Chapter 120

• Charlotte woke before dawn’s early light had fully settled in, the soft glow of morning creeping through the curtains. The quiet house felt almost peaceful, save for the soft stirrings of her son, Leo, who was still sleeping soundly in his room. She crept past the couch where Damien lay, completely oblivious to her presence. The remnants of last night’s celebrations clung to him like a heavy blanket, and she silently wished him well as she tiptoed away.
• She sent Leo off with the babysitter, careful to hug him tightly before he left. “Be a good boy for Miss Clara, okay?” she said, brushing a kiss on his forehead.
• Once back inside, Charlotte moved into the kitchen, her heart a mix of warmth and anxiety. She busied herself making coffee, an aromatic potion that had become a ritual, not just for her mornings, but for moments when she sensed the weight of the day looming ahead. As the machine gurgled away, she started on breakfast. Scrambled eggs sizzled in the pan, their comforting smell filling the air.