Silvester woke up slowly, the dawn light seeping through the heavy curtains of his bedroom. He felt an unfamiliar warmth beside him and turned his head to see Grace lying there, her hair splayed out on the pillow like a dark halo. Her face was serene in sleep, her breathing soft and even. For a moment, Silvester just watched her. There was a delicate beauty to Grace that always took his breath away. The way her lashes cast shadows on her cheeks, the curve of her lips, the gentle rise and fall of her chest—all of it combined to create a picture of perfect peace.
Seeing her there, so close and yet so unattainable in his dreams, brought a rush of mixed emotions. He remembered the days when having Grace seemed like an impossible fantasy, a wishful thought that he never truly believed could co
