hours, and sleep was as elusive as ever. I kept thinking about everything—about Henry and Dax, about that strange moment in the restaurant, the shadow I had glimpsed. The whole evening had left me on edge. No matter how many times I turned over in bed, I couldn’t shake the tension that clung to me.
The early morning light peeked through the edges of the curtains, and the world outside was still. But the stillness in the air made me uneasy. I glanced at the clock on my bedside table, still too early for the twins to return, yet I found myself listening intently. The house was quiet, save for the hum of distant traffic and the occasional chirp of birds
