Chapter 5

I awoke to the sound of the front door closing. The digital clock on my nightstand read 3:27 AM. Gabriel was home—finally. I remained still, eyes closed, listening to his footsteps as he moved through our apartment with the practiced stealth of someone who didn't want to wake me. Not out of consideration, I knew, but to avoid questions.

The bedroom door opened with a soft creak. I kept my breathing even, feigning sleep as he undressed in the dark. When he slipped under the covers beside me, the scent hit me immediately—Anna's perfume, Chanel No. 5, mingled with something…