EMILY'S POV
The morning sun was too bright filling the room through the window, I squeezed my eyes against it, turning away from the window, but the damage was done. Another hour of sleep lost, another hour of staring at the ceiling, listening to the house breathe, wondering which of its sounds were real and which were devices hidden in the walls.
I gave up at six, my study was cold when I walked in. I wrapped my robe tighter and settled behind my desk, where a fresh stack of reports waited…..summit logistics, security protocols…..budget approvals and so on. The usual mountain of paper that never seemed to shrink.
I reached for the first file and began to read, a few hours later, my eyes burned. I'd merely made it through half the stack, but my hand cramped from signing. My head throbbe
