The early winter wind carried a lingering chill, a subtle emptiness that clung to the air. The lake shimmered under the pale sunlight, its rippling surface a mirror of the vast sky above. Behind it, a stretch of lush green rolled across the hillside. And amidst it all stood a woman—delicate yet striking—wrapped in a black knit sweater that clung to her petite frame.
Janet.
She had been here for over a month.
This place—peaceful, secluded—was no stranger to her. She had once lived here for nine long years, before Cornelia passed away. Back then, it was just her and her mother. This hilltop retreat had nearly been reduced to ash in a fire a decade ago and was later abandoned. She never thought she'd return. And yet… here she was.
Even with her eyes closed, Janet could feel every blade of grass, every whisper of the wind.
It was the only silence in the world that didn't feel empty.
She was now over four months pregnant.
