Morning came too quickly.
Damian Roberts barely slept.
The tiny apartment he shared with Lena was still dim when sunlight began creeping through the thin curtains, painting pale lines across the worn wooden floor. Outside, the city was already awake. Cars moved along the street below. Voices drifted faintly through the open window. The steady rhythm of daily life continued as if nothing had changed.
But everything had changed.
Damian sat on the edge of the couch with a mug of coffee in his hands. He stared down at the dark liquid, watching the steam curl slowly into the quiet air. His thoughts refused to settle. Every time he closed his eyes, the same memory returned.
The ballroom.
The soft glow of chandeliers overhead.
The sharp tension in the air.
And Kendrick Walker standing far too close.
Damian rubbed his temple slowly.
