Inside the bathroom, Estelle momentarily forgot there was a light within. She pulled back the curtain and gazed at herself in the mirror, basking in the natural daylight streaming through the skylight. The reflection revealed a woman with fair skin and a rosy complexion. Though her hair was somewhat messy, she hadn’t changed much since her teenage years.

After a while, Estelle gradually regained her composure and examined her body, relieved to find that nothing untoward had occurred between her and Cristofer the previous night.

Feeling light-hearted, she turned on the tap and splashed cold water on her face to help wake herself up. She had important work to complete...