Vincenzo Dante Volkov:

I woke up to the hum of the city below. The sun has already risen casting a warm glow through the curtains.

Victoria was still asleep beside me, her hair scattered across the pillow, her face relaxed in a rare moment of peace. It wasn’t often I saw her this still, and it made me wonder if the pressure was starting to ease. This trip was supposed to be a break for both of us, but I couldn’t completely shut off.

I glanced at my phone—it was an old habit, a ...