Elite Sapphire Penthouse, 19:30;
Xi Yuan's eyes fluttered open, emerging from the depths of sleep as his gaze settled on the ceiling above. For a moment, he simply lay there, letting the silence seep into his bones.
Then, almost instinctively, his arms reached out to the sides—searching. His fingers brushed against the cool, disturbed sheets, and a quiet, resigned smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
Of course. She was gone.
His Queen had stayed just long enough to make sure he was okay. To nurse him, to feed him, to lull him into rest—only to slip away when he was too deep in sleep to stop her. Like always, she chose to vanish into the shadows of her own battles, unwilling to let him bear even a fraction of their burden.
He only hoped she'd allowed herself a few hours of peace too.
