Madelyn paused to take a sip from her glass. The weight of Ethan's words dispelled her sleepy haze, and her mind began to race.

The soft ticking of the living room clock filled the brief silence. After a moment's reflection, she met Ethan's eyes, her lips pursed thoughtfully. "Alright then, should I move out?" she asked.

There was an eerie calm to her demeanor, no trace of irritation discernible in her voice.

She had observed, of late, that the warmth once evident in Ethan's eyes when he look