The moon hung low in the sky, casting a silvery glow over the city below. In a darkened bedroom, Carmela slept peacefully, her chest rising and falling with each breath. Beside her, Max lay still, his long eyelashes resting gently on his cheeks.

The room was quiet, save for the faint hum of the air conditioner. Then, suddenly, the quiet was broken by the bright light of Carmela's phone screen. A notification flashed on the screen, alerting her to a new message.

The phone kept beeping, its ...