C135 The baby is crying

The morning light crept through the curtains, casting a golden glow on the polished staircase that Cathleen descended with deliberate grace. Clad in a tailored suit that hugged her slender frame, she moved like a panther—sleek and poised despite the storm that raged within her.

Xavier sat at the breakfast table, his posture rigid, exuding an aura of control that belied the turmoil he felt