It waste at night, and the road was deserted.


    His foot pressed firmly on the gas pedal.


    Suddenly, a dark figure leaped into his field of vision.


    Matthew’s pupils contracted, and he instinctively mmed the brakes.


    The car, traveling at high speed, careened into the protective railing, the wild cat’s scream drowned out by the deafening crash.


    In the stillness of midnight, Ste remained wide awake, her gaze fixed on her watch.


    Nearly an hour had passed since Matthew had ventured out, yet he hadn’t returned.


    She cast her eyes downward, contemtive.


    If Matthew didn’t return within the next two hours, she would depart from Prosper Bay.


    With her resolve firm, Ste rose from her bed and powered up herputer, resuming her design work for Mia’s uing test.


    The fledgling studio demanded her unwavering dedication, and there was a multitude of tasks ahead.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    After offering herself some sce, she immersed herself in her work.


    The design sketches were nearingpletion, but the choice of materials for the dress remained undecided.


    After thinking long and hard, Ste finally settled on silk and shell-shaped buckles, abination that harmonized elegantly with pearls.


    She began to sketch using her W tablet, conjuring the image of the young girl from the oil painting in her mind, its radiance softly glowing.


    Ste only ceased her work when the pain in her wrist became unbearable.


    She massaged her wrist and nced at her phone.


    Two hours had psed, but Matthew was still conspicuously absent, having not even sent a message.


    Disappointment washed over Ste and she lowered her gaze.


    She turned herputer off, saved her design files to a USB drive, changed into her pajamas, and retrieved her suitcase.


    Ever since she moved to Prosper Bay from the hospital, she only brought a few of her own clothes.


    Matthew had supplied the rest.


    Tonight, she would only take her own belongings.


    Given their inability to have a peaceful discussion, they might consider a temporary separation as an opportunity to reassess their rtionship.


    She thought as she packed her luggage.


    Just as she was about to summon a taxi with her phone, it rang with an unfamiliar caller ID.


    At thiste hour, who else could be calling her?


    Ste frowned as she answered the call.


    An urgent voice came on the other end.


    “Is this Ste Anderson?