Franz had been leaving for work for over a week, leaving the twins mostly in Arianne and Aunt Estella's company.
Arianne pulled the curtains open to allow the sunlight to illuminate her study one early morning. A slight breeze blew into the room; the season was about to change.
The window remained open as Arianne crossed the room, the curtains shifting slightly as she passed. The study was quiet at this hour, the kind of stillness that only existed before the twins woke and the house adjusted around them.
She set her phone down beside the desk and checked the time once before sitting. The day had already been divided into blocks in her head—school preparation, transport, meetings she would need to attend alone. Nothing unexpected. Nothing that required adjustment yet.
Franz had already left for work while the twins were still asleep in their room. This allowed Arianne to review the documents she had yet to check. A particular folder on her table immediately caught her attention.
