Morning arrived quietly in the mansion. Soft golden sunlight slipped through the tall windows and stretched across polished floors, creeping slowly over velvet furniture and scattered baby toys like a curious visitor. The mansion was peaceful in that rare, fragile way homes sometimes were before the world properly woke up. For a few minutes, nothing moved. Then a small sound broke the silence.
"Mm…"
Andrew's eyes opened immediately. Not fully awake, not startled. Just that instinct parents develop where the smallest baby noise cuts through sleep like a bell. He blinked toward the crib beside the bed. Two tiny figures shifted inside. Celestine was already awake. Of course she was.
