Chapter 104

Anna POV

The silence in the apartment was a physical presence, thick and heavy. I stood frozen in the kitchen, listening to the definitive click of Hae-Jae’s studio door. It was a sound I usually loved—the sound of him creating, of losing himself in the music that was as much a part of him as his breath. Now, it felt like a dismissal.

The two full mugs of coffee sat on the counter, steam long vanished. I picked one up, the ceramic cold against my palm, and poured the contents down the sink. The dark liquid swirled, a bitter drain. I did the same with his.

I had to move. I grabbed a cloth and started wiping down the already-clean counters, my movements sharp, jerky. The domestic peace of last night felt like a dream from a decade ago.

After what felt like an eternity, but the clock insisted was only twenty minutes, I heard the studio door open. His footsteps were slow in the hall. He appeared in the kitchen doorway, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. He looked exhausted.

“I’m sorry