Tessa.
I pushed myself up from the edge of the bed slowly, as though any sudden movement might disturb the fragile quiet hanging in the room. My feet touched the floor, cool against my skin, and I took a steady breath before walking toward the window. Each step felt deliberate, measured. Controlled.
The curtains were half drawn, and the sunlight slipping through them was softer now, no longer harsh or blinding, but muted. Gentle. It filtered into the room in thin golden streaks, stretching across the floor and climbing the wall in narrow bands of warmth. Dust particles floated lazily in the light, drifting without purpose.
I stopped in front of the window and stared outside.
Everything looked… ordinary.
Calm.
