When he stepped out of the shower, he wrapped a towel around his waist. Standing before the marble sink, he reached for the shaving cream, spread it evenly across his face, and began shaving with slow, almost ritualistic movements. Each stroke of the blade seemed to slice away not just hair, but also the remnants of a story that no longer made sense.

When he finished, he rinsed his face, patted it dry with the white towel at his side, and looked into the mirror again. The man staring back was n