The morning sun didn’t bring warmth to the penthouse; it brought a cold, sharp clarity that cut through the lingering haze of the night.
Vivian woke up to an empty bed. The dark silk sheets beside her were cold, but the deep imprint of Dominic’s massive body remained. She sat up slowly, clutching the burgundy silk robe to her chest as her dark eyes immediately darted toward the electronic keypad on the master suite doors.
It was glowing a steady, peaceful green.
The heavy lockdown was temporarily lifted. A quiet glance at the sleek digital clock on the nightstand confirmed it was 8:30 AM. Downstairs, the penthouse was dead silent. There was no sound of a deep baritone voice barking corporate orders, no heavy footsteps echoing across the marble. Dominic was gone.
Vivian slipped out of b
