My heart was beating so loudly I could barely breathe.
We did not talk much after that.
There are moments when words only get in the way.
For one night, I let myself forget my age, my loneliness, my empty house, and all the years I had spent pretending I no longer needed tenderness.
I fell asleep beside him feeling nervous, warm, and strangely peaceful.
But when I opened my eyes the next morning, the room was cold.
Adrian was gone.
At first, I thought he had gone downstairs for coffee.
Then I saw the chair near the door.
My handbag was open.
My wallet was on the floor.
My phone was missing.
And on the bedside table, beside the empty wine glass, there was a small white envelope with my name written on it.
My hands began to shake before I even touched it.
