I grabbed hold of the pillow, squeezing it softly. The lingering scent of Ivan's cologne prickled my pulse as I held it close, turning over to the other side. Opening my eyes, the memory of the previous night flooded my thoughts, and I instinctively glanced around for Ivan—but he wasn’t there. I got up from the bed, walking into the bathroom to wash up before returning to the room. A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts, and I made my way toward it. “Good morning, Mrs. Carlos,” Mirabel greeted with a bright smile, which I returned, though my mind was elsewhere. “Mr. Carlos requested that I assist you with a shopping trip to the mall.” “Okay,” I mumbled, wondering why this sudden shopping trip was necessary. “Do you know where he is?” “No, ma'am,” she replied. I nodded, feeling a

