Chapter 1 – The Quiet HouseThe morning sun filtered through the kitchen curtains, casting a warm glow over the breakfast table where Lila sat, scrolling through her phone while sipping orange juice. At 22, she was home from university for the summer, soaking up the familiar comforts of her childhood home in the quiet suburbs of Chicago. Her mom, Sarah, bustled around, zipping up her suitcase with the efficiency of someone who'd done this a hundred times before."Alright, you two," Sarah said, planting a kiss on Lila's forehead before turning to her husband, Ethan. "Be good while I'm gone. New York awaits—five days of conferences, networking, and probably too much coffee." She smiled, but there was a hint of reluctance in her eyes. These trips were part of her job as a marketing executive, but leaving her family always tugged at her.Ethan, tall and broad-shouldered with salt-and-pepper hair that made him look distinguished rather than old, wrapped his arms around Sarah from behind. A
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