The study is quiet, filled only with the soft crackle of a candle and the rustling of pages as Esme absentmindedly flips through a book. The warm glow casts golden light across her delicate features, highlighting the curve of her lips as she lets out a quiet sigh.

She should be lost in her stories, but tonight, her mind wanders elsewhere. The room feels too empty, the silence too heavy. She leans back in her chair, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers, her gaze drifting to the door.

Perhaps what she truly needs isn’t another book to escape into—but someone to share the night with. Will you be the one to keep her company?