Dragging his exhausted body inside, Julian opened the door, a strawberry cake dangling from his hand.
He said, "Nina, I'm home! The bakery was sold out of your favorite Black Forest, so I grabbed this one instead."
He called out my name while changing his shoes at the entryway.
But there was no response. What welcomed him home wasn't the usual steaming dinner or the warm glow of the lights he always bathed in. It was only the freezing air of an empty apartment.
An eerie silence filled the living room, broken only by the sound of the wind rushing outside the window.
Frowning, Julian carried the cake into the living room.
A second later, the bakery box slipped from his fingers, hitting the floor with a heavy thud as white frosting splattered across the hardwood.
Sitting perfectly
