Chapter 81 Every Note, Every Breath

• The car glided through the quiet streets, the soft hum of the engine mingling with the faint rhythm of the city that never truly slept. She leaned against Darren, her head resting lightly on his shoulder, a faint giggle slipping through her lips every now and then, soft, tipsy echoes of the night’s laughter still clinging to her.
• Darren’s arm was steady around her shoulders, protective yet gentle. Every time the car turned, his thumb brushed absentmindedly against her arm, grounding her.
• When they arrived at the hotel, the doorman stepped forward, but Darren was already there, opening the door before anyone else could move. He reached for her hand, helping her out of the car. “Easy there,” he murmured with a half-smile, steadying her as her heels wobbled slightly on the pavement. “Almost like last time with the window, huh?”