The phone rang at seven in the morning.
Sienna woke to the sound of Noah's voice drifting down the hallway. Low. Gentle. Serious. He was already awake, already dressed, already slipping back into the world that made sense to him.
Business. Responsibility. Order.
She stayed in bed, staring at the ceiling while he spoke about contracts and delays and meetings that could not wait. His voice carried worry she rarely heard. It made her chest tighten.
When she finally got up, she found him in the kitchen. His suitcase stood by the door like a warning. Like an ending.
"I'm so sorry," Noah said the moment he saw her. He crossed the room and pulled her into his arms. "I have to leave. There's a situation at the company. I tried to delay it, but I can't."
Relief hit her first.
