Her eyes slowly fluttered open. Unlike most mornings, today's awakening felt gentle, as if her mother's soft voice had coaxed her from slumber. She gradually realized the room remained cloaked in darkness, with the dim blue shadows of the dwindling night dancing on the curtains. A faint, comforting light was beginning to seep through, casting a cozy ambiance. She rolled over and let out a languid yawn, deciding it was too early to rise. Content to linger in the peaceful moments of sleep before the sun stirred the world to its frantic routine, she pushed away thoughts of the previous night's agony.
Then, it struck her that Ares was not beside her. She resolved to check the living room, but to her surprise, Ares was nowhere to be found.
Kianna wondered aloud, "Could he have left for work s
