Tessa slipped through the front door, the silence of the mansion pressing against her like a held breath.

No staff in sight. No Salima. No Nandini. Just the low hum of the air conditioning and the faint scent of sandalwood.

She kicked off her flats at the entrance, coat over her arm, and took the stairs two at a time, her heart beating faster than it should.

She just needed to shower, change, and act normal. She could decide later how much to tell Roman. She reached their bedroom door and pushed it open slowly.

“Roman?” she whispered, barely audible.

But there was nothing.

She let out a long, shaky...