Julian moved through it with mechanical precision, pouring his second coffee of the hour, the bitter steam doing little to chase away the fog of another restless night.
Sophia had retreated to the master suite after breakfast, her pregnancy's toll leaving her queasy and withdrawn, her attempts to discuss the probate files met with his distracted nods.
The board's emails piled up on his phone, R Corporation's rejection a persistent thorn, but his mind looped on Eleanor.
Her sudden departure yesterday, the way she shrugged off his concern like an ill fitting coat. He wanted to fix it, to pull her back into the fold where things made sense.
The private elevator chimed, a subtle intrusion into the quiet. Eleanor stepped out, her presence filling the foyer like a shadow
