The night was heavy with silence, broken only by the faint hiss of a cigarette being lit and the low hum of distant traffic. The balcony outside Andrew's penthouse apartment was dimly lit by a single wall lantern, casting long shadows against the walls. The sky was a wash of deep blue and grey, clouds shrouding the stars in a brooding veil, as if echoing the turmoil within Andrew's heart.
Andrew stood alone on the balcony, a half-empty bottle of whiskey dangling loosely from one hand, a cigarette pressed between the fingers of the other. The sharp scent of tobacco mingled with the cool night air, and the slow, steady rhythm of his exhales punctuated the silence. He took a deep drag from his cigarette, exhaling slowly as his eyes stared blankly into the night. But his mind was far from blank.
