A Quiet Distraction.

 Annabella returned to Andrew's big, elegant villa. The luxury of the home felt unreal, a spark reminder of the deal she had made, and the reality she was living. Her mind kept going back to her mother, lying in that hospital bed, and the decision of when—or if—she would wake up.

 She dropped her purse on the hall table and stood there for a moment, looking around the perfectly kept home. It was too quiet. Too cold. She felt out of place here, like she didn't belong, despite the contract that tied her to this house.

 Her thoughts raced, and she needed something—anything—to stop her mind from racing.Doing nothing wasn't an option. She couldn't just sit still, waiting and worrying about her mother.

 "I need to keep myself busy," she whispered to herself.

 Anna decided to clean. She wasn't used to having everything done for her, and although Andrew had a staff to handle every house chores, today she wanted to take control of something—anything—to distract herself from the bad thoughts. The house was big , but it didn't matter. She needed the distraction.

 She made her way to the laundry room and found the supplies and equipment she needed, deciding to start with the kitchen. The polished marble countertops shone under the sunlight pouring through the large windows, but Annabella wiped them down anyway.

. She scrubbed the stove, polished the sink, and arranged the dishes in perfect order. Her hands moved automatically, and for a brief moment, her mind was clear.

As she moved on to the living room, vacuuming the luxurious carpets and dusting the shelves, she allowed herself to think of her mother again, but this time with a little more peace. At least the bills had been paid, and her mother was in the best care. Andrew had made sure of that, and for that, she was grateful—even if it came at a price.

 Hours passed quickly as Annabella cleaned, moving from one room to the next. She felt a small sense of accomplishment as the house sparkled, though it had been spotless to begin with. But more than that, she felt a tiny bit of control return to her life, even if it was just through the simple act of cleaning.

 At the time she finished, the afternoon sun had begun to dip lower in the sky, casting a golden glow throughout the house. Annabella stood in the middle of the living room, looking at her work. 

 She sighed , wiping her brow as she leaned against the counter. The house was huge and took more time to clean than she expected, but it had kept her busy, kept her thoughts from going too far into the dark corners of her mind.

 At least I did something today, she thought. I didn't just sit here and worry.

 She glanced at the clock, realizing that Andrew would be home soon. The thought made her stomach twist. She still hadn't decided how to approach him, whether to bring up the kiss marks she'd seen on him the other night or to stay silent like before. The distance between them had grown over the past few days, and she wasn't sure if she was ready to confront him yet.

 Anna shook her head, pushing the thoughts aside for now. There would be time to deal with that later. For now, she just needed a moment of peace, however fleeting.

 She stepped out onto the balcony, breathing in the cool evening air, and for a brief moment, she allowed herself to relax.