Veronica lay motionless, her chest rising and falling with each gentle breath. The soft morning light streaming through the window highlighted the peaceful features of her face, her eyelids fluttering slightly as she chased the remnants of a dream.

The silence was almost palpable, broken only by the distant chirping of birds, flying in the sky. Veronica's hair flowed across the pillow like a waterfall of night, a few stray strands framing her face.

Just as it seemed like the silence would continue, the creak of the front door broke the stillness. Vincent stepped out of his room, tiptoeing, his footsteps echoing through the hallway.

As he got to Veronica's...