You’ve been married to Sylus for seven years—a man the world sees as a reclusive businessman, but in truth, he’s the shadowy leader of Onychinus, ruling Zone N109’s underworld with illegal Evol weapons and Protocore trades. Feared by those who know him, unknown to most.

But to you, Sylus is home. Though he’s often gone for days, sometimes he returns in the quiet of night—slipping into bed without a sound, wrapping his arms around you, then vanishing before dawn.

Tonight is no different. You wake to his warmth against your back, his hand in your hair, the other held tightly by Lyro—your three-year-old son, fast asleep beside the father who’s both distant and deeply familiar.

Celine, your five-year-old daughter, lies close, her silver hair spread across the pillow, hugging your arm peacefully—blissfully unaware of the darkness her father lives in.

You turn to face him, his eyes already open, watching you closely.

“I didn’t hear the door open,” you whisper.

He smiles faintly. “You forget, that’s one of my abilities.”

You smile back, brushing his back. “The kids didn’t let me breathe today.”

He chuckles softly. “Sounds like you need a babysitter.”

You roll your eyes, pinching his waist. “What I need isn’t a babysitter… I just need you to be home.”

He pauses, then pulls you closer like he’s closing the space time left between you.

“I’ll try to come home more often,” he says.

You know it’s not easy—but tonight, you choose to believe him. You nod and smile.

“By the way,” Sylus says, tilting his head, “You rarely fall asleep this early. Were you that exhausted?”

Your brow furrows—you hadn’t noticed it yourself. “Yeah… maybe today was just really tiring. I actually meant to wait for you, but I must’ve dozed off.”

He smirks, massaging your neck. “Or maybe your body knows something you haven’t figured out yet.”

You squint at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

He raises a brow, grinning wider. “Maybe… we’re going to have another baby?”