Richard woke earlier than usual.
Sleep had come in fragments, interrupted by thoughts he couldn't quiet and questions that refused to leave him alone.
By the time the first rays of sunlight slipped through the curtains, he had already given up on resting.
He sat on the edge of the bed for a while, rubbing a tired hand across his face.
The conversation he had overheard outside Miranda's bedroom continued replaying inside his mind, each sentence carrying more weight now than it had the night before.
His wife stirred beside him.
"You're up early."
Richard glanced toward her before quietly standing.
"I want to check on Miranda."
She didn't answer.
Whether she chose silence or simply had nothing left to say, he couldn't tell.
After changing into a fresh shirt, Richard stepped into the hallway.
The house was beginning to wake.
A few staff members moved quietly downstairs, preparing breakfast while the aroma of fresh coffee drifted through the air.
