The morning air felt charged, a heavy silence hanging over the town. The kind of quiet that made your skin prickle and your nerves tighten. Luca was still asleep beside me, his face softened in the faint glow filtering through the curtains. For a moment, I allowed myself to take in the calm—the gentle rise and fall of his chest, the warmth radiating between us. But even this small peace felt fragile, like it could shatter at any moment.
I’d barely closed my eyes when a sharp knock broke the silence, snapping me out of my thoughts. Luca stirred, grumbling, and I pressed a hand to his shoulder. “I’ll get it,” I whispered, slipping out of bed.
I pulled on a sweater and tiptoed to the door. As I cracked it open, I found myself face-to-face with Dr. Sofia Byrne. She stood there, her sharp gaz
