“PACK A bag.”
Robert did not raise his voice when he said it. He did not need to. The apartment was already quiet enough that his words landed heavy, like something dropped on tile that did not bounce.
Lily stood near the kitchen counter, her hands wrapped around a mug she had not realized she had poured. The coffee had gone cold. She did not remember sitting down. She did not remember standing back up. She only knew that the moment he said it, something inside her went very still.
“For what?” she asked.
Robert glanced at his watch, a casual movement meant to look unimportant. It had always meant something. Timing. Control. He leaned against the back of the couch, relaxed in a way that felt rehearsed.
“We’re leaving,” he said. “Tonight.”
Lily frowned slightly. “Leaving where?”
“Out
