Reunion (1)

Later that evening, Anne returned home from the hospital. She was still a bit weak but determined to get back to her routine. Nicholas hovered around her, trying to mask his worry but Anne could sense something was off.

As they settled into bed, Anne turned to him, her eyes searching for something. “Are you hiding something from me?” she asked, her voice gentle but probing.

“No,” he responded, a little too quickly, avoiding her gaze.

Anne frowned, not convinced. Nicholas was usually open with her and this sudden evasiveness made her uneasy.

The next morning, Nicholas remained unusually close, not letting her out of his sight. He even delayed leaving for the office.

“Don’t you have to go to the office?” she asked, noticing how he kept finding excuses to stay near her.

“No,” he replied, trying to sound casual, but the worry was clear in his eyes. Even though Bella had reassured him that Coco was fine, he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling gnawing at him. If Anne found out about Coco, he