Beaten

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of the alarm buzzing on the bedroom's nightstand. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I glanced over at Victor, still asleep beside me. He looked so peaceful, his features softened by slumber.

After getting out of bed, I went to the kitchen and microwaved the leftovers from last night's dinner. I also made some toast for Victor, knowing he'd appreciate a quick breakfast before heading off to work.

With breakfast ready, I returned to the bedroom and gently nudged Victor awake. He groaned sleepily, but I could see the exhaustion written all over his face.

“I'm leaving now,” I whispered, leaning down to kiss his forehead.

“Mmm, you can take the driver” He mumbled, already drifting back to sleep.

Chuckling at his sleepy response, I grabbed my coat and headed out the door. The driver was waiting for me downstairs, and soon we were on our way to the mansion.

Arriving an hour later, I found Zara in the living room, sipping on a cup of tea. She sprang up w