Carefully, Cristofer picked up the coat that Estelle had set aside. He was cautious not to wake her up and gently draped the coat over her shoulders. However, the moment the coat touched Estelle’s back, she stirred, opened her eyes, and gazed at him with her large and bright eyes.

Their eyes locked, and Cristofer was momentarily taken aback, his heart racing. He suddenly felt embarrassed, remembering what he had said to Estelle earlier, and released his grip on the coat as if it were a bomb. He wanted to leave the study quickly, but Estelle halted him as he started to move.

“You came to see me,” Estelle said,...