ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FOUR

ALICE'S POV

I was lying on my massage table, feeling the tension slowly melt away under the expert hands of my masseuse. The room was dimly lit, a soft, ambient glow coming from the candles I had set up, casting a warm, inviting atmosphere. William, my son, was seated comfortably in the room's chair, flipping through one of his books. He didn't mind sitting with me during these moments, knowing that I enjoyed having him nearby.

As I was just beginning to sink deeper into relaxation, my phone rang. I let out a small sigh of annoyance, but I gestured for the masseuse to hand it to me. She did so with the quiet grace I expected of her. I glanced at the screen and saw Konrad's name flashing.

"Ah, Konrad," I murmured, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. I glanced at the masseuse, and without a word, she understood and left the room, closing the door softly behind her. I turned to William and said, "It's Konrad."

He looked up from his book with mild interest but didn’t say anything,