Chapter 124

• The apartment was quiet when we came in. Julian flicked on the lamp in the living room, casting a soft pool of light across the couch. I dropped my coat over the armrest and kicked off my shoes, the way I always do when my feet are tired.
• He disappeared into the kitchen, and I heard the sound of the kettle filling with water. A few minutes later, the gentle hiss began.
• I stayed standing by the window, looking out at the city. It was strange — how the same streets could look so different at night. In daylight, everything was in motion. People brushing past, taxis slowing down, shopkeepers arranging displays, the press of life all around. At night, it all felt like it belonged to whoever was still awake. The windows glowed warm. The sidewalks held only a few scattered figures. The air was thicker somehow, like it kept the sound close.