On the return trip the next day, Ethan glanced in the rearview mirror, watching Serena and Alina giggling and chatting in the back seat.
But the sight left him feeling hollow inside.
His hands tightened on the steering wheel without him realizing it.
It should've been Cecilia in the back seat with them.
Suddenly, he felt an urgent need to see Cecilia, to tell her Alina wouldn't make things difficult anymore, and to return to the life they once had.
He looked forward to the day they'd truly become a family, free of barriers, with nothing but each other's company.
The moment the car stopped at the villa, Ethan pushed the door open and strode inside with a haste he didn't even realize he possessed.
He went straight to the guest room and flung the door open, only to find it empty. The b
