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Evelyn stirred beneath the linen sheets, one hand instinctively drifting to her belly, now full and heavy with the promise of new life. The morning light streamed in through the parted curtains, warm and golden, brushing over the rose-colored drapery and casting soft patterns across the floor. She sighed, content yet weary, the weight of late pregnancy making even rest feel like work.

Robert’s side of the bed was empty, the sheets still warm. She smiled faintly, running her fingers over the place where he had lain. Always up early, her husband, likely off ensuring that everything for today’s picnic was perfectly arranged.