Without flickering the lights on, he exited their bedroom silently, leaving her behind in the darkness.

Despite the early summer warmth, a coldness settled between them, marking the space their closeness once filled.

The next morning, Raphael woke up.

He propped himself against the headboard, his bathrobe loosely draped, adding a casual air to his demeanor.

Frustrated, he smoked a cigarette, and then returned to the main bedroom to get ready and change. But as he opened the door, he heard Elissa on the phone.