The night air was cool, carrying the faint scent of wet leaves and distant rain. The storm had passed hours ago, but the sky was still wrapped in a soft gray mist that hovered low over the quiet neighborhood. The children were finally asleep—exhausted from fear, from questions unspoken, from the presence of a father they barely knew trying to slip back into their world.Elara stood by the living room window, arms wrapped around herself. She didn’t notice Liam watching her from across the room, studying the tremble in her shoulders, the tired lines around her eyes.“You need air,” he said softly.She startled, turning toward him.“It’s nearly midnight,” she whispered, as if the hour itself were something dangerous.“All the more reason,” Liam replied. “Fresh air. Just a few minutes. You used to love walking at night.”She hesitated. Memories fluttered—nights when they were younger, walking hand in hand under the dim streetlights, talking about baby names, about futures, about dreams th
Last Updated : 2025-11-22 Read more