Barrett felt Zoe's resistance beside him and hesitantly withdrew his arm, which had been holding hers.

As he distanced himself slightly, the rhythm of her breathing gradually slowed.

In his recollection, he and Zoe had always shared the same bed, yet lying beside her now, he couldn't shake the feeling that this proximity seemed unfamiliar.

Lacking sleepiness, he rose from the bed and glanced at Zoe's coat laid nearby.

Inside the coat pocket, along with a few documents and some cash, was a small paper bag containing colorful pills. There were no labels on the bag, leaving its contents a mystery.

In addition to these items, when Barrett had brought...