A loud, sharp banging on the door jolted me awake, slicing through the fragile threads of sleep I’d managed to gather. My heart thudded in my chest, the noise leaving me disoriented for a moment before the reality of it sank in. Of course. Another morning ruined.
Since the day I’d stepped into this marriage, uninterrupted sleep had become a distant memory. Every morning, there was something—a fight, a call, a commotion. It was as if the universe had decided peaceful slumber wasn’t meant for me. And somehow, I was sure this wasn’t a coincidence.
I groaned, dragging myself upright. The weather was cold against my skin, and I reached for my robe, slipping it on hastily. The soft fabric did little to heat me up as I cinched it around my waist and shuffled toward the noise.
The banging had s
