The morning sun, a gentle intruder, peeked through the silken curtains of Areum's private wing, casting a soft glow across the room. A peaceful silence reigned, broken only by the soft rhythm of sleeping breaths. Areum, nestled beneath the plush covers, slept soundly, her face relaxed, her expression serene. Flynn, lying beside her on the ground, stirred slightly, his eyes fluttering open at the disturbance in the air.
He blinked, his gaze sweeping across the room, his senses alert. He caught a flicker of sound outside the door, a subtle shift in the sounds of the birds chirping. His eyes widened, his heart skipping a beat. The sound of a walking stick against the marble floor got him instantly alert.
Flynn's instincts kicked in, his mind racing. He had to act quickly, to create a plausible explanation for their shared bed. He could not afford to let Grandmother Jia suspect the true nature of their arrangement.