Adam woke up at 8 AM in the morning. His eyes slowly fluttered open, still heavy from the lingering effects of the fever that had ravaged his body the previous night. The first thing that registered in his vision was a soft, diffuse light, not the harsh glare of his usual alarm-filled mornings. And then, he saw her. The striking, almost ethereal beauty of his secretary, Eloisa Stevens. She was positioned near the sofa where he lay, her head resting against her arm, a picture of unexpected serenity. The morning sun, a gentle, golden hue, found its way through the high windows of his condo, reflecting off her eyes. They were closed now, but even in slumber, he could discern the rich, vivid green beneath her eyelids, a startling splash of color against her fair skin.
A memory, hazy and indis
