Lu Family Mansion, 11:30;
Xi Yuan woke up to the sharp sound of his phone ringing, the earthy aroma of freshly brewed coffee lingering in the air. Without hesitation, he silenced the device, his first instinct to ensure the woman in his arms remained undisturbed. His gaze softened as he took her in, her delicate features etched with faint traces of exhaustion.
The night had been brutal on her. Tormented by nightmares, she had clutched her stomach in her sleep, her body trembling as muffled sobs wracked her frame. She had cried out for him, for her brothers, again and again, her anguish like needles pricking his heart. He knew exactly what demons haunted her—it was the night she lost their child, the pain of her miscarriage replaying in her mind like a merciless storm.
Helpless yet determined, all Xi Yuan could do was hold her close, his protective embrace shielding her, if only slightly, from the echoes of her sorrow.
