Chapter 957

The next morning.

The first thing Celia noticed when she opened her eyes was the emptiness beside her. The space on the bed where Julian had laid was already cold, the sheets neatly pulled back as though he'd been up for hours.

She blinked slowly, her gaze unfocused at first, then drifted toward the dim light filtering through the curtains.

"You're awake."

Julian's deep voice suddenly sounded in t