~ Gideon ~
The house was too quiet when I returned to Moore Crest. Usually, I preferred the silence; it was a sign of a well-oiled machine, a household that didn't demand anything from me. But tonight, the stillness felt heavy, like the air before a storm that refuses to break.
I walked through the foyer, the click of my shoes on the marble sounding sharper than usual. I didn't see Maribel, which was fine. I wasn't in the mood for her sandpaper voice or the way she always looked for a reason to gossip about the staff. I headed straight for the stairs, my mind still running through the quarterly projections I’d left on my desk at Helix Tower.
As I passed the library, a sliver of light caught my eye. I stopped. The door was slightly ajar. I pushed it open just enough to see inside.
Amara
