Guarding Her Peace

𝗔𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗲'𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘃

I pushed the door open cautiously, careful not to make a sound. The room was bathed in the dim light of the bedside lamp, its glow softening the edges of everything it touched. My gaze instantly fell on Mila, lying peacefully on the bed, her face relaxed, lost in sleep.

For a moment, I just stood there, frozen, almost afraid to take another step. She looked so serene, so vulnerable. The woman who had unwittingly turned my world upside down, who didn’t even know who she truly was—or who I was—was right there, within reach.

My eyes swept across the room, searching for any sign of Sally. When I was certain she wasn’t here, a strange relief settled over me. It wasn’t that I disliked her presence, but right now, I wanted this moment to myself, this quiet, stolen moment with Mila.

I moved closer, my steps careful and measured, until I was standing by her bedside. Her face was partially hidden by a strands of hair, and without thinking, I reached out and gently tucked it