Liana's POV
December arrived quietly.
One Monday morning there was a small tree by the reception. Someone had put tinsel along the partition screens. That was it. Christmas had started in the office.
I didn't mind it.
I didn't mind much lately.
That was new. Not that everything was perfect — there was always something, work didn't stop because your life had decided to become worth living. But things felt lighter now. Like I was carrying the same weight but with both hands instead of one.
Raphael had noticed. He hadn't said anything directly because that wasn't how he did things. He'd just looked at me across his kitchen one morning and said “you seem different.” I said “different how.” He said “like you're different.” I didn't know what to say to that so I kissed him instead. And he
