Madeleine closed her laptop, walked out of the study, and found herself in a spacious apartment. All the lights were on, driving away the darkness and creating an artificial daytime. However, the emptiness of the environment still made her feel lonely.
The room was quiet. As she walked to the kitchen in her slippers, she could hear the echo of her footsteps.
On the marble dining table were three delicate small porcelain basins, each covered by a bowl. Upon opening them, she saw the late-night snack she had prepared.
It was cooked for her husband, Howard Coleman.
Unfortunately, her husband did not come home.
In the summer, despite the air conditioning in the room, food spoiled quickly. Madeleine brought a trash can, dumped the late-night snack into it, and then took the bowls to the sink to wash them thoroughly. With that done, she measured out some rice, put it in the timed steamer, plugged it in, and chose the porridge function.
