Rhoda's POV
THREE MONTHS LATER
The soft hum of the air conditioner filled the silence in the bedroom as I sat at the edge of the bed, phone pressed tightly to my ear.
Lucian's voice cracked through the speaker, clear even though he was stayed away in Russia.
It had been a week since he left for that business meeting, one his father had insisted he attend.
A full week of empty pillows, meals eaten in silence, and loneliness so thick I could barely sleep.
“I miss you,” I said quietly, staring at the floor. “When are you coming back?”
Lucian laughed at the other end, that deep, rich sound that always made my heart flutter. “You miss me already?”
“I've been missing you since the day you left,” I muttered, trying not to sound too clingy. “Russia isn't that exciting that you'd want to s
