The morning light slipped through the gaps in the curtains as Andrei stirred awake, blinking against the early sun filtering into his room. For a moment, he lay there in the stillness, feeling the warmth left by Cristine’s presence beside him. The previous night came rushing back to him—a night that had been an unexpected shift in their relationship. He hadn’t anticipated feeling so connected to her, so at ease. It wasn’t just the closeness of their embrace or the intimacy that they shared. It was the unspoken comfort, the genuine sense of closeness that had developed naturally, perhaps even unavoidably, in their journey together.
Turning over to her side of the bed, he was surprised to find it empty. Usually, he was the one to wake early and begin his day with business calls, but today h
