AVA'S POV
Two weeks. I had two whole weeks of leave, and for the first time in months, I didn't have a flight to catch or a foundation meeting waiting with a ticking clock. It was strange, a good kind of strange.
I woke up slowly, blinking against the warm morning light filtering through the curtains.
The scent of something sweet, vanilla and cinnamon, drifted into the room, and I knew instantly that this wasn't my usual morning.
I reached for Ethan, but his side of the bed was already empty and cool.
Odd.
My phone was quiet. No work emails, no reminders. Just one unread message from Ethan:
"No work today, my queen. Just dress comfortably. The day belongs to you. Love, E."
My brows lifted, curiosity dancing behind my eyes. I rolled out of bed, brushed my teeth, and tied my hair up in a loose bun. Something inside me stirred with excitement.
Ethan didn't usually plan spontaneous things, not like this. He was structured, calculated.
