Morning sunlight streamed softly through the sheer curtains of the villa bedroom, touching Mio's face with a gentle warmth. She blinked awake slowly, still cocooned in the comfortable haze of sleep—only to realize something was…odd.
The space beside her was empty.
No Claude sprawled half-naked across the blankets.
No ridiculous morning flirtations.
No hum of his voice teasing her awake.
Just silence.
Mio sat up, confused. Claude was almost always glued to her the moment she opened her eyes. That he wasn't here meant only two possibilities:
He disappeared to avoid morning teasing…
or he got into trouble somewhere.
She sighed, brushing her messy hair back. "Where did that half-dressed menace run off to…?"
When she stepped out of the bedroom, still wearing one of Claude's oversized shirts, she nearly collided with someone sitting calmly on the living room sofa.
"Ah. You're awake," Len Sky said, crossing one leg over the other.
