He climbed into bed beside me, his body radiating a deep, tense chill.

I kept my breathing slow and rhythmic, pretending to be asleep.

He lay perfectly still for what felt like an eternity.

Eventually, his breathing lengthened, turning into a heavy, rhythmic drone.

I waited another twenty minutes to be absolutely sure.

I carefully slid out from under the heavy duvet.

My feet touched the cold floor.

I grabbed my robe from the chair and put it on, tying the belt tight around my waist.

I crept out of the room, leaving the door cracked.

The hallway was pitch black.

I guided myself by touching the wall, my fingers brushing against the framed family photos.

I reached the top of the stairs and went down, one agonizing step at a time.

Each floorboard seemed to groan under my weight, though I knew it was only my imagination.

I reached the bottom and walked straight to Nathan’s office.

The door was closed.

I turned the brass knob slowly, letting it click back into place without making a sound.

I stepped inside and shut the door behind me.