The days passed, and the space between Mio and Claude only seemed to grow wider. For the first time in what felt like forever, she found herself in the guest room—no longer in the warmth of their shared bed, no longer tangled in the soft comfort of his presence. Claude had stayed away. Even though they still lived in the same villa, the distance felt insurmountable.
Mio rolled over in the bed, staring at the ceiling as if it held all the answers she sought. The room was quiet, too quiet, without the usual sounds of Claude moving around, humming lightly as he worked, or his footsteps echoing from the hallway. She hadn't seen him since that night, when she stormed off after his words. He hadn't even tried to come after her, not even once.
