Morning crept gently into the master bedroom, painting the room with pale gold light. Olivia stirred beneath the white sheets, her eyes blinking open to a sight that made her breath catch.
Simon was already in the room.
He stood near the dresser, fastening the cuff of a crisp charcoal shirt. His hair was damp, freshly washed, and the faint scent of clean soap clung to the air around him. He moved with quiet precision, the kind that made everything around him feel insignificant.
Olivia pushed herself upright, startled. She had not heard him come home. She had not even heard the shower run. She wondered if he had slipped in while she was already asleep, or if the night had simply folded around him without a sound.
He glanced her way.
His eyes traveled from her sleepy face to the faded p
