The soft knock on the door startled Lance from his misery-induced stupor. He hesitated, taking a moment to compose himself before answering. To his surprise, Olivia stood in the hallway, a radiant smile on her face and a bottle of wine in her hand.
"Liv?" Lance's voice was thick with confusion. "What are you doing here? It's late."
"To see my favorite brother, of course!" Olivia chirped, breezing past him into the room uninvited. Her happiness was palpable, filling the space with an energy that felt almost suffocating to Lance.
Closing the door with a sigh, Lance turned to face his sister. "Liv, I'm exhausted. Can't this wait?"
"Nonsense!" Olivia exclaimed, already opening the wine. "Come, sit. Let's share a glass, and then I promise I'll let you rest."
Reluctantly, Lance sank onto th
