Time ticked by.
As dusk settled, Sierra Summers grew increasingly nervous, which was particularly evident at dinner, where each time Caleb Sterling fed her, Sierra reacted more strongly than usual.
Every time the man leaned closer, his presence made Sierra's thoughts drift to the approaching night.
Caleb Sterling observed all of Sierra's reactions but continued to feed her silently, as if nothing was different from any other day.
He noticed everything but didn't unmask anything.
With a heart full of nervous anticipation, Sierra maintained a routine of checking the time every fifteen minutes, lounging on the sofa and scrolling through her phone.
She was on her phone, but really it was just wasted time since she couldn't focus on the screen at all.
Time usually flew by, but today, when Sierra wanted it to hurry, it stubbornly resisted.
Sierra sighed softly while Caleb Sterling worked in the study.
She contemplated, and a hint of embarrassment spread across her cheeks.
