After a brief hesitation, he softly knocked on the door. "Alexis!"

No response came from within, so he pushed the door open. The room was dimly lit, with a subtle fragrance lingering in the air. Without turning on the light, he made his way to the bed.

Alexis lay sleeping, covered with a thin blanket, her back to the door, her phone slipping from her hand.

Leonel picked up the phone and glanced at it, his expression darkening. After a moment, he returned it to the bedside table, its screen illuminating the room. He gently tapped her shoulder. "Alexis, it's time to head home."

She stirred from her slumber...

Alexis woke up, still feeling sad because she had that same dream again.

In it, she brought back Calvin's ashes from another country.

She dreamed the plane would never touch down.

Suddenly awake, she felt warm skin beside her and clung to it, pressing her face against it.

Leonel noticed the dampness on his arm.

Alexis had cried.

Though it was spring, the bedroom felt icy.

Leonel waited patiently for her to calm down. Two minutes later, Alexis was fully awake.

As Alexis slowly pulled away from his embrace, avoiding contact, it hurt Leonel. His wife didn't want him touching her.

Did her clinging to him come from mistaking him for Calvin?

The living could never compete with the dead, especially when he was the one who sent Calvin away during Alexis’ pregnancy...

Calvin had got seriously sick and passed away later in a foreign country.

Alexis didn't find out until she recovered after giving birth and asked for Calvin.

Leonel tried to push away the gloom.

Now Calvin was a taboo topic between them. Neither mentioned him, but he was always there. They just lived like that, indifferent. He didn't know how long he could handle it.