CHAPTER 34: THE BAIT
The next morning, everything felt deliberate. Every movement, every word, every glance carried weight, as if the air itself had thickened around us. I woke before the alarm, my body already alert, my mind already racing ahead of the day. For a few seconds, I lay still, listening, to the quiet house, to Paul’s breathing, to the faint sounds outside. It was strange how quickly I had shifted back into this mindset, this heightened awareness where nothing was taken at face value. Just days ago, I had been trying to learn how to live normally again. Now, normal felt like a mask I had to wear carefully, one that could slip if I wasn’t careful. I turned slightly to look at Paul, and even in sleep, there was tension in his posture. He felt it too. We both did. Today wasn’t j
