Evening arrived slowly, wrapping the entire house in a soft golden silence that always came just before nightfall. The fading sunlight slipped through the curtains in delicate shades of amber and gold, painting the room in warmth. Somewhere downstairs, faint sounds of utensils echoed from the kitchen, while the television played quietly in the background — some random show neither of them truly cared about. Tanirika sat comfortably on the bed, one leg folded beneath her, absentmindedly scrolling through her phone. Her expression looked calm, almost uninterested, but the truth was completely different. Every few minutes, without even realizing it, her eyes drifted toward the bedroom door. And every single time she caught herself doing that— she became annoyed with herself.