Ava walked into the kitchen the next morning, the smell of coffee and toast filling the air. Her mother was at the stove, humming a tune as she flipped pancakes. Ethan sat at the table, scrolling through his phone, his hair still damp from his shower. The sight of them, so normal and so familiar, made Ava's heart ache. She felt a pang of guilt, a sense of betrayal, but she pushed it down, taking a deep breath as she sat down at the table."Morning, kiddo," Ethan said, not looking up from his phone."Sleep well?"Ava nodded, pouring herself a cup of coffee."Yeah, you?""Like a baby," he replied, finally looking up. His eyes were clear, his smile genuine."Morning, Jax," Ethan said, his voice cheerful, but Jaxon barely glanced at him. He grabbed a cup of coffee, his movements stiff, his eyes avoiding everyone's gaze. It was clear he was trying to pretend nothing had happened, but the tension in his shoulders and the tightness in
Last Updated : 2026-09-25 Read more