212. Come on. How long?

One day…

As time drifted into the night, the villa settled into a hushed rhythm, the children peacefully tucked into their beds. Sara cast a lingering glance around the quiet villa before her eyes fixed upon the closed door of the study room. Yohan, her husband, had vanished into that room upon arriving home, bypassing even a morsel of food. His behaviour had shifted subtly over the past few days, and an unsettling air of strain surrounded him.

Tonight felt different. Sara's intuition nagged at her; something was amiss. Hesitantly, she approached the study door and gently rapped her knuckles against the wood. Silence greeted her, prompting another, firmer knock.

"Yohan," she called softly.

A heavy, strained voice responded, "Come in."

Pushing the door open cautiously, Sara was met with a sight that struck her heart with concern. Yohan sat solemnly near the dimly lit bar, a solitary figure amidst the shadows, nursing a glass of alcohol. The scent hung heavily in the air, mingling with