A few hours later, Marilena wakes to the soft rays of sunlight filtering through her curtains, casting a warm glow across the room. She stretches languidly, feeling the weight of sleep slowly lifting from her limbs. Glancing around the room, she sees her faithful companion, Max, still sleeping soundly at the foot of her bed.
With a fond smile, Marilena carefully extricates herself from the blankets and tiptoes across the room, so as not to disturb Max's peaceful slumber. She makes the bed with practiced efficiency, smoothing out the wrinkles and arranging the pillows just so.
As she finishes tidying up the room, Marilena's thoughts drift back to the conversation with Christian from the night before. Despite her efforts to push aside her concerns, a nagging sense of unease lingers in the back of her mind. She wonders what he could possibly have to tell her that requires such secrecy and seriousness.
