Today, around 11:00 AM, Clara returned home after a 4-month business trip.

“Since when?”

“For a month now.”

Clara let out a small laugh.

But he had no sense of humor.

“One month…” he repeated. “One month living here… in my house?”

“That’s not how it was…” he said quickly. “We wanted—”

“What did they want?”

“To surprise you.”

The word was poorly received.

Very badly.

Clara closed her eyes for a moment.

“A surprise…” she whispered.

Matthew leaned forward.