She was already there when he arrived, sitting with quiet poise, dressed and prepared, every detail of her appearance carefully arranged. The dress she wore today was a soft shade of silver-blue, cinched at the waist, flowing gently over her form in a way that both concealed and flattered. Her hair was pinned neatly, and though she didn’t wear much makeup, there was a freshness to her, a delicate glow that made him pause for a heartbeat before entering the room fully.
He took his seat across from her in silence, nodding once, and began eating without comment. As usual, the quiet stretched between them like an unspoken agreement, no words in the morning, just the shared ritual of food and thought. And he appreciated her quiet nature. But as his eyes drifted across the table to her once mor
