le, and deceivingly calm. The scent of roasted coffee drifted through the kitchen, mingling with the

orcelain cup. She hadn't taken a sip. The bitter aroma reminded h

utterly unreadable. She scrolled silently through her phone, one manicure

e a glan

ike a woman built for control: pressed cream blouse, ruby pendant glinting just

nse. And beneath it, something slither

ena finally aske

" she replied, though the bags

hallways that used to echo with her mother's laughter. Every creak in the floorb

last time before setting it aside. "Your father m

odded. "Fina

ft and controlle

y Elena said them-measured, deliberate-made Ava's skin p

t what s

at she di

that danced behind thos

rs in antique stores. Beautiful, reflect

ng," Ava said carefully

head. "Why woul

"Things feel.

course they do. You've been away for four years. This house h

's ears. It didn't belong to El

as ever. His presence lit up the room-still so

ng, girls!"

a said, her tone w

"We were just chatting. I was te

ourse we are. To

ction, but his eyes... they were tired now. Older. The kind

announced. "Just something intimate. F

king her hesitation. "

al, sweetheart," Thomas

nted to ask. But

m, serene, but somehow watchful. There was something feline

her, Elena leaned in and whispered-

eft closed, sweetheart

fr

glided into the hallway, her heels click

, hummed to himself a

r, a cold weight settling in her c

re a ch

ed faintly of a different perfume-and opened the closet. H

wedding photo, the one of the three of them at the beach, eve

never lived here. Li

er eyes, but she blinked them awa

se had buried-and what Elena might be hi

w knew somethi

't just

pping into

El

imply her fa

torm wrappe

ere hiding someth