Arthur jolted awake, his chest heaving as the last image of his dream lingered in his mind—Amara, her face pale, calling out to him before fading into darkness. His golden eyes darted to the clock, his heart sinking when he saw the time. He had overslept, an uncommon occurrence that only deepened his unease.
Reaching out instinctively to her side of the bed, his hand met cold, empty sheets. A wave of panic surged through him as he sat up quickly, scanning the room. She wasn’t there.
Barefoot and still disoriented, Arthur tore through the house, starting with the study. It was empty. His sharp eyes caught the plates of uneaten food still sitting on the desk, a stark reminder of her growing habit of neglecting herself. He grabbed them on his way to the kitchen, dropping them off with littl
