The morning light in the penthouse was a soft, pale gray. When Ava opened her eyes, Noah was already out of bed. Usually, this was the moment her chest would tighten, knowing he had already dressed in a suit and left for work without a word. She sat up, pulling the sheet around her, and walked out into the kitchen. Noah was standing by the counter. He wasn't dressed for meetings yet. He wore a simple dark sweater, his hair a little messy, holding a mug of coffee. When he heard her, he looked up. His eyes looked tired, but softer than usual. "You're awake," he said quietly. "Yeah," Ava replied, getting up. He didn't rush to touch her. Instead, he poured a second cup, fixing it exactly the way she liked it, and slid it across the marble toward her. "I don't have to leave for another hour," Noah said, watching her face. Ava looked at the steam rising from the mug. Her words from last night you shut me out when you want to were still in the air. But he wasn't running away
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