JULIAN
Midnight had a way of exposing cracks in even the strongest facades. I stood alone in the dimly lit corridor of the penthouse, staring at the closed door of the master bedroom where Sienna now slept.
For the first time in years, I felt no desire to join her. Instead, a strange restlessness pulled me toward the study like an invisible thread. There was a question gnawing at the edge of my mind, one I couldn’t quite name yet. It felt like the beginning of a puzzle I hadn’t asked to solve, but now couldn’t ignore.
The penthouse was quiet except for the low hum of the city far below. I stood at the floor-to-ceiling window, swirling a glass of whiskey, watching the lights of London bleed into the Thames. Sleep had become a stranger since the gala. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw h
