[ PRESENT TIME ]
Maynard excused himself to go back to his room, as he had drunk a few shots before asking Asher to drink with him. He swayed at each step back to his room, and when he reached his destination, Maynard didn't enter. Instead, he leaned his side against the jamb of the door.
"Hah… why am I acting like this now?" he murmured, dragging his feet inside. But Maynard didn't go straight to bed. He went straight to the bookshelf, raising a hand to take out the book he would usually pick each time for whatever reason.
The book was old and used, very unlike the books that were on the bookshelf. When he opened it, Maynard searched for a particular page until he found the reason he would take this book out occasionally.
There, kept inside the book, was a woman's portrait.
"Stella," he whispered, planting his fingertips on her portrait's beautiful face. "Darling…"
