189. The Truth He Didn’t Prepare ForRoman

Roman doesn’t sleep. He doesn’t try to. The apartment is too quiet for that, the kind of quiet that isn’t peaceful but hollow, like something essential has been removed and the space hasn’t adjusted yet. Mila’s room remains untouched but he doesn’t go back in. Not because he’s avoiding it but because he’s already seen enough.

Instead, he sits in the living room, jacket discarded somewhere behind him, tie loosened but not removed, ...