Morning arrived softly, almost cautiously, as if the sun itself was unsure whether it was welcome inside the penthouse.Elara woke first.She lay still for a few seconds, staring at the ceiling, listening. The city outside was already alive cars humming far below, distant horns, the faint rhythm of a world that never paused. But inside the bedroom, everything felt suspended. Quiet. Fragile.Adrian was asleep beside her.Not close. Not far.Just… there.The space between them was intentional. A careful distance, like a line drawn in chalk visible, respected, but easily erased if one wrong move happened.She turned her head slightly, enough to