Chapter 1: Introduction

Stephanie walked through the door after a grueling day at work, her blue eyes strained and weary. The rich autumn sun painted a warm glow in the sky, but the natural light did little to cheer her up. She slipped out of her flats, sighing as their cool leather met her sore feet. After untangling her long blonde hair from its tendrils, she let it flow freely to her waist, feeling relieved as the strands cascaded like waterfalls down her back.

"Hey, honey," called Mike, emerging from the kitchen.