Maria.
I stayed completely still by the side of the bed, my body locked in place as though even the slightest movement would give me away. I focused on my breathing, slow, shallow, controlled, afraid that if I breathed too loudly, he would hear it. My chest felt tight, each inhale scraping painfully against my ribs, but I forced myself to endure it. Silence was my only shield.
Adrien stood by the window, his back to me, unmoving. The faint glow of moonlight outlined his tall frame, stretching his shadow across the floor like a silent threat. He didn't speak. He didn't turn. He simply stared outside as though the night held answers meant only for him. The room felt suffocating, thick with unspoken tension, every second stretching longer than the last.
