He missed the way Lara used to respond to his sillier moments—rolling her eyes, pretending to be annoyed, nudging him playfully when he went too far. Recently she’d just seemed tired, offering soft smiles that faded quickly. Work had been draining her, or so she said.
Their evenings had grown quieter, not tense—just muted, as though they were living slightly out of sync. He assumed it was normal, a phase every couple drifted through from time to time. So he thought a harmless little scare might lift the mood, maybe bring back a spark of their usual rhythm.