–Lore–
I woke up uncomfortable.
And of course — Alyssa was snuggled against my back like I was a human heater she legally owned.
I shut my eyes and exhaled slowly.
This woman is a walking stress test.
I turned my head slightly. She was sleeping peacefully, arms spread across my bed like she'd signed a property deed overnight.
I told David last night that his sister had attempted a hostile takeover of my mattress. He laughed.
Of course he did. He thinks his princess floats above mischief.
I carefully slid out of bed, moving like a stealth unit avoiding tripwires. Composed myself in the bathroom, ran cold water over my face, recalibrated my brain.
When I came out, she was still there.
Unbothered. Unaware. Tyrant of soft blankets.
I left her to it and headed downstairs.
Ms. Christina and the two maids were already preparing breakfast and packed snacks. The scent of garlic rice and brewed coffee filled the air.
"Good morning, ladies," I greeted, grabbing my mug.
