Still, she remained below 10@ pounds, a fact that always struck Edwin when he carried her.

Seated in the dining room, Laura nibbled at her meal in small bites.

Meanwhile, Edwin stood by the French window, silently puffing on a cigarette. Despite the stack of documents awaiting his attention, his interest in them remained conspicuously absent.

His gaze inadvertently fell upon Laura.

Edwin's eyes held a profound complexity. He bent his head to tap the cigarette's ashes, a growing sense of unease weighing on him.