Adrian stepped out of the shower. Running the towel once through his hair, he headed to her room.
When he pushed the half-open door, Ella was nowhere in the room.
His steps stilled.
A flicker of unease passed through his eyes. He scanned the room again, before he checked the bathroom. There was no trace of her.
His jaw clenched.
Running his fingers through his damp hair, he turned and walked briskly down the stairs.
'Slurp'
'Smack'
Hearing the voices, Adrian froze in his tracks.
His gaze wandered off to the dining table where steam had curled from the piping hot food. And in the center of it was Ella, sitting in a spot where she had access to every dish.
Half-curled over the table, sleeves haphazardly rolled, head slightly down, she scooped a dumpling into her mouth. She smacked her lips and slurped on the soup before reaching out for a ceramic bowl.
