"Kai, honey? What about you?" Kai didn't respond. He hadn't even heard her—his mind was clearly still upstairs, still processing whatever the hell he'd walked in on. "Kai?" she tried again, softer. "Kai!" Victor snapped, his voice cracking through the room like thunder. Kai blinked hard, finally lifting his head. His blue eyes accidentally met mine for a split second—wide, shell-shocked, haunted—before darting to his father. "Y-yeah? Sorry… what?" "What's wrong, man? You've been distant since you got back," Victor asked, frowning with genuine concern. "Did something happen?" Kai looked back down at his plate, trying to hide the way his jaw tightened, the way his throat bobbed with a hard swallow. I could feel Mateo tense beside me, his thigh going rigid, his eyes flicking toward me in silent panic. The sweat was back on his forehead, beading along his hairline. "Kai… what's wrong, dear? What happened back there? Did Laila say something that got you upset?" Mother aske
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