**7 o'clock in the evening** The soft glow of the setting sun filtered through the sheer curtains of the luxurious hotel suite. I had spent the entire day mindlessly scrolling through my phone, allowing the hours to slip by as an oppressive lethargy crept into my heart. The confinement within these four walls, no matter how cozy, was beginning to take its toll on my psyche. Karl was seated beside me on the plush velvet sofa, his piercing gaze fixed on me with an icy coldness that sent shivers down my spine. I maintained my usual indifference towards him, focusing intently on the device in my hands as if it held the secrets of the universe. However, this silent treatment did not last for long. "Did you see what I brought for you?" he asked. His tone had an undercurrent of expectati