Night had fallen by the time Elena reached her house. The streets were quiet, lit only by the yellow glow of old street lamps. She balanced two paper bags in her arms, one filled with food, the other with clothes and medicine for her sister and Sofia. The day had been long, and all she wanted was a few hours of rest before going back to the hospital.
She unlocked the door and stepped inside. The air smelled faintly of dust and soap. Everything was just as she had left it — quiet, almost too quiet. She placed the bags on the small table near the door and took off her coat. Her shoulders ached, her body still sore, and her mind... it refused to stay still.
Lucian’s face kept flashing in her thoughts. The way he had looked at her. The way his voice had sounded when he spoke her name. The th
