More than ten years

After dinner, Layla carefully ensured that Lucius was settled for the night, tucking him in with gentle care. But in the midnight, Lucius woke abruptly, his mind too restless to stay asleep.

He sat up in bed, the dim moonlight filtering through the curtains casting soft shadows across the room.

Reaching for his phone on the bedside table, he let out a sigh before slipping out from under the duvet. His bare feet touched the cool floor as he made his way to the balcony, drawn by an unspoken yearning.

Stepping outside, he was greeted by the cold night air and the vast expanse of the estate stretched out before him, bathed in silvery moonlight. It had been years—more than ten years—since he last stood here. This balcony, once his comfort place, now felt both familiar and distant, like a faded memory brought back to life.