The days after Cristine’s pregnancy was confirmed transformed the atmosphere in the grand estate. Where there once had been an air of detachment and formality, there now lingered a quiet warmth. Andrei’s presence became a constant in her life, not just in the physical sense but in the smallest, most unexpected gestures that seemed to reach into the corners of Cristine’s guarded heart.
She woke one morning to find a delicate vase on the small table beside her bed, filled with fresh peonies—their soft pink and white petals exuding a subtle, calming fragrance. A handwritten note was tucked beside them, the ink bold and precise: *For the mornings that need a touch of beauty.*
Cristine felt a smile spread across her face as she traced the words with her fingers. Andrei had always been meticul
